Less than Perfect by S. J. Evans (librera reader .TXT) 📖

I couldn’t leave the house because I ‘had the flu’.” She finished the terrifying story, swallowing her tears down. She did it. She had admitted to Rachel of Johnny’s abuse. And it felt good.
Rachel was speechless, her mouth gaping open as little crystals formed in her eyes. She barely looked like she was breathing.
Skye wrapped her in a hug, sucking a deep breath in and letting it out, relieved. No matter how Rachel would take the news, she at least knew that Rachel could take it. She knew about his abuse and Skye was no longer going to have to go through it all completely alone. The only thing she wanted was for Leah to know. Leah was the one who truly needed

to know.
“He did that to you? Skye, I’m so sorry I didn’t know. What about all the other times in the past few months that you’ve acted differently? Was it him those times too?” Rachel asked. Her voice quiet and shaky, so much different from the normal perky or overdramatic tone she usually used.
“Hey, don’t worry about me, I’m okay. And those other times, it was Bryan. He was unstable when we were together.” She was quiet, sorrowful.
“Bryan was a loser, it’s a good think you got rid of him. But Skye, you really should get some help, talk to someone else about Johnny. I mean, does your mom even know?”
“No, she doesn’t, and she can’t. Johnny would kill me, and I mean really, kill me

. Or he would kill her, and either way, I can’t have anyone being responsible for that. I’ll find a way to take care of things, I promise. I’m going to figure it out.” She grimaced as she thought of the mere possibility that she wouldn’t figure it out. She’d be trapped living with the abuse until her eighteenth birthday, which seemed to feel as long as an eternity away from her.
“Skye, you can’t let this go without it being dealt with, you’re going to have to go to someone. I mean you can’t just sit here and wait until he hurts you again, you have to—”
“Rachel!” Skye called desperately, pulling away from her and looking her in the eyes. “Please, don’t tell me that. I know, okay, I know. I’m sorry.” She drew herself away, dropping back against her back. She needed a break, some rest. After everything Johnny has done she’s seemingly more tired than she ever has been.
“I’m sorry, Skye. I’m just worried about you. I haven’t seen you this distressed in a long time, and I only want you to be careful. You’re coming over tomorrow and I’m not letting you leave my side, okay?” Rachel said.
“That sounds good, Rachel; I’d like that. Leah isn’t getting home until late tomorrow, so that will give them a little time to be together too.” She said, closing her eyes and putting her hands behind her head.
“You really want them to be alone together, Skye?”
She shrugged. “Not really; but they’re married, it’s not like I can change anything about what they want together.”
“Yeah, I guess,” Rachel added blankly, fiddling with the edge of the towel.
“Rachel?” Skye called, turning around on her side so that she was looking at her.
Rachel lay on the towel, closing her eyes and soaking up the little sunlight there was. “Mm?”
“What’s the deal with you and Victor?”
She smiled, smacking her lips together and turning over to look Skye in the eye. “We’re together, if that’s what you’re asking.” She said cheerfully.
“I mean, why are you with him? Doesn’t he seem a bit…off

