Page 112 of Dare To Take

Chapter 68

Arabella

“What’s going on inside that head of yours?”

Arms crossed, I glance up at Counselor Clarke, then away again. “Nothing.”

He sighs. “Arabella, if you don’t talk to me, I can’t help you. We’ve had weeks of you barely talking at all in our hourly sessions.”

My throat feels tight with all the emotions I’m keeping bottled. I’m burning up with the guilt inside.

“Are those kids still giving you trouble?”

“Yes.” I admit quietly.

“I’ll have the principal talk to your class.”

“That won’t help.”

Nothing will.

“Arabella—”

“I have nothing else to say.”

“The videos weren’t your fault. Whoever talked you into doing them is the villain here.”

Sin. I don’t say his name because it hurts too much.

“Lashing out at Eli is wrong, though,” Counselor Clarke continues softly. “And I think deep down you know that, don’t you? I don’t think you really want to see your stepbrother injured or worse, do you?”

I press my lips together, and don’t reply. I can’t.

He sighs and glances at his wristwatch. “Our time is up. Let’s pick this up next week. I’m not asking for much, Arabella, just for you to be willing to try.”

“Sure.” I leave his office without a backward glance.

The hallway is a blur in front of my eyes. Pushing the stairwell door open, I rush down the steps but don’t make it far before I collapse into tears.

Hand pressed to my mouth to muffle my sobs; I huddle on the steps. The weekend had slipped past in a messy tangle of anguish and suffering. I kept to my room, only leaving to use the closest vending machines under the protection of my hoodie.

But now it’s Monday lunchtime and afternoon classes are about to start. The first half of the day left me drained and stressed. Although Garrett hadn’t tried to touch me again, he’d made plenty of suggestive comments with the rest of the jocks. Lacy and the other cheerleaders have been busy with decorations for the Valentine’s Day Ball on Friday and ignoring me. Eli is back in class, aloof and frozen, watching me with remote indifference.

I want the world to stop. To go back in time to before all this started.

I don’t want to feel his wrath anymore, but I know I’m just one text message away from unleashing all his fury on me again.

What will he do to me the next time? All the things he threatened? Fuck me in front of everyone. Let them fuck me while he holds me down?

So what if they share the video of me and Eli having sex? Is it really worth all this pain? Let them send it to his dad.

And give Elliot another heart attack? Have Elena hate me for destroying her happiness? Eli will blame me if it gets leaked. I’ll be the criminal in everyone’s eyes.

What about me? What about my happiness?

“Arabella?”

I startle at the soft voice. Wiping my eyes, I glance up the stairwell. Miles is standing a few steps up, watching me. His concerned expression only makes me sob harder. My shoulders shake with the force of my tears, and I drop my face and bury it into my hands.

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