The Deception

Chapter 6

Trigger Warning: This chapter briefly mentions rape. No details are given, but just be warned! It occurs toward the end of the chapter, but you'll know where the topic is going before they actually say anything. Other than that, enjoy the story!

*Selena POV*

My vision was still hazy amid the near deafening silence. A familiar feeling of weightlessness held my body aloft in what felt like water. Opening my eyes, I refocused on my surroundings. Sound began to filter back into my ears as water rushed down the sides of a dark, vacant room.

With no real indication of the beginning or end, I attempted to swim forward, with no real hope of escape. Just when I thought I might give up, the familiar voice called out once again.

"Help me!"

Once again, the voice gave me a sense of direction. I quickly swam towards it, hoping to find some way of escape.

"Selena!" the voice called.

I could see a shape in the distance, thrashing wildly in the water, desperate to grab onto something in an attempt to stay afloat.

"Hold on!" I said, swimming faster.

Just as I almost got closer, I woke up suddenly. My breathing was ragged and I could feel my heart beating fast.

"Bad dream?" a voice calmly said from across the room.

In a panic, I gasped and threw my pillow across the room. It hit the wall across the room and slid to the floor.

"Oh my. Good thing I'm not really here. That might have actually hit me," a familiar figure leaned back against the wall.

I stayed silent, refusing to entertain him. Looking at the time, it was 3:17 in the morning.

"Oh no, not the silent treatment! I can't stand it," Aaron said, putting his hand dramatically to his head.

Frustrated, I said, "Just answer my questions already! You haven't told me anything about what Josh 'neglected' to tell me or anything about why you are still here."

"If I just told you all the answers, you wouldn't believe me. Having your trust is important to me, you know."

"I wouldn't believe you even if you did somehow manage to gain my trust. So save me the, 'I'm a poor misunderstood villain' speech."

At that, he seemed to flinch and his cocky smile disappeared.

"Fine."

Suddenly, my surroundings began to change. I was no longer in my bed, but standing in what looked like a child's bedroom. A little boy was curled up in the corner, crying. Another boy about the same age was patting his shoulder. They couldn't be more than 6 years old.

"Is that crying kid supposed to be you?" I said sarcastically.

"That little boy is Alec," he said, not making eye contact with me, "I'm the kid patting his shoulder."

"I don't understand," little Alec cried, "What did I do wrong? Why did mommy leave?"

Nodding his head in the direction of the boys, he looked at me almost expressionless.

"To be fair, I was a kid myself, I didn't know what was happening at the time. All I knew was that my cousin was sad."

Suddenly a gruff, angry man in a jacket burst into the room followed by another angry man with a dark blue t-shirt.