Sorry this is a little late. I'm trying to update once every two weeks now because I'm starting to get busy again.
Also this might seem all jumbled up and this is a first draft...(EW) but I felt the need to make a filler and this was what I came up with. Hopefully it's not too bad. :)
Chapter 11
They won sectionals a week ago. A whole week and Savannah hadn't gotten any better. Physically she was recovering at a normal rate. The bruises were evening out and had stopped growing, turning an unpleasant greenish-yellow color. She tried hard to hide them from strangers and let her team see them freely. The pain from them had gone away along with the pain in her groin and stomach from the Chlamydia. The cheer captain had about a week left of the twice daily pills.
Almost every night though, Savannah found herself crawling into Marti's bed. She had started with simply mentioning that the beds should be pushed together again and then later in the night Marti would oblige. Three days ago she had stopped asking however and started to crawl into Marti's bed when she couldn't fight for sleep any longer.
She didn't know why it was so evasive. It seemed to taunt her— the darkness. It made her feel like he was there which bothered her more than scared her. There was nothing left for him to take. If he was haunting her then it was annoying and nothing else. But for some reason being around another person, someone she trusted, sleep would always seem to find her before she went looking. Like on the bus ride home Savannah sat with Lewis and before she knew it she had nodded off against his shoulder.
Every morning Marti woke to find Savannah next to her she didn't say anything. She would smile and blink away sleep and either get up for a shower or cup of coffee or roll over and pull the coverlet above her head. Her cheerleader never judged when she woke up to find another body on her full bed. It eased Savannah's mind immensely.
…
Savannah read the text message quickly.
Hey guys. Everything is all set for Char's surprise baby shower 2morrow! Hope everyone can still make it. Reminder that it's at 3 o'clock and not 2 anymore. Hope to see you all there!
I can't believe I gave that up to Nasty Kathy...Savannah thought as she shoved the phone back into her gym bag and walked into the gym with the rest of the team.
...
Marti (and Lewis) now pushed even harder for counseling. Everyday that past week it seemed one of them found a way to bring it into a conversation. Lewis more than Marti surprisingly.
Marti spent most of the week on her laptop in their room. She had asked Julian, one of her law professors, about rape cases and he suggested a few websites. Most of them told her that if and when rape victims go to court for the offense the supposed victim is often on trial just as much as the accused, which leads most victims to stay silent. This worried her. She didn't want to force Savannah to do anything she wouldn't be comfortable with but at the same time she didn't want to let the rapist get away and possibly rape other girls too.
It conflicted her and kept her researching during classes and huddled up late at night on her bed trying to find a solution. She talked lightly about the subject with Lewis, as not to intrigue him of the subject too much, and he was just as lost as she was. Marti thought that counseling would help Savannah make more of a solid decision. She made Lewis in charge of figuring out where the local support groups were.
...
"Dan?" Savannah whispered into her cell phone. He hasn't said a word to me since we broke up. Why is he calling now? I hope Marti didn't say anything.
"Savannah, hey, hi."
Savannah took a breath and steadied her shaking hand.
"What do you want?" she said it with as much force as she could muster, which was very little.
"I wanted to talk to you," he mumbled. "I just...I was being stupid and I feel really bad. I would really like to see you again."
"I going to my sister's baby shower right now."
"Oh. Call me after? I'd really like to see you...maybe talk. In person."
She sighed into the phone and instantly regretted it.
"We don't have to," Dan said, his words falling over one another.
"No. No. I want to, I think. I'll call you later."
Savannah hung up before she could hear his goodbye.
She shoved the keys into the ignition and pulled out of the student parking lot.
Nationals were in a month. The team needed money to go and they had little ideas as to get it. She wanted to come up with an amazing idea that was sure to work to get them the money they needed. Calenders were at the top of her list.
How do you make money? A sexy calendar shoot was the best she could think of as she drove in the direction of her family's house. It only took half an hour to get there and she could see the cars parked down the street to keep Char from suspecting anything. Savannah pulled into the driveway anyways and quickly steadied herself.
What if Mom got the bills already? What if she hates me and won't allow me in the house? No, she can't do that to Char.
Savannah got out of her car and left her purse and phone inside before walking into the house. Nasty Kathy was running around sticking last minute streamers and baby pictures to the walls and ceilings. She walked into the kitchen after waving hello to some of the guests and found her mother sitting at the table.
"Savannah" Layne said and nodded to the chair opposite herself. "Close the door first, would you?"
Savannah felt her breath hitch in her throat as she nodded mutely and did as she was told. After she was in the seat her mother folded her hands over two envelopes.
"I got these in the post a few days ago," Layne started, her typical makeup applied. "Do you have anything to say before I assume something?"
Savannah was at a lose for words and stared stupidly at the pieces of paper under her mother's ring clad fingers. The bills.
"Am I to believe both my daughters had sex before marriage?" she hissed out the words. "And are you trying to cover it up with a lie?"
The outrage in her mother's voice was clear but her volume never reached a yell or a shout.
"Savannah, I don't want to hear any excuses. In fact I don't want to hear or know what really happened at all."
Savannah felt her heart break a little. A piece chipping off and shattering in the empty cavern that was her chest. She felt her stomach curl and her throat constrict at the words.
"I just wished you could have been a better role model for Charlotte. Maybe then she wouldn't have gotten pregnant. Either way I don't want this getting out too. I'll pay for the bills and give you any money you need to put this behind you, but it cannot get out. Do you understand me?"
"But Mom—"
"No. Just take the money I'm offering and keep it to yourself out there!"
"Mom listen!" Savannah begged. "It's not like that. I didn't-"
"Savannah please!" Layne spat, her hands curled around a blank check, already signed. "I don't want excuses. Whatever happened is in the past. Just take this and keep quiet!"
An angry boiling started in the pit of Savannah's stomach. Why isn't she listening? Why doesn't she understand?
"Fine."
And with that she snatched the check out of her mother's hands and got up to join the surprise party as she heard Charlotte entering the house from the back door.
"Are you leaving so soon?" Charlotte asked Savannah as she tried to slip out the back door.
Damn...
"Oh. Yeah I have an early practice tomorrow."
Char leaned back against the wall and looked to her feet.
"That's too bad," she said a smile poking through. "I wanted to stay up late and have a make over like when we were kids. Sneaking past mom to get all her make up and getting in trouble the next morning when we forgot to wash it off."
Savannah smiled at the memories of it. I wish I could stay Char. I really do. I wish so hard that I could do everything you wanted and needed. I wish mom would understand and I wish this never happened to me. I wish you never got pregnant.
"That used to be fun," she said laughing lightly. It was fake but she tried her hardest to put on a good show for her sister.
"You seem really tired," Char whispered pushing off the wall as Savannah rubbed at her eye.
"A little," she admitted and let her hold on the doorknob falter.
Char quickly wrapped her arms around Savannah's midsection and pressed her cheek to Savannah's neck. The hug was warm and easy and understanding. More though, Savannah liked how it didn't hold pity. It was Charlotte holding on to her for stability. It had no underlying tone relating in anyway back to her rape.
"I love you Savannah." It was whispered and soft and made the hair on the back of her neck stand on end.
"I love you too Char."
Okay so maybe I got a little sappy at the end ;) sue me. Reviews and PMs always make my day.
Any insight would be super helpful! (Again) I hope this isn't as bad as I think it is. I feel like this is just fiction throwup. Nasty things that just came to mind and I wrote down in a hurry.
Certainly not the best thing I've written, but hopefully it will suffice.
