Rugged Lace

Chapter Seven

*I just need somebody more, to help me off the floor*

"For the last goddamn time, I didn't say anything, Don!" Tyler tells him, tears streaming down her face in long lines. His fists tighten and raise, causing her to flinch back out of fear. "Please! I don't know why Kyle called you!"

"Shut up!" He shouts, slapping her across her face. "Shut up! I don't want to hear another effing word leave your mouth! You could have blown everything here, you little whore! You don't say your age, and you never say how long you've done this. Got that? Everything here was your idea, little slut. Don't you forget it." Spit hits her directly in her face, but she doesn't do anything about it. She knows better than to do anything whenever he's like this. Wait, I've just got to wait until he's no longer angry...

"Yes-yes, Don..." She trembles under his touch as he pulls up her chin, sympathy playing out upon his harsh features.

"Hey, hey...don't cry, Tyler. Don't cry. I'll have this under control, okay?" His voice is gentle, but dark tones underlie everything he says. "I'll figure this crap out. Just get back to work, okay, bitch? I need a couple of personal videos for a friend of mine. Make it hot, sexy. Call him any name. Incestia, think along those lines, he's into heavy stuff. I need the video by tonight."

Tyler nods, wiping away her tears. Her face aches all over, but she doesn't nothing about it. Not until he leaves to go to his friends can she take some painkillers or anything of that sort.

"Hurry up about it!" He throws a crumpled sheet of satin over her, "You can wear this--don't keep it too long. Show off. After that, I'll see if any others need making." Don leaves the room, slamming the door.

Tyler's floor is a mess, and she hastily picks up the clothes off the floor so she can get to work quickly. A short series of beeps breaks her out of the daze she was in, and she answers her phone, feeling uneven.

'Hi Honey! Date night is running late with your Father, we'll be home around Ten. Wanted to say how proud we are of you, and to remember that tomorrow is your Rehearsal for Graduation! Be there by Seven if we aren't awake yet!' The message from her mother reads. Tyler smiles a bit, glad that her parents don't change like Don does.

A flash from earlier that day consumes her as she smiles, and soon enough she's out of her life, and back to the one she has at school. The one where she's a different person, a better one.

"Students, students! Settle down! I'd like to thank all you guys for showing up today! As you know, all of you passed that final project I gave you all! I immensely enjoyed seeing each of you take on a new persona, and create new memories with new people!" Mrs. Elena cheered, a happy grin on her face.

"Yay!" Tyler and Alise clapped on with the rest of the class. Everyone looked excited, and partly scared, with it being their last day of school.

"With that said, I hope you guys have truly learned something from this class. While not everyone, several of you I hear are going on to promising careers inside the industry! It's sad that not all of you will be, but I'm so proud of all of you for the choices you've made! In my mind, and everyone's here, all of you are actors and actresses." Mrs. Elena, only slightly teary, took a drink of her soda. "Now, I want to enjoy this last day with all of you! Let's eat!"

Everyone started talking again, grabbing sodas and plates of assorted cookies, pieces of cake, chips and salsa. Alise and Tyler locked arms, both grabbing a coke and a piece of warm pizza. "Can you believe that we're almost done?" Alise asked in-between chewing.

Tyler shakes her head, grinning. "No! This is so amazing. I can't believe it...Any colleges picked out?"

Alise raises her eyebrows, "You haven't chosen yet? I'm all signed up! I'm going to a pretty cool university my mom helped me pick out, they offer acting classes and theatrical courses. It's all awesome! Are you going to take a year off or something?"