Luminaries

Chapter 2

TW: sexual harassment, physical abuse and mental disorder

***

Sunny waved goodbye to the basketball team as she exited the court and skipped toward the parking lot. The giddiness bubbling inside her was hard to contain. Seeing Izzy instantly brightened her day even more. She hadn't seen much of her friend since school started back. When she did, he was always hanging out with his basketball buddies. He looked so happy, and she didn't want to disturb him.

"Sunny, I need a favor." Callie's voice interrupted her thoughts.

Sunny focused on her friend beside her. Callie was the definition of pretty with her pixie-cut brown hair, emerald eyes, and flawless skin. Her legs were slim which always grab guys' attention, and she had this air of confidence to her that Sunny constantly strived for.

"Let me ride with you to Jake's party tonight. My mom took my keys." Her friend gave an irritated huff through her pouted lips.

"I'm not going." She replied.

"What?" Callie whipped her head to face Sunny. "Why? Do you know who's gonna be there?"

Of course, she knew. The cheer team, the basketball team, the football team, the soccer team, basically every sports team their school had to offer. Everyone would be doing the usual, drinking, smoking, and doing the craziest double dares anyone could think of. While she loved a good party, the museum trip was tomorrow, and she wanted to get a good night's sleep. There were so many exhibits she wanted to learn about. She had to make sure she was completely energized. Besides, Jake's parents were always out of the city on business. Which meant both his parents were always cheating on one another with some busty secretary or twenty-two-year-old pool boy outside the country. Probably in the Bahamas. The bottom line, Jake was always having a party.

"The trip's tomorrow." She stated simply.

"You're not serious, right? Fuck that trip. Who wants to stare at old ass shit anyway? Besides, I heard Dylan's gonna be there." Callie nudged her arm suggestively.

"Is he?" Sunny gulped at the name. Hearing Callie's so-called 'proposal' to get her to attend only made her desire to less and less. Her encounters with Dylan Hale hadn't been the most... positive. He made it pretty clear that he liked her, and that he liked showing his interest through physical touch. Last year was a testimony to that. Her body shivered at the memories that flooded through her head. All the elevator eyes, butt-grabbing, wolf-whistling, etc. When he asked her out, she said no.

Unfortunately, the word 'no' didn't seem to be a part of Dylan's vocabulary.

He kept asking and when she kept rejecting, things got a bit out of hand. There was one incident where he caught her after cheer practice and trapped her in an empty classroom. She remembered how Dylan threw her against the wall and forced a kiss on her. She kneed him where the sun didn't shine and ran as fast as she could to her car. Heart-hammering, Sunny placed a hand over her chest. Her legs felt like cherry jelly as she tried to keep up her skipping. She never told her friends, or anyone about what happened. They were all so excited and constantly tried to convince her to agree to go with him. She hated how disappointed they were when she didn't. Her friends only wanted her to be happy. It was totally normal, and she would act the exact same way if the shoe were on the other foot. Plus, Dylan was on the soccer team, and she didn't want him in trouble. Especially not because of her. Besides, after what happened, he never bothered her again anyways. All was good in the end.

"Still don't get why you said no. He is hot." Sunny wasn't bothered by her friend's comment. Calle only required two qualities in a guy: attractiveness and athleticism. Most of the student body labeled her as superficial, but they didn't know her like Sunny did. Callie was just picky. They finally reached her car, and she unlocked the doors. She plopped inside the driver's while Callie followed suit in the passenger seat. "First Izzy, then Dylan." Callie shook her head in disappointment.