Loose Change~ Montgomery De La Cruz / Zach Dempsey/Scott Reed

Part 4 Chapter 7b

tw: mentions of past sexual assault, not completely consensual sexual content, consented sexual content, mentions of past abuse

a/n: another chapter with slightly dark themes

"I love you, Ophelia. And I'm glad you called me, but...this does not seem like a good idea."

Marisa sat with Ophelia on her couch. Ophelia was watching the news on the tv. It was the only thing on that early in the morning. 

"Everyone goes," Ophelia said, crossing her arms and leaning further into her couch. "I want to go too."

"It's just...it's a drinking party," Marisa told her. "You probably won't have any fun."

Ophelia looked at her. "You're going, aren't you?"

"Yeah," Marisa said. "But, come on. You actually want to go?"

Ophelia shrugged. "Why wouldn't I? It's a party. You think I'm a buzzkill or something?"

"I never said that," she groaned.

Ophelia shrugged again. "Then let me go. We're done talking about this."

Ophelia's voice came out rude, but she didn't care. She hadn't cared. Not about a lot of things. Not since the retreat.

Marisa eyed her friend, warily. This had been happening the whole last week. She'd come to Ophelia's house before school, just to find she'd already been up for hours.

Ophelia had been more sluggish, and snappy, and Marisa knew it was due to the lack of sleep.

But it wasn't Ophelia's fault. She tried to sleep. She'd come home from school, and crawl into bed, and do nothing but lay there hoping to fall asleep. That's all she ever wanted to do anymore.

Because sleep was the only time she forgot about her problems. She craved the relaxation of it. She was so sick of having so many problems.

All the time. Every day. Every second.

Things were terrible before the retreat. Then, for a few blissful hours, she thought everything changed. She thought everything would be alright.

Now, things were worse.

No, she hadn't talked to Scott. Not since she left the retreat.

He called her. Several times. Once a day. But that was it.

He never texted her, only called her.

He was still on campus, so she heard. He was still at practice everyday. But he didn't walk around like he used to. He'd stay in the locker room, all day.

Ophelia had overheard Diego talking at lunch about how he looked 'depressed or some shit like that'. But Ophelia didn't know. She hadn't seen him.

She probably wouldn't.

The week moved by so quickly, yet so slowly. She wondered if she could coast through the rest of the year like this. Maybe she'd never have to face him again.

In those hours that she spent laying in bed everyday, hoping for the unconscious act of sleeping, she would think only of Scott.

Their passionate night in the cabin would come fresh to her mind.

It became humiliating.

She knitpicked at everything she said, everything she did. Every moan and sound she made embarrassed her.

Because Scott must remember them too. And Scott didn't want her anymore.

Ophelia inhaled loudly. Marisa looked over. But Ophelia was too lost in thought to notice.