SO that Asian kid from Clare's church... is going to be named Jamie. Just because. And I know that it doesn't really make sense for a religious boy to do what's going to happen in this chapter, but it's going to happen here. So. Yeah.
"So, Clare Edwards. Still with that emo boy?" Jamie snickered, coming closer to Clare. Anyone could sense that something was wrong- the air outside the church, usually clean and pleasant compared to the rest of the city, was thick and filled with tension, almost like a puzzle piece to the future. And the future did not look too good.
Clare picked up on this, and started backing away, hoping that someone would offer her a ride home so she wouldn't be stuck with Jamie alone. "Y-yes I am," she nervously replied.
"Well, it's a shame that he's not here. It's a shame that your mom isn't able to pick you up. It's a shame that we have to wait for an hour until my parents can come back. It's a shame that they have to deliver all of that donated food right now, and that they're leaving us here to clean up the church. If only that emo boy wasn't an atheist. He could come and rescue you right now." Jamie flashed an evil grin, showing Clare all of his white teeth.
"H-his name is Eli..." Clare argued, not sure why she was. She knew that she wasn't in any position to be rude to Jamie, but Eli meant too much to her.
"Well, has Eli touched you like... this?" Jamie quickly moved forward and stroked Clare's cheek, moving his hand down to her neck and then breast.
Clare gulped. "N-no," she practically whispered.
"Here's the thing, Clare," Jamie murmured. "I love you. I've loved you for so, so long, but I don't know how to get you to return the favor. However, if we have sex, maybe you'll realize that we are meant to be, and that Eli is nothing compared to me. I'm sure that God understands perfectly."
Clare's eyes widened and she turned around to start running away from what she knew was going to happen, but Jamie grabbed her wrist in a painful grip and pushed her back against the wall. "Let's be clear. I will be gentle, but you must be silent. Clear? Capisci?" Jamie's eyes darkened a few shades, and Clare felt tears come to her eyes.
This is it, she thought. I am no longer Saint Clare. She knew that she couldn't fight back, that she would lose, that she would be raped no matter what. But because she wasn't fighting, didn't that make her a sinner? Wasn't she willingly losing her virginity?
"Jamie, please," Clare begged. "You... just... don't do this to me, okay?" Her voice started to squeak, her fear becoming more obvious.
"Oh, but Clare. I have to. God even told me last night! He told me that if you wouldn't love me back, I would have to make you. And what better way than taking your virginity? Part of you will always be mine, and you won't have any other way to get it back unless you love me, too! It makes sense, really." Jamie started to chuckle. He watched Clare's body start to tremble as she became more scared.
Clare sat in the back of the church, terrified. It had been an hour since Jamie raped her, an hour since she was stripped from what she valued most. She vaguely heard Jamie tell his parents that Clare's mom was able to make it after all, that she didn't need a ride home. Her attacker was gone, but Clare was sure that he would come back if she left her hiding spot.
She could hear her phone ringing in the pocket of her jeans, ripped off of her and thrown out in front of her, but she didn't bother answering it.
She sat alone for a long, long time, hoping that what just happened was a nightmare. She wished that she could just pinch herself and wake up, but even if she was able to lift her arm up to do so, the pain that she experienced would have woken her up already.
"Oh my god," she heard someone's deep, husky yet soft voice mutter. "Clare!"
"Is she there? Oh, my baby's okay- oh no, oh no, oh no!" She heard the shriek of a woman's voice.
"Clare," the deep voice said her name. If she opened her eyes, she would see him standing right in front of her, but she kept them shut tightly, afraid that any of those voices would be Jamie.
"Clare," the voice said her name again over the woman's sobbing.
"Clare!" The woman's voice was louder now, and Clare felt a hand touch both of her shoulders. Clare cried out and buried her head in between her legs, terrified that the woman would hurt her.
"Mrs. Edwards, just... here, talk to the 911 operator," the deep voice said again.
Clare felt someone next to her again, and after she realized that they wouldn't touch her, she slowly opened her eyes to find Eli sitting next to her. His eyes were starting to fill with tears, and his tortured expression showed Clare exactly what he was feeling.
"Y-...you won't... hurt me," Clare whispered, her voice barely audible. Eli shook his head, and Clare felt relief.
"Let me help you get dressed," Eli suggested.
Clare shook her head, afraid to move from where she was. Jamie could be anywhere, and if she got up, he could hurt her again. "He'll hurt me," she tried to explain.
Eli nodded his head and stayed where he was with Clare, almost rolling his eyes when Clare's mom came back with his phone. Her sobs were loud enough for the city to hear, it seemed, and Eli knew that it wouldn't help Clare.
"Clare," Mrs. Edwards cried, "Baby, let me help you get your clothes back on! We have to get you help!" She grabbed Clare's arm and tried to pull her up, not understanding how force wouldn't help in this sort of situation.
Clare whipped her arm away from her mom and turned to face Eli, hiding her face in between his shoulder and the wall that they were sitting against. Eli shielded Clare from her mom with his arm, feeling Clare shake violently from fear.
"Mrs. Edwards, uh, not to... not to be rude, but I don't think that... you should be with her right now," he tried to reason with her.
Mrs. Edwards shook her head, still crying. "She's my... my baby! How could you tell me to leave her alone?"
"Because!" Eli snapped, softening his voice when he heard Clare cry out in fear. "Clare is in no condition to be surrounded by those who make her feel unsafe! She feels safe around me, apparently, but anyone else will just make her worse!"
Mrs. Edwards nodded her head and hesitantly left Eli with Clare. They could all hear the sirens coming from the ambulance that was heading their way, but Clare didn't understand that it was for her. The noises scared her, and she hid herself deeper into Eli.
"It's okay," Eli said, hoping to calm Clare's nerves. "I'm right here, h-he's gone, you'll be okay."
Clare looked up at Eli and saw a tear running down his cheek. Clare realized that she had caused this, and it made her more upset. She turned away from Eli and basically curled up into a little ball, afraid of everyone in the world.
Eli watched, feeling guilty the entire time. He wanted to wrap his arms around Clare and comfort her, but he couldn't. He couldn't do anything to help her. "W-what can I do, Clare?" He asked, feeling terrible. He waited for a few minutes before Clare looked up at him.
"I'm scared," she choked out. She scooted back over to Eli and let him wrap an arm around her protectively.
"I'm here, Clare. You're going to be okay, I promise."
Hopefully, I'll be able to update tomorrow or even later tonight. BUT I would really like some reviews :D
And those who read my other story, To Stop Hurting, I am goonna come back to that soon but it's been kind of hard since I've dealt with the same issue. So I just need to take a break from that until my personal issues that occur in the story are under control.
