Page 545 of Hell Hath No Fury
Clementine
For two days, I’ve watched as Lavender struggles to get out of bed and back into her life. I’ve encouraged her to seek counseling, to talk to someone other than me that can help with the trauma she’s suffered, but her trust has been destroyed. She only leaves our dorm to use the washroom, and that’s only when I’m here. I wish I could cut classes to stay with her all the time, but my father has made it very clear that I can’t do that. Even for my best friend.
He did call in some favors to get her some time off and the ability to do her assignments online until she’s well enough to attend classes again. He and Kelly have been sending food too. Some she eats, some she doesn’t. Usually, I have to be there to encourage her.
Leaving my last class of the day, I intend to stop at our favorite Chinese food place and get everything we love so we can binge all the Scream movies before watching the newest addition. They’ve always been my guilty pleasure, and when we discovered we both loved the movie series, we became instant best friends.
A carefree weekend is all I’m looking to give Lavender this weekend, but I know as soon as I hearhisstupid voice, it’s all gone to shit.
“Nah, man, she enjoyed it. That’s why she hasn’t gone to the cops yet. I bet she’s at home pining away for another round,” Travis brags to his friends in the quad.
I know I shouldn’t do it. I know I should keep walking along. But spending every waking minute holding Lavender as she’s cried for days has been the hardest thing I’ve ever done in my life. I wouldn’t wish her kind of agony on my worst enemy.
Gripping the strap of my messenger bag with both hands, I swing at the back of his head. The two large textbooks inside send him flying face-first to the ground and cursing out as his friends all jump to their feet in surprise.
Travis rolls over, and I drop my bag before jumping on him and swinging my fists so hard and erratically that I hit his head, face, neck, shoulders. Everywhere I can before I’m dragged off his body, kicking and screaming.
“You stupid son of a bitch! She didn’t enjoy it. She’s suffering. She said no. Begged you to stop, and you were so callous that you stole her innocence. You stole her trust in humanity. You’re a disgusting piece of shit.” Spitting in his face as he climbs to his feet, I tear out of his friend’s hold as I see campus security come running from one of the buildings as other people stop and stare.
“You don’t know what you’re talking about.” Spitting blood from his mouth, Travis stares around nervously at the huge audience we have.
“Yes, I do. She felt pressured to sleep with you the first time, but she hated it so much she didn’t want to do it again.” Wiggling my pinky at him, the implication is clear about his little dick.
Security is almost upon us when he steps into my space, likely hoping I’ll back down. I won’t. He has no idea just how psycho I can be when the time calls for it. And now is that time.
“Maybe I’ll do to you what I did to her,” he sneers, looking at his friends for backup. They’ve slowly begun to step back and away from their toxic friend.
Laughing at his threat, I issue one of my own. “Try it. My boyfriend is a cop, and he’ll have no trouble getting away withyour murder.” There isn’t a doubt in my mind that Dorian would kill Travis if he so much as raised a hand at me.
I see the way he swallows. The way his eyes shift. He’s nervous. He fucked up, and I will do everything I can to make him pay.
“Miss, you’ll have to come with us.” One security guard snatches my bag while the other reaches out a hand to grab my arm.
“Touch me, and I will cut off your balls,” I spit at the man before turning back to Travis. “You won’t get away with being a rapist, asshole. Mark my words, you’ll pay for your sins.”
He wipes away the blood dripping from his nose and split lip, and I’m proud of myself for hurting him in a way that Lavender can’t. I don’t, for a second, believe she’s going to press charges, but that doesn’t mean she doesn’t deserve some kind of justice.
Walking with the security guards back into the main building, they take me to their offices, where the dean is waiting. I roll my eyes as he reprimands me. When he starts blathering on about how there’s no proof of anything Travis did to Lavender and how I’m likely going to be charged with assault, I laugh at him too.
These men are idiots if they think they’re going to get away with anything. “Call my father,” I respond and don’t say another word. I don’t care if they have it on camera that I beat up their star athlete. Nothing they say or do can scare me.
It’s another four hours and has grown dark outside when two officers walk into the security office. Because of whom Travis is, I think they made me sweat it out on purpose, not realizing I wouldn’t give in to their demands of apologizing to Travis and volunteering to help clean up the Crew Club’s locker room after practices, meets, and competitions.
I won’t lie, as my wrists are cuffed behind my back, my nerves begin to show themselves, but I won’t break. Not yet, and not here. None of these people will see me succumb to my own fears.
Sitting in the back of the patrol car, one of the officers glances at me with pity in his stare and knowledge of who I am. “I’d like a phone call as soon as we get to the station,” I tell him.
“Shut up,” the other officer barks out the order at me.
I don’t say another word as we drive to the precinct. Unbeknownst to them, this is Dorian’s house, and he’s exactly who I was going to call.
“I’d like that phone call now,” I demand in a firmer tone as I get fingerprinted by the ignorant officer.
He snorts his derision and ignores my request. Growing more frustrated by the minute, I grit out, “You can’t deny my right to a phone call.”
“Don’t break the laws then.” Slamming the bars behind me as he shoves me into the empty cell, I bite my tongue from a scathing retort.
Instead, I say, “Fine, go upstairs and get Sergeant Dorian Wagner.” I don’t give any personal details because I have no idea what Dorian wants the world to know about me or if he still wants me. I thought for sure that after the hospital, he would be in touch. He hasn’t been, and I’m kind of pissed off about it.
