Unraveling Selena by Marisa Maichel (best ereader for comics TXT) š
- Author: Marisa Maichel
Book online Ā«Unraveling Selena by Marisa Maichel (best ereader for comics TXT) šĀ». Author Marisa Maichel
Faolan followed me and let himself into Fatherās bedroom, where he curled up under the covers and started crying again.
I met Father in the hallway. āHe needs you more than I do,ā I said, walking past him.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I badly wanted to talk to Sarah, but she wouldnāt speak to me. She didnāt answer my calls or texts. I felt terrible about the way I spoke to her. She didnāt deserve that. I didnāt know what was wrong with me. I loved her, yet I only saw her flaws. I didnāt truly want to break up for good.
While browsing YouTube, I came across a channel called Sarahās Stories. It was her, my girl. There were no videos yet, but there was a picture of her and a picture of her dogs, Spunk and Coffee.
When I checked the next day, there was a video up, called My Rape Story. I already knew the whole story, but I watched it anyway. It was hard to watch, and it was hard to watch her cry while she explained what happened.
āHello, viewers,ā she began. āMy name is Sarah, and this is my rape story. It happened last November, almost a year ago now.ā She wiped at her perfectly made-up eyes with a tissue. āItās been a hard year. Iāve got my heart broken, my trust destroyed, and I even lost someone I loved.ā I hoped that wasnāt me.
āBut first, let me explain what happened that night: I went to a classmateās party with my girls. This particular classmate is the golden boy, the most popular guy in school. I liked and trusted him, and he wasnāt the one who hurt me, but I still blame him sometimes, and I feel like a horrible person for blaming him. It wasnāt his fault. It wasnāt mine, either, but I still feel somehow like it was. Anyway, the girls and I went to a room to smoke cigarettes. Our head girl suggested we try weed next, and she offered me a blunt. I took it, but I didnāt want to smoke it.
āI refused and gave it back to her, and she slapped me. Then some of the other girls started fighting me and each other, and it was pure chaos for a few minutes. I went to another bedroom to relax, and thatās when it happened. Another classmate, who I wonātā¦oh, heās dead anyway. Okay, Michael Nales.ā She took a deep breath and wiped at her eyes again. āI was raped by Michael Nales. He wound up getting me pregnant, and I had the baby in July. Anyway, Michael was murdered a few weeks after it happened.
āI donāt know who murdered him, and I donāt think I want to know, butā¦I feel terrible and awful for this, but Iām glad heās dead. I feel like he deserved to die. I know thatās horrible of me, but thatās how I feel. Iāve been told over and over again that it wasnāt my fault, but I still feel like it was. The baby himself is doing fine; I named him Cirino, which means ālike the sunā. Iām not going to lie, I thought about abortion, but Iām glad I went through with the pregnancy. I love my son, and Iām happy that I get to see him every day. I know that a lot of people sometimes blame the baby, which isnāt fair. Itās not the babyās fault. It isnāt anyoneās fault but his.
āCan I say that Iām happy? Well, Iām content. Iām a cheerleader, I have a great group of friends, a boyfriend who loves me, and a family who loves me. My family isnāt a typical family, but it used to be before my dadās death. But thatās another story. Again, my name is Sarah, and I am a victim and survivor of rape.ā
She ended the tape there. I sat back and thought about what sheād said. She considered my family her family. She had called me her boyfriend.
āIām such a loser,ā I said out loud.
āNo, youāre not!ā Father called from across the hall. I sighed. Stupid vampire hearing. There is no such thing as privacy.
I called Sarah one final time, and got an answer.
āHello?ā came my girlās voice.
āIām sorry,ā I said. āIām sorry for everything I said. You were right. I was being hostile, and unfair, and I donāt know why. I was having problems and I didnāt talk to you about them. Iām sorry.ā
āThatās all I wanted to hear. All right, I accept your apology. Iām sorry, too.ā
āI saw your video.ā
āDid you like it?ā
āI did. You were very brave.ā
āI was as scared as a cat facing a dog. No, not you, Spunk. Ouch! Down!ā
āBravery and fearlessness are not the same thing,ā I said.
āThatās probably true. Anyway, I have to go to work pretty soon. Mandyās been stressed lately because this chick who worked there for two years just quit to take an accounting job.ā
āAll right, Iāll let you go. I love you.ā
āThanks.ā She hung up. Thanks? That was all I got?
I was sure there was a mistake. She probably got flustered or didnāt know what to say. Either way, I tried to tell myself it wasnāt a big deal, but my inner self disagreed. My clingy nature called to me to call her back and demand an explanation. My jealous and possessive nature screamed that there was another male involved. Of course, I already knew that there were three other males involved. Caden, Elliot, and Glen Crow. There was Eric Martin, a werewolf, but he left her alone after she told him that she wasnāt interested. Why didnāt she do the same thing to these guys? Of course, sheād already told Glen off several times, but the bastard just wouldnāt leave her alone.
