A/N: I'd just like to say that I'm not completly sure about this chapter. I go flipping back and forth between liking and thinkin it's just a tad bit over dramatic. However, I can't think of an alternative to the plot, so I'm leaving it in. Anyways, I'd like to hear what you guys think.
The maiden couldn't sleep after what her mother told her; it was too insane, and yet… what could she do? As impossible as it seemed it also seemed that it was possible that it could be true.
The prince could have actually meant her. It was entirely possible.
The more she thought about it the more she had to know. She had to go see the prince.
If she could see the prince, see him once, and see him see her than she would know.
The look on his face would tell her.
That's when she decided to leave; the next morning, she would tell her mother that she was going into woods, and instead of staying there she would keep going into town.
She had to know.
The next morning she did exactly as she had planned.
The woods were fresh with hope; hope that maybe, just maybe she had found someone who loved her for her.
Of course, the prince could simply be like all the others, and he had merrily not had a chance to throw himself before her, and the after affects of her song were wearing on him.
The maiden refused to think about that. She would merely deal with it when it came time.
She just stepped out of the woods when she was surrounded by a group of rough looking men.
The maiden shrunk back only for a moment before squaring her shoulders.
She was terrified, but her father had taught her to never show her fear; in cases like this her fear did not help her.
"Excuse me, I am but a poor maid, trying to find work in town – I have no money for you."
The maiden had been told about the types of men to be found in town. She didn't want to deal with them.
"No money eh," the first man smirked, and winked at his cohorts, "then we will have to take our payment another way."
The other men laughed as the closed the circle in around her.
The maiden felt her fear bubble up in her. The men were strong; she would never be able to get away from all four of them.
She opened her mouth to scream, but a better idea came to her – why scream when she could sing?
Again she took a deep breath, ready to use her voice, ready to stop the men in their tracks, when another one cut through the air.
"Unhand the girl! This is your prince commanding you!"
At the word prince, the men's faces went slack and they all slid away.
Prince Shawn, had been riding his horse down the street, but was now letting himself off and running towards the girl in the street.
"Maid, are you okay? You are a lucky –" the prince stopped when he got close enough to see the girls face, "It's you."
Jeremy Tall stepped out of the shadows and leaned against the locker beside me.
"Well, Kimmy, are you? Looking for some fun?"
I flinched away from him. Jeremy was a slimy kid. He always had been. I had always thought he was relatively harmless despite of it… but now…
Now though, I wasn't so sure.
He was one boy even Sammy felt the need to stay away from.
He was a person you would not want to find in a dark ally… or a lonely school hallway.
"No thank you. I just want to go home."
I tried to refuse him as politely as I could and just walk away, but he grabbed a hold of me.
He grabbed my shoulder and pulled my back to him. My heart lurched in a way that seemed to be telling me to run. The adrenaline started pumping through my body.
He held me against his chest, and whispered in my ear, "I think you're just playing hard to get. I like hard to get."
I shivered as I felt his breath down my neck. I wasn't playing at anything, and I had meant what I had said before. I just wanted to go home; now more than ever.
"Let go of me." My voice quivered despite my attempt to keep it confident
"Aw, but don't you like me? Don't you like being this close to me?"
"Jeremy no… let go of me. Please, let go of me." My last three words came out as a week sob. I was pleading now but I didn't care. Whatever would work I would do. I just wanted to go home. I just wanted to be away from him.
"No, I think I'm going to have my fun first."
My fear level raised as imagines of what Jeremy thought was fun popped into my head. I tried to wiggle out of his grasp, but he held me tighter.
"Please, you're hurting me."
"Aww am I doll face? Let me fix that."
He let me go, but only for a second. Only long enough to spin me around and lean me against the lockers.
"Please."
I suddenly felt claustrophobic with his body so close to mine. I was revolted even in my fear. I didn't want any of this. I just wanted to be home, in my bed, warm and safe. I just wanted to be safe. I wasn't safe anymore.
The fear was rising up in me; my chest started to heave. I could feel a tear squeak out of my eye and slowly roll down my cheek.
"I saw you with that pretty boy earlier today," he said running a finger along my cheek, following the trail of the lone tear, "don't try to tell me you don't like this."
I regretted being that close to Shawn; I regretted staying late; I regretted anything that had lead to this very moment. I regretted this moment.
I shook my head, "I don't, I don't; Jeremy please, please?"
He seemed to deliberate a moment and my hope raised. Maybe I was right? Maybe this was a misunderstanding. Maybe I was going to be free; maybe I was going to be safe.
"No." With that one word my hope was squashed and my bravery crushed. I wasn't getting out of this. I was never getting out of this.
I started to cry.
Then he pressed his mouth against mine. His kiss was savage and possessive. It seemed to demand this was his right.
It also sprung me into action. I wasn't anyone's possession; I wasn't a damsel that needed to be saved. There wasn't anyone to save me. I had to save myself. I couldn't and wouldn't go down without a fight.
I started to shove him away. I wasn't strong enough to get him to move away from me, but enough to get him off my mouth.
And that's when I screamed.
"HELP! SOMEONE HELP! GET OFF ME! HELP! PLEASE!"
