Title: 'Like a battered winged Angel'
Note: I have put my heart and soul into this story, this is going to be really raw and will have quite disturbing scenes because I've tried to portray it close to real. Human trafficking and sex slaves are very much real and the victims have suffered so much pain through the hands of other people for mere money or pleasure, it's downright disgusting, and sad. I wanted to turn your attention to this, this story aims to create awareness as well as show the hurt/pain and the ordeal of how the victim recovers. This is the story of a best friend secretly in love with his friend and helping her recover from a very scary episode of her life. Reader discretion advised. Reviews would be encouraged! Have a good read.
WARNING: DARK THEME. RAPE. STRONG LANGUAGE.
Summary: Damon had been in love with his best friend Elena since forever but she never noticed him and dated other guys, breaking his heart every time. Life takes a cruel turn when Elena's latest boyfriend turns out to be human trafficker, he sells her to another con. It's up to Damon to save Elena before it's too late. Dark theme. Angst. 4 episodes only
Chapter 1: 'The Boulevard of Broken Dreams'
Normally he would not be standing in this weather, it was raining like it had never rained before. Damon was on the bench, under the shade at their spot in the park, they were old enough to move on from that, he had said that a billion times. Yet she was stuck up on this place, like she was stuck up on Matt. Like every time she was pacing around telling him all about recent breakup, "I officially am done with his shit."
"That's approximately the sixth time this year." He gave her an ironic look, what was about this Matt? He always clenched his fist at the thought. He never showed it, but he didn't like when she was with other boys. She always required his approval though, she had been friends with him from so long, he didn't even remember. Somewhere along the way of their friendship, he just felt like he was hers and she was his. Elena clearly wasn't on the same page as him. She had this Matt guy with her for the past year. Damon knew it wouldn't last.
"He was grinding with Claire, I caught him in the club, and he's calling me dramatic. Am I dramatic? Now he wants to 'reset' this relationship? No freaking way, I have pounds of self-respect left."
Damon shook his head, "You're not dramatic."
Elena ignored his comment continuing her rant, "He says she's my 'platonic friend', you don't thrust into your platonic friends, then look at his fucking explanations-,"
He frowned, "You never curse Elena, you must be really upset."
"Exactly, I never curse, but that son of a-," Damon glared at her, "I mean he said you and I have something going on."
"That's ridiculous."
"I know, we don't – "she blushed, "you get it?"
"Totally." He got up from the bench, "You've got me convinced that he's the one in the wrong, come on Elena, he never deserved you, you're too good for him."
She bit the inside of his cheek, "I should just tell him no for 'reconciliation' "
"Of course, just don't even contact him again, he's even rotten to be friends with." He said angry at Matt for making her so upset, although she always felt lighter after she ranted. He was like her free therapy. He didn't understand why Matt would do that to her, if he were in Matt's shoes he would do anything in his power just to make her smile, that's how much he loved her, he knew he can never confess it to her, she was too good to be true, or to be his, and what if he freaks her out and he loses her friendship as well, he didn't want that. He never made a romantic advance on her, that's why she would rant about everything to him, she was just so comfortable around him, she would get all her boyfriends to meet Damon first, sometimes he felt like she needed that brotherly protection, though she never addressed him as such, that would be his worst nightmare coming to life. Though their relationship was innocent and pure he knew he wanted more. He just needed one chance to show her how much he loved and cared about her, sometimes he thought of how she'd react if she found out what was going in his head, that he had even named their third baby boy. She would slap him so hard if she found out how much money he was saving up for a diamond ring, he knew once he buys it, it would forever be in his bank 'safe' because he couldn't even ask her to be his girlfriend, let alone his wife, but he was in love with the idea, it served as good hope.
"Where's your car?" she asked after a few silent moments.
He pointed to the other end of the park, it hadn't start raining when he got here two hours ago.
She sighed deep, "Take me home."
"Look we need to get some chocolate and lactose in you, how about we grab a sundae from Gabi's?" He referred to the small but warm café.
"Okay." She pouted, "Just because I am having an ice cream doesn't mean I am not upset, I just don't like passing up opportunities like that." She wavered her finger at him in a slow warm.
He held her wrist, "Oh I know. I am not judging you for celebrating misery and break up with your favorite ice cream." He grinned.
He took of his jacket and handed it to her, "Over your head." He said sternly, he didn't like when she was sick, his worst days was when she was sick.
She nodded shielding her head with it as he held her hand and they both ran in the rain to his car, by the time they reached it, he was fully drenched, he pulled his keys out but when he turned she wasn't there, "Elena?" his voice had worry.
"Over here!" he heard a cheery voice, she was on her knees near a tree, "Look this little bird fell from her nest."
