Page 101 of Watercolor Skulls

She eyes me up and down and laughs. “You do know who your father is don’t you? He’s trying to get you committed as we speak. Sounds like the white coats will be coming for you soon.”

My heart stutters. He wouldn’t. Of course, he would.

“And you know this how?” I ask as unenthused as possible, not wanting her to know she is getting to me.

She drops her lipstick in her bag, turning to face me. “You know you’re just as sick as he is.”

I shake my head in confusion. “What the fuck are you talking about?”

“Your little public display of affection. You get your rocks off knowing someone might be watching.”

I blink at her, saying nothing.

“Benjamin told me about how your dad taped the two of you. Sick if you ask me.”

A ring begins low in my ears, my heart skips a few beats. “W-what did you just say?”

She stares at me, realizing all of this is news to me.

“Oh, honey, how sad. Poor little rich girl has a sick daddy. He likes to tape her and her boyfriend doing the nasty. Do you think he jacked off when he watched it?”

I grab her by the front of her shirt, twisting it in my hand. “What the fuck are you talking about?”

She smiles, her red lips pull back to reveal her lipstick stained teeth. “He taped the two of you to make sure Benjamin was holding up his end of the bargain. When you ditched out on your wedding Benjamin was furious and told your dad he was done with you. The next day he received a flip drive in the mail with the videos. He’s blackmailing him. He told Benjamin he would get you to pull your head out of your ass yet and that you would still be getting married. Fucking weird…all of it.” She throws her hands up in the air.

I back up against the wall, grabbing for something, anything to hold on to. I’m…I’m going to be sick.

The girl cackles as she witnesses my demise. “Do you and the big dirty biker make videos too. I bet so…”

One of the bathroom stall doors comes crashing open and Jesse flies out, grabbing the girl by her throat, slamming her into the wall. Dirk wanders out behind her a bored expression on his face.

Oh god they heard. They know.

I push Dirk to the side so I can slide into the now abandoned stall and purge myself of everything I’ve eaten for the last week. I can’t stop throwing up.

A commotion erupts outside the stall, but I don’t care. I don’t care! Dirk crouches down beside me, hugging me around the waist. “I’ve got you, Smurf. I’ve got you.”

I can’t breathe. I think my lungs are collapsing. I’m dying. I should go to the emergency room. I’m dying!

Dirk wipes my mouth as Dan fills the doorway. When he looks at me I die a little inside. I’m so…so…embarrassed. How could my father...

They all know. What must they think? Oh, god my chest hurts. I can’t breathe. I need to get out of here.

I’m dizzy, and nauseous, and dying and…Raffe. I need Raffe.

“Raffe,” I croak out, hurling myself back over the toilet bowl for round two.

Dirk still has me gripped around the waist. “Go get Raffe,” he orders Dan and surprisingly he listens.

I want to cry but I’m afraid if I start I won’t be able to stop. What if I never stop. Can you die from crying? My brain starts to roll an image of Benjamin and me…stop, don’t think about it. Oh god.

Raffe skids to a stop in front of the stall as Dirk is trying to get me on my feet. “Come on, sweetheart.” He tosses my arm around his shoulder, Dirk on the other side. Dan holds the door open. My pain is slashed across his face. My hurt is his hurt.

“Let’s take her out back,” Raffe suggests.

Raffe picks me up and sets me on a picnic table behind the bar. “Lily,” he says calmly, taking my shoes off and then my socks. What the fuck is he doing? I’m dying. I need to go the hospital.

Once I’m barefoot he helps me over to the grass that runs along the fence line. “Deep breath, Lily.”

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