Lucy Lahey trusted the man she was dating, and it turned out to be her biggest mistake. Reeling in the aftermath of a rape that stole not only her virginity, but her confidence, her love for MMA, her clarity and more, Lucy now finds herself in Jerse...
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The TV is on when I wake up in the morning, I can't fall asleep without the sound. Quiet means thinking and I avoid being alone with my thoughts these days. I'm starving because I didn't come out of my room last night and dad never bothered to come downstairs and ask if I wanted dinner.
I guess he was occupied with work drama. My hand is in my pants, cupped across my center as if I'm guarding it. That happens sometimes, I'll wake up, holding myself.
After a shower, I stand in front of the mirror wearing a sundress with buttons up the front and smile for a selfie. It goes on Instagram with the caption, It's a beautiful morning.
Who knows if that's true, I haven't even looked outside. Nari comments the heart face and fire emoji and promises to call today. I head upstairs with plans to head to the mall and look for some books or something to do while I'm here.
The plan is to get home as fast as possible, I don't want to make friends at school or develop a social life that I could end up attached to, so as long as I'm here, I'm going to keep to myself and survive until I can leave. Dad is in the kitchen in a dark blue suit with a coffee in his hand.
"Morning," he nods, and I nod back. There's no breakfast this morning but I was expecting that, dad doesn't eat on a week morning, coffee is his fuel. "There's cereal in the cupboard," he tells me. "You have a tour at the school at two this afternoon."
"You're not coming?"
He pauses, the cup in front of his parted lips and stammers. "Oh, uh, I wasn't going to. But I can."
"Forget it," I turn on my heel. "I'm going to the mall."
"Luce."
The door shuts behind me, cutting off whatever excuse he wanted to make for not offering to come with me in the first place. Work, I assume. It's cloudier than it was yesterday but it's still warm and I take a boomerang of the street in front of me while I walk. Gia left a fire emoji on my earlier posted selfie and I gain some satisfaction from her thinking I'm living my best life. She doesn't get to know that her actions made me miserable.
The mall isn't hard to find, even if I didn't have google maps, there are street signs on the lamp posts and an information board in Hamilton park, which I cut through. The Newport mall has three floors, it's open plan with huge pillars that stretch from floor to ceiling.
The dining pavilion is on the third floor, it has Macy's, Forever 21 and all the usual mall stores. It's packed, as the mall is when summer vacation is on. Plus, school starts soon, students will be getting organised to go back. Stationary, new outfits, new bags. I think about the fact that I didn't bring a school bag and decide to look for one while I'm here.
After I've found a basic black Puma backpack, I sling it on and head to Kohl's on the ground floor to find a book. I pass Zinburger next to it and inhale the mouth-watering aroma. I might have to go back there for lunch. There's no plan for the day, all I have to do is be at the school at two. The rest of the morning is my oasis.