"Elena."
"Damon." She formed a cup from her hand picking it up, "It's so little and helpless."
"It needs its mother." Damon looked at the little baby bird, Elena looked up at the nest, "Hey can you lift me up so I can put it back, I can see the nest."
"Elena you'll get sick in all the rain."
"But it'll die if it's down here, come on Damon, please?"
He sighed, he could never deny her, he motioned her to turn as he picked her up, Elena kissed the little head of the baby bird and kept her in the nest if the squealing birds, she heard Damon groan, "Elena it's slippery down here, hurry up."
"Damon its Mom is here."
"Is she threatening you?"
"No she's happy I guess." Elena was almost tearing up with joy. "Okay pull me down."
He brought her back to ground level, she smiled so bright, "Chirpy was so happy to see her mom."
"you named her already?" Damon laughed at her.
"What?" we can't just call her 'it'.
"Hmm how do you know it's a she?" he tried to get a rise out of her.
She fisted her numb hands, "Because it just is argghhh."
He chuckled.
"She was so cute, I wanted to eat her up because she was so adorable."
"Well you are like that too." He caught her by surprise, he caught himself by surprise too, he mentally slapped himself. She smiled, "Let's go get that sundae."
He followed her as she twirled in the rain, happy for some reason now. He bit his lip, how can someone manage to be so beautiful. He never understood that.
When she was seated beside him in the car, he quickly turned the heat up so she could relax, "Take off your shoes Elena, they will get you sick."
She complied to his 'parental' instructions.
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That's how they'd spend days in each other's company, free of any stress or any obligation. It had been about two months, and Damon thought Elena finally started 'adult-ing' because she hadn't taken Matt back or get into a 'rebound' turned into relationship. From what he knew she was a virgin. She was sixteen about to turn seventeen in two months, and yet she had not indulged in those things. That was the reason most of her relationships ended, according to her she would go through with it when it felt 'right'.
Damon would laugh at her poetic philosophy.
"Sex isn't just two bodies in heat, doing whatever till the urge goes away Damon, for me it's so much more. Imagine giving your body away for something so temporary, I don't judge anyone for doing it, it's just not me, when I'll have sex, it won't be sex, it'll be 'love', "
He laughed, "You're making me barf."
"You know you can have your meaningless sex – I'll just be waiting until I find the someone who has eyes for me and me only, who just not wants to have sex with me but makes love to my soul. It won't just be a mandatory activity but our joy." She day dreamed. "Until then I can kill the hormones."
'Okay okay miss cupid." He rolled his eyes.
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Ever since she had started to work at the grill, she was far too busy to hang out with him, after a huge time of two weeks, she called him and asked him if they'd watch a movie at the theater. He wanted so much to meet her all the time but he knew he couldn't bother her at work, she was saving for her 'college' like she said, she was hell busy.
Today she was dressed in a sky blue empire dress, her hair straight and silky flowing down her back, she had minimal makeup on. Even though she looked enviously at the blonde female lead of the movie, he thought she was far more beautiful, to him she was, she looked like an angel. She popped some popcorn into her mouth, "You can't look that good if you keep eating these."
"Hey you look gorgeous don't say such things about yourself." He frowned. She pouted resting her head back on his shoulder, "Yeah you're the only one of that opinion."
"Says the girl who has half the basketball team on her block list." He said sarcastically.
"They're lame, total horn dogs."
He chuckled when she scrunched her face.
"You know Elena." He whispered while she watched the movie, he didn't know what came over, "I think you're perfect, every day I spend with you turns beautiful. I didn't appreciate it enough, but I missed it the last two weeks."
She didn't say anything, too indulged in the movie.
Later when they were out of the movie hall and getting a burger for her.
"I bought you something." He said trying to draw some attention to himself from her.
"really."
He nodded, he went into his pocket and pulled out a box, he slowly handed it to her, "It's something to wear."
She gasped, "Aww. It's such a pretty pendant." She held the sterling silver bird pendant with diamond accents.
"It's not that expensive, it just reminded me of Chirpy, you know, it symbolizes life and love, a bird that sings songs that brings symphony to our quietist moments, it's like hope."
"I love it." She ran her fingers over the beautiful bird , "Can you help me wear it?"
"that would be an honor Miss Gilbert." He said dramatically.
She turned around, he moved her soft hair to a side slowly, all that time thinking how her hair were so soft, how he could spend a whole day just running his fingers through her hair. He wore the necklace to her, when she turned, her eyes demanded a compliment.
"It's even more beautiful around your neck." He said gazing at it appreciatively.
"I love it so much." She held it in her hand, "I am never going to take it off."
He rolled his eyes, "Oh, you're the least persistent with jewelry wearing."