I was pretty sure she still loved me. I hoped she did. I knew Iād screwed up again, and I had already apologized to her. I needed her. I wanted her. The thought of her hips against mine, our chests touching, my hands in her hair, her hands in mine, her green eyes looking into mine like an angelās. My angel.
I needed to distract myself, so I focused on Selena. What was she like? What was her surname? Did she look more like Mother, or more like her father? Were her eyes blue, like Motherās, or a different color? Was her hair long and curly, or short? Did she know about me, if she was still alive? The thought that I had a sister, one I didnāt know aboutā¦.
I was not prepared for that revelation. Iād had no idea that my mother was still around a year ago, and now I had a mother. My family had gotten bigger and more loving. I was supposed to be happy. I had everything I needed and wanted.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
There was something wrong with Sarah. She was losing more hair than usual, her teeth looked stained and weak, and she had lost weight. It was only a week after our talk and she was already looking different. Her thick, luscious hair was losing its shine, her curls becoming limp. She was thinner than usual, so thin that I could see her ribs through her shirt. I had noticed these things before, but not really noted them.
It all became clear when I was asked to attend a group at the Health Center for Women. Mother picked me up with Sarah in the car and drove us to the Center. She led me and a silent Sarah through a door marked Body Image and Eating Disorders. My eyes widened and I looked at Sarah, who had her head low.
Several women and girls were already seated in a circle. We took the last three chairs and faced the rest of the group. Immediately, whispers started.
āIs he her boyfriend or something?ā
āAre they brother and sister?ā
āAll right,ā piped up a curly-haired blond. āWeāre all here now. Letās start with Sarah and her family. Sarah, why donāt you introduce yourself?ā
āIām Sarah,ā said my girl, āAnd my mom who isnāt really my mom heard me throwing up, and she thought I was doing it on purpose.ā
āI am Marina,ā said Mother, āI am Sarahās mother. I caught her with a toothbrush down her throat! She has been doing this in secret for weeks apparently.ā
Weeks?
āIām Reese, and Iām Sarahās boyfriend,ā I said. āThis is the first Iām hearing about it. I came to support my mother and my girlfriend.ā
āCan you explain your relationship a little more? I think weāre all confused,ā said the blond.
āI am actually Reeseās mother,ā Mother said. āI took in Sarah and her sister Sabine because their biological mother is in rehab for alcohol addiction. I love the girls like they are my own.ā
āThank you for explaining,ā said the blond. āContinue.ā
āIām Tilda,ā said the next girl, a heavyset girl with dark hair who wore a shirt that said Art Matters. āIām here because I was caught smoking in the bathroom at school after I threw up in the nurseās office. Now my parents think Iām throwing up on purpose too.ā
My heart fell into my stomach. Sarah had bulimia nervosa, and I didnāt know until now. What kind of boyfriend was I? I was useless and worthless. No wonder she didnāt like me anymore. I was a selfish, stupid guy who didnāt have anything other than money and an appetite for human blood.
As it turned out, the head blondās name was Ariel, and she was a therapist, nutritionist, and eating coach. She explained that there are several reasons why girls force themselves to throw up or starve. The need to be thin, the need to control something. Need.
As the girls and their mothers went around introducing themselves and saying why they were in the group, Sarah never looked up except to scan the room once. Her eyes fell on another girl, who I would learn also went to North Hampton High School. No doubt the truth would spread.
Sarah Cresley, the beautiful cheerleader, the Psyche of the whole school, was bulimic.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The North Hampton High School Talent Show was approaching. Since it was my last year as a high school student, I decided to enter. I wrote my name on the paper containing all the names of the entrees. I didnāt know what song I would sing. I knew I wanted to sing an original song, but that was it. Iād heard that Sarahās clique would be doing a group song. Iād heard Sarah discussing clothing choices with Mia Rayport and Angela Montgomery. I made another decision. The rule was that each person could do one by themselves, one duet, and one group audition. So, I approached Sarah in the library as she read the latest volume of Saga.
āWould you like to do a duet with me?ā I asked.
āSure,ā she said. āWhat were you thinking?ā
āI donāt know. I was going to ask you for suggestions.ā
āIāve always liked āBetween the Raindropsā by Lifehouse,ā she said.
āIf thatās what you want, weāll do it,ā I said. āHow are you feeling?ā I asked, sitting down.
āFine,ā she said testily. āIt was stupid. It was one time.ā
āDonāt lie to me,ā I warned her.
āFine, it was more than once.ā She burst into tears. āI canāt take it anymore? Ms. Kent is working us to death! She wants all of us to be the right size and have the right moves and have our hair and makeup always perfect! Itās taking all the fun out of cheering for the home team.ā
āWhat else?ā I asked.
āMy job! Mandy said that I can work up to assistant manager, but only if I can work full-time, which I canāt do. I canāt work all the time. And this studying and homework is really dragging my brain down. And those guys! I donāt know how many times I have to say no!ā
āSarah, I didnāt know.
Comments (0)