Untouchable

Chapter 12: Contention

Warning: Adult themes and violence.

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Chapter Twelve: Contention 

I lost time.  Between revisiting my lunch and returning to the cafeteria.  I must have gone to the restroom and washed out my mouth, but I couldn’t remember doing it.

He had told me that he wouldn’t give me up, for any reason.

Sharp, tearing pain, penetrating.  My hands held over my head with one of his, the tingling from lack of circulation.  The inevitability of bruises.  His sweat, dripped onto my face, and mixed with my tears.  Salt on salt. 

Grunting, moaning. 

“You are mine, Caterina.  Don’t you ever forget that.”

I tried to disagree.  You would have thought that I had learned my lesson by now. 

Ramming me against the wall, he complimented it with another slap to my swollen face.

He laughed.  “I will always find you.”

I walked up to the lunch table. Numb, or perhaps just terrified into numbness.

“Cate, what’s wrong?” someone asked.

“You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

“What did the message say?”  That was Hayley; she was the only one who knew. “What did your mom say, Cate?  Is she okay?”

I looked up sightless. “It wasn’t my mom.”

Another voice, deeper this time. “Who was it, Cate?”

“Just someone from home.”

Two hands on each side tried to help me up.  I thought it was Ali and Hayley. “Come on, let’s get you to the nurse.”

That broke me out of whatever funk I had slipped into. 

“No, no, I’m fine.”  I tried to wave them away.  “I’m just surprised.”

“Catey, you are obviously not fine.  Just let them take you to the nurse.” Jack, this time.  He was worried.  I looked up to find his brow scrunched in concern.

“No.  I’m really okay.  I don’t want it getting back to my dad.” I pushed away their arms.  “He’s worried enough.”

Ali and Hayley gave each other disbelieving looks, but sat down next to me. Eliot and Lizzie looked concerned, but refrained from saying anything.  They were probably thinking back to my fall on Friday night. The number of weird occurrences was growing—so much for being normal.

I took a few deep breaths steadying myself. I had avoided Will’s gaze. I could feel it like a hot brand against my skin. The burning made me shiver.

He was the one who had spoken earlier. He was worried, just like everyone else, but there was something else to his concern. He was angry too.

Ali didn’t have the patience of everyone else. “Cate, you’re not fine.  You still look like you are going to pass out.”

I rolled my eyes.  Looking up at Will I beseeched him to save me from his sister.  He narrowed his eyes, but still elbowed Eliot.

“Ow.” Eliot rubbed his side. “What?”  Will nodded toward Ali and then me.  My eyes pleaded with him to save me. 

“Oh, uh, Ali, can I walk you to class?”

She was instantly distracted. Her face lit up like a firework, as she scrabbled to grab her things, completely forgetting me.  “Sure! That’d be great! See ya later guys!”