"I'll show you." She faked anger and then turned around to get her burger.
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For the first time in life, Elena was giving him the kind of attention he yearned for, just her gaze, the way she held his hand, the way she'd text him if he'd be gone from the scene too long. Was she finally noticing him.
"Hey." She tucked her hair back when she saw him in the park where she had called him, "You're still wearing that." He saw the pendant on her and smiled.
She lightly hugged him, "Damon I am so happy."
He rubbed her back, "That's a first!" she elbowed him and parted from him, "I am serious."
"Okay." He raised a brow. She gestured for him to sit at his place on the bench, "I am finally feeling as if I am living, getting to something, the job is going good, grades are good, dad isn't even bothered with my parties on Sundays. Everything is getting so much better."
She held the bird on her pendant as if it were a new habit of hers, "Remember I use to tell you I'll find a person who will want me and not my body? Who will love my soul? Who has eyes only for me?"
He nodded, "Yes I do."
"It's becoming a reality – being with someone who picks you up whenever your down, who encourages you to become a better version of yourself?"
She spoke dreamily, she sat on the bench beside him, "I always spoke of it but I never thought it'll turn into a reality." She dragged her self-closer to him, her eyes warming up, "And I feel these butterflies in the base of my stomach and the hair on my arm just raise when I am around him."
His eyes widened as he heard the 'him'
"Who?"
"I am in love Damon, we met at the grill, Tyler Lockwood. He is older than us. He's like twenty four. He is amazing Damon, he makes me so happy and so alive, he makes me love myself. "
Damon swallowed the lump in his throat as she continued, "he just moved into town, he's funny and charming and I just- he's so spectacular."
"Oh." He couldn't say more, his heart was breaking into a million pieces, he had been heartbroken due to her previous boyfriends, but never did she say she 'loved' any of them.
"He's the man I want to give myself to in every way." She said dreamily, "I told him about you, he was kind of jealous but I told him that Damon would vomit eternally at the idea of, you know a relationship." She giggled.
He tried to speak when she said his name once or twice, he tried to smile but he couldn't, he was keeping his eyes from welling up with tears, he wanted to cry. He always had hoped she'd love him someday. But she didn't.
"So." He swallowed thick trying to compose himself, "When will I meet him?"
"Soon. I am so excited for him to meet you."
And then the day came, Elena had told him she'd surprise Tyler by taking Damon with her to Tyler's Uncle's club outside the city, all Elena knew was that Mason was Tyler's uncle who owned this club and since she was underage, Tyler could easily get her in.
"You're sure he'll be okay with me coming." Damon was driving her there.
"Oh he'll deal with it." She shrugged, "besides you have to meet him, see how amazing this one is." She winked.
"Right." He sighed.
Only he knew how he was keeping himself together, how many times did Elena came up to him with the 'let's meet Tyler' idea but he wasn't ready yet. In the initial days, he remembered being up all night, just letting his tears drop at the thought of her not being his. What was so un-wanted about him? He hated himself. Why couldn't he be Tyler?
"Okay we're here." She cheered when he reached parking.
"I am going to go get him."
"Elena let me park the car." He held her elbow when she was about to open the door.
She rolled her eyes, "You park it, I am going to go get him here."
He gave up leaving her elbow, she chuckled and went out the car, "I'll be back in a minute."
"Okay." He said, he detected a parking spot and begin to progress towards it. When he parked the car, he got out running a hand through his hair, Elena was nowhere in sight in parking, he walked back the distance he had crossed just to see if she was there, what was in this Tyler guy? Was he handsome to that extent, Damon wouldn't brag but a lot of girls wanted to get with him too, he just brushed them off for Elena. Now he had to move on eventually. No matter what he'd always love her.
He saw her at the sharp right corner near the exit to the parking, someone was hugging her, Probably Tyler by the way she was giggling and blushing.
He bit the inside of his cheek feeling his heart burning to ashes, he wanted nothing more to tear her away from him, take her somewhere only he and she exist.
"I have a surprise for you." She told Tyler.
"Oh no sweetie, no more surprises, because I have a big one to give you." His voice echoed almost. Immediately Damon felt like he wanted to never hear that voice again.
"Oh yeah?" she asked with a laugh. When she tried to move away from his embrace, he kept her in his arms tight.
"Tyler!" she chuckled, "Let me go."
