Page 26 of Under Fyre

His voice deeper, rougher. He changed it right before convincing me to take a shot of the cherry liquor he brought into the room a few minutes ago.

The first one would have tasted okay if I’d been used to downing alcohol before noon.

I take the fifth shot he hands me, and my stomach starts feeling queasy. My head is already light, like a balloon. I’m swaying a little, but not enough that I’m in danger of falling over.

I don’t think.

Fyre caps the bottle of liquor and turns his back to me while he sets it on the nightstand.

“Take off your clothes.”

“Wh—excuse me?” I couldn’t possibly have heard right.

“Take it off, or I’ll cut it off.” He turns, wickedly sharp scissors in his hands. Having it near my skin isn’t an appealing thought, but why does his threat send such a cold shock through me? You’d swear he just told me he was going to murder me.

I guess that’s why he forced the alcohol on me. Dazed as I am, it suddenly seems much more appealing to undress in front of Fyre than to let him near me with those sharp blades.

I mean, we’ve had sex before. What’s the big deal, right? Yeah this feels weird and I know if I wasn’t liquored up I’d be fighting him on this tooth and nail…

But what’s the harm, right?

He said I should trust him.

Look at me, being all fucking trustworthy and shit.

“Get on the bed.”

I swallow hard, but I go over to the bed, unsuccessfully trying to hide my nakedness as I clamber up. I start to lie down, but he stops me with a low, “On your knees, near the edge.”

The alcohol is settling in deeper now. My body feels fuzzy and warm, and there’s this weird smile on my face I can’t get rid of until Fyre tosses a satin mask beside me and says, “Put it on.”

That takes the smile right off my face.

“I don’t want to.”

“It wasn’t a request.”

I take the mask, slip it hesitantly over my eyes, and instantly regret it.

I can still hear Fyre moving around, but I have no idea how close he is, especially with the carpet padding his footsteps.

When I hear fabric rustling, and the sound of a belt being unfastened, my heart starts beating harder in my chest.

What is he going to do to me?

I felthim yesterday, how hard he was. I know he wants me, that he’s attracted to me. He fucked me in his classroom. Maybe that’s all this is. All thiseverwas. He can talk about fixing me, but maybe all he wants is sex…and he’s too fucked in the head to date girls like a regular person.

I’m blindfolded but not bound. I could easily fight him off he tries anything.

Ishould.

But I don’t want to.

Ididhave a dream last night. I didn’t tell Fyre because it’s none of his fucking business…and because he was in it.

I can’t remember the last time I had a dream. The pills and the weed were responsible, I’m sure. I didn’t miss them. I’ve never been one of those people who wrote down everything they dreamed the night before and tried to apply some kind of meaning to it.

But I’ll be the first to admit that having no dreams for months on end…? That’s kind of weird.

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