? Like there’s always something turning in his head and he’s trying to mess with you.”
Rachel frowned, her eyebrows creasing. “Skye, he’s not like that. He’s a great guy and he really likes me. I mean, really likes me. Not like that Gabe trash I dated last year.” She laughed lightly.
“Maybe he is. I’m just not sure he settles with me.”
“Well, I’m not judging your boyfriend, don’t judge mine. Okay, Skye?” She added. She didn’t sound irritated, only a little too happy. Just a few moments ago they were talking about Johnny and his abuse and now it seemed as though Rachel had completely forgotten about that.
Skye wasn’t sure if she thought that was a good thing or bad. “You’re not going to tell anyone, right?” She whispered, poking Rachel’s arm.
Rachel shook her head slowly and sighed. “Not a soul, promise.” She confirmed. A small smile grazed her lips and she pushed herself up and off the towel, brushing away any stray sand. “Ready to swim?” She asked Skye.
Skye blinked, forgetting why they had even come to the beach in the first place. It wasn’t a random selection but a choice because of the water. The only thing she could think of was her bruises and scars painting her body though, and she cringed at the thought of people knowing about them. “No,” she said. “The wounds, remember?”
“Oh. You can swim in your clothes than,” she countered, grinning.
“Yeah because that’s not obvious there’s something wrong with me,” Skye muttered.
“Fine,” Rachel grumbled. “Just sit around, wallowing.”
“I’m not wallowing, Rachel. You don’t even know how I’m feeling right now.” She retorted, hurt creeping its way up her spine. She couldn’t believe Rachel wasn’t being more understanding. Johnny had abused her and no one knew about it—she wasn’t going to show herself to a large group of strangers so that they could judge her about the scars.
“You know that’s not what I meant, Skye,” Rachel said. She set her hand on her hip and looked at Skye with the best sympathy she could get.
“Do I? Rachel, I’m not in the mood to talk about this anymore. I’m getting a drink,” she announced. She pushed herself up, wincing as a small pain pinched her stomach, and looked around for the restrooms: where the drinking fountains were located. She saw Jules and Victor standing where they had left them, lost in some sort of argument. She found it humorous in some strange way.
Rachel ran in front of Skye when she saw she had found the restrooms. She held up her hand, hastily. “Wait, please.”
“What is it now, Rachel?” Skye groaned.
“Vic has water bottles in the car, he can bring you one. Besides, let’s not argue.” She hesitated, breathing quicker. “I’m sorry.” Her voice almost sounded pitiful.
Skye didn’t feel like buying it though. “I have to go, Rachel.” She lied, brushing past Rachel’s shoulder. Pain struck a chord in her heart and she wanted to run to the restroom and cry; she didn’t. She’s had enough of crying in the restroom for a lifetime.
Rachel didn’t bother to chase after Skye anymore, and instead, she sighed heavily and dropped herself on the towel again, irritated.
Skye didn’t look back; and part of her didn’t want to look back. She felt a warm tear roll down her cheek and she hastily wiped it off. Crying was something she least wanted to do. Her heart was tapping obnoxiously against her chest, the rhythm reminding her that she hadn’t treated Rachel fairly. She wasn’t wrong with what she said; Skye only was taking it the other way out of her own weariness.
She headed towards the restroom, the warm sun beaming down on her already warm back. The restrooms were crafted on the other side of the building, nestled against a tree filled grass field. She walked through the trees, remembering that the drinking fountain was right up against the wall besides the nook in the cinder-blocked restrooms.
The day wasn’t over, or anywhere near it, and she deliberated on when she would apologize to Rachel and talk to Victor to work things out. She knew that they needed to discuss everything that had happened when he had been over before.
As she maneuvered her way through the forest-like area, she remembered Johnny’s repulsive smile while he was with her the day before. She hated that smile, hated everything about him. She couldn’t get over how badly he had crossed the line that time, and she wanted to try to forget it more than so many other things.
Leaving the forest-like path, she started towards the corner, but someone pulled her by the wrist and tugged her back. She screamed on impulse, and a large hand slapped over her mouth. She squirmed in the grip as the figure twisted her around and shoved her against the wall, one hand on her arm while the other was on still on her mouth.
After the haze of hitting the hard wall dissipated, her heart stopped beating and her breath caught up in her throat. She froze, pinned between the man and the wall, her heart hammering in her chest painfully.
“Shh, it’s okay, it’s okay. I’m not going to hurt you, please just be quiet,” Bryan told her. His voice was cold and all too painfully familiar to her. He looked different. His usually shaggy brown hair combed up and his bold blue eyes a shade brighter than before. Something had changed about his voice too—it was more like how it sounded when they first met.
Skye nodded her head slowly, gulping down her fear.
“That’s a good girl,” he crooned, smiling.
She didn’t want to be his ‘good girl’ though. Rejecting the part of her that was afraid of him, she screamed as loud as she could, pushing his surprised body away from her breathlessly. She ran, her breathing catching in her throat; but besides the fact that she had just caused a commotion, he grabbed her arm again, this time a lot rougher.
She was thrown against him, thrashing in his arms in objection, but he easily overcame her and pressed her against the wall again, silencing her. He pinned her there, pressing his body against hers. “Stop struggling, Skye,” he growled. “I just want to talk to you.”
She yanked on his hair with her free hand and he cursed. “Stop!” She shrieked, the sound muffled by his hand.
“I guess you want to do this the hard way,” he muttered. Pulling her away from the wall, he yanked her towards the family restroom, her body thrashing beside him. Hot tears of anger splashed down her cheeks as she felt the tormenting grip of his hands pinching her into the dark memories. She had no desire to have things go back to the way they were before. He yanked the restroom door open and tossed her against the ground.
Locking the door, he turned around and sneered at her. “I only wanted to talk, Skye. But now, maybe I need to teach you a lesson first.” A grin slithered its way up the corners of his lips, a sick and uncomfortable sight. He looked like an angry mess, and every nerve in Skye’s body was throbbing and pulsing with fear.
She wasn’t ready for him to touch her again. Crying out,