"That I can't do honey." He said in a low voice but Damon heard it. A black SUV stopped near the young couple and before Damon could move Tyler harshly pushed her to the door that had opened. She screamed at the sudden move and Damon's pupils dilated, this was wrong! Something was wrong. He shouted her name "Elena!" he ran with all his might as Elena extended her arm as if reaching for him before Tyler jumped into the car slapping her so hard, she fell on the seat screaming for Damon's help. The car raced at its full speed Damon ran after it, he memorized the car number before backing away and ran to his own car, he hurriedly got it out of the parking but the SUV was gone in thin air. He looked around desperately, Tyler took his Elena, he slapped his Elena. Damon hit the steering wheel in frustration shouting.
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Elena woke up to strange conversations, she couldn't open her eyes, it wasn't a nightmare it was all true.
"this little whore is up." She heard a merciless voice.
"Hey Ty, can you tie your girlfriend for us."
A cold laughter broke into the room, she could guess there were men, many men.
When she opened her eyes, she found herself on a couch, she was in a small and compact apartment or house, the orange lights were deadly.
There wasn't much furniture, just suitcases and bags, some pizza boxes, empty beer cans, cellphones and many batteries and sim cards for them. She gulped when she opened her eyes, "Tyler." She breathed slowly. This was all some cruel joke, Tyler couldn't do this, he loved her so much, he made every insecurity she had go away, he was different.
"I am here sweetie, just in a minute." She heard his chuckle.
Elena felt the couch shift as he sat beside her with a sigh, suddenly with a tearing sound she felt him wrap her ankles with rope, when she protested he slapped her thigh so hard, she yelped in pain but kept put till he bounded her wrists too, he held her chin up roughly, "Better."
She looked at him in disbelief, "Why did you bring me here?"
"Elena, sweet little Elena." He rolled his eyes getting up letting her fall against the couch, she saw four men except for Tyler, they all looked brutal, like it was no big deal for them.
She tugged at her restraints, "If you don't let me go, I'll scream."
Tyler and the other men laughed as if she had told the funniest joke in existence
One of the men got up and sat in front of her, he took out a gun from his pocket, "I don't like this one, let's get this over with."
He rested the gun's muzzle against her forehead. Elena writhed in fear screaming, "Please. Don't. AHHH Please." She felt her heart beating so fast.
The man ignored her pleas and pressed the trigger, she screamed at the top of her lungs she felt her every cell shook. When she opened her eyes nothing had happened, the men laughed at her pain stricken face.
One of the men from the back huffed, "Enough playing Mark will be here shortly, Tyler put a tape on the slut's mouth."
He nodded and tore a huge piece of tape, he roughly pulled her chin up and applied it on her mouth. She tried to hold his wrist through her bandages, pleading him to help her, he threw her back on the couch.
"Take your bag and leave already." The man said, "You've done your job, take your share and go."
Tyler almost pouted, "It's not fair boss, I get all these girls for you, do you know how much bullshit I put up with. At least let me have her once."
Her eyes widened at the request he made.
"No way, we gave you money already." The man said angry.
"Okay take ten and let me have her once." He took out a whole pack of money from that bag he was given.
"You're really desperate aren't you?" the man scoffed, then he smirked, "Fine you can go second."
"Sure, all yours." He shrugged. (WARNING: Rape/graphic scene ahead) Elena tried to drag herself away as Tyler's perverted boss came closer, she knew she couldn't prevent it now, he didn't consider her repulsion and easily picked her off the couch despite her numerous struggles to free herself, she was bent over a table over the dirty discarded pizza boxes, the man pushed her face into the table and her lower body up, she heard her clothes torn. She closed her eyes, when she heard a zipper. She could hear her muffled cries echoing in her mouth and then pain, the man had forced himself inside her dry and unready body. She felt so much pain, her eyes continuously teared, as she tried to hold on to life. She had never felt this bad, she couldn't even close her eyes and chose to ignore it, she was being defiled right in front of the man she fell in love with, who was second in line to 'ruin' her, everything she had thought for herself was crushing right in front of her, her ears ripped with the moans from that monster's mouth. He finished and threw her forward like she was a lifeless rag doll. Torture continued with Tyler and the other three. By the end of the hour Elena was almost lifeless on the table, she was hearing them talk, she just wished they would let her go after this. When she tried to move she fell from the table on to the floor, which went unnoticed to anyone there. The tape from her mouth had loosened down due to her tears and screams. (Scene End)
Her eyes were lifeless, every inch of her was crying, she was bleeding from her entrance, her body was cold due to lack of clothes, the only thing on her was a bird hanging from that chain around her neck, that's when she remembered him, Damon, last she saw him he was running after the SUV before Tyler hit her and she felt unconscious, she silently cried remembering him, what would she not give to see him once again. Her best friend.
"Damon. Where are you?"
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Like I said, I have put my heart and soul into this. So I hope you like the concept.
Title credit: Ferlin Husky.
Comment please, it would mean alot. Reviews mean the world to me.