That was all I got out before Jeremy put his beefy hand over my mouth. I struggled against it, but I couldn't get his hand, or the rest of him, off.
"Well, well, you have quite the mouth on – Ouff"
Suddenly he was flung off of me; I sank down the locker in relief. I was free; I was safe. I pulled my legs up and hugged my knees into my chest. Despite my freedom I felt vulnerable, still unsafe. I wondered if I was ever going to feel safe again.
My emotions bubbled over and once the shock and fear were gone the tears, that had stopped while I fought, started to roll down my face freely once more.
"Kim? Kim. Look at me – Kim, are you ok?"
I moved my fuzzy vision to focus on Shawn.
"Shawn," I said reaching a hand up to try to compose myself.
I was sure bawling was not an attractive look on me… it wasn't really an attractive look on anyone. I don't really know how I had the presence of mind to do that.
"Are you ok? Did he do anything – I swear if he did anything."
He looked pretty mad; in fact he looked ready to kill. I leaned over to look around his shoulder, see where Jeremy was, but he was gone.
"He ran off," Shawn informed me his tone like venom, "but are you alright."
I wiped away a few tears that were still trailing slowly down my face.
"Fine, I'm fine… was just a little scared, that's all scared." I was babbling I knew it. I wasn't fine. Not even close but Shawn didn't need to know that. I would be better eventually.
Now that he was gone, and Shawn was here my heart rate was returning to normal; my brain was kicking in, all the fear I had felt was gone and I couldn't seem to remember it. It was giving me enough gusto to pretend that I was fine.
Sure, it might have been worse if Shawn hadn't had gotten there… but would Jeremy really go that far? In a school hallway? I had thought so at the time but now… now my brain wouldn't allow me to think that.
"Are you sure?"
I nodded, "positive."
"You're shaking."
I hadn't noticed that; guess the shock might not have worn off after all; maybe it was just waiting for me to grow into it.
"Guess I was a little shaken up." I tried to smile but I knew I looked pitiful. I was a mess.
Shawn hesitated only a moment, before pulling me into a tight, but comforting hug.
"It's alright your fine now; you're safe."
I sighed and leaned against his warm body. His voice, low and deep was surprisingly comforting. I don't think it mattered what he was saying, I would have felt safe if he was telling me step-by-step how he was going to kill me. Safe, it was funny how I suddenly felt that now. Funny how Shawn's presence alone created some veil in my mind.
My body, slowly, stopped shaking, and he – sadly – pulled away to look me in the eyes.
"You feeling better now?"
I nodded bravely. I really was. The whole incident seemed to be nothing more than an awful nightmare that I was just glad to get over with. I wanted to be done with it. Pretend it never happened. That was the only way, I could see, that I could cope with it.
"Good… are you ready to go talk to the principle now?"
I stared at him, "What?" Why would I do something like that? I was more confused than I had been before. Maybe the stress of the situation had addled my brains.
"Kim, you have to tell someone what happened – you have to stop him. That guy could do that again, to someone else, to you."
I shook my head, "I can't… I can't… god, what will my mom think… and everyone else… no, no I can't do that Shawn." I couldn't tell anyone one. I couldn't pretend that it didn't happen if everyone was breathing down my neck checking if I was ok. No, no one could know but me and Shawn. If I could help it I wouldn't want Shawn to know either, but it was too late for that now.
"Kim it's not right to just let him go."
"He'd just go anyways. There's not much anyone could do. He kissed me, that's it."
"That's assault, Kim! You didn't ask for him to kiss you, or push you against the wall."
I shook my head more vehemently this time, "Shawn. I. Can't. Do. It. I do not want the drama. I do not want the problem. I want to go home, and forget it ever happened. Don't you understand! I can't pretend it never happened with everyone whispering about it all the time; my parents fawning and panicking over me all the time, and if I tell someone that is what's going to happen." My voice shook with the hysteria I felt. I couldn't, I couldn't.
Shawn was quiet for a long time. He just stared at me, and something shifted in his eyes as he did so.
I swallowed nervously. I liked Shawn, I really, really liked him, but I couldn't do what he was asking, and I was worried it was going to ruin everything for us.
"When I first heard the scream, you… I was so… and then I got so…" he was talking more to himself than me; it appeared as if he was trying to work through something, "I understand Kim, I understand that you are comfortable with being invisible, that you are embarrassed by what happened. I can't force you to do anything, but I really, really think that you have it in you to do the right thing."
'If you don't your not who I thought you were,' I translated bitterly in my head; the idea of Shawn being disappointed in me almost shattered me.
My desires fought with each other. I didn't want to disappoint Shawn, have his image of me shattered, but I couldn't tell. I didn't want to tell. I can't do it! Even if I tried the words wouldn't come out. I was incapable of doing the right thing. Shawn was wrong: I don't have it in me to do the right thing.
I backed away from him, shaking my head. I could feel tears welling up in my eye once again.
"I'm sorry Shawn I can't… I just can't."
Then I got up, and ran down the hall before he could stop me.
A/N: so again, I wasn't too sure about this chapter, but I'd love to hear what you think of it! So please feel free to review.
