On Her Own

Chapter 13

Taking a deep breath, Rachel glanced at Richard and leaned into a slow, perfect roundoff. Pushing immediately into a back handspring step out. Hands in the air, she sat into the hip of her back foot.

That had felt good.

Reaching for the floor, she kicked into a front walkover. Finishing with her hands once again in the air, she stepped together and pushed into two more back handsprings and stepped out of it.

Some people were gathering around her, but Richard was still right there. He gave her a nod of encouragement. This is exactly what he had wanted. He beamed at her.

She stepped it up a notch, and threw herself into a side aerial.

More people gathered around as she continued, and it wasn't long before the whole room was watching her.

Giving herself a two step lead, she punched into a front tuck. Landing it flawlessly, sitting on the floor with one leg bent and the other stretched out in front of her. Next she started a valdez, stopping in her handstand. Letting her legs fall open into a full split, she bent her back leg so her foot was touching her head. Balancing there.

Everyone began clapping as she walked around like that on her hands. Kicking down, with her hands once again in the air, she noticed Roy. He was standing in the front of the crowd, not too far from where Richard was.

Her and Roy locked gazes momentarily. She knew some of the crowd noticed, Rachel could already hear girls whispering behind her about it. Swallowing hard, she turned her back to the open space. Not even thinking twice about what she was going to do, Rachel threw herself into a back handspring, rebounding into a back tuck followed by a back layout. Her heart was pounding in her chest as she threw her chin and hands up for the final time, she turned towards her boyfriend.

Everyone was clapping except for Richard who was grinning at her like an idiot. Walking up to her in the middle of the circle, he grabbed her hips and picked her up, swinging her in a circle before putting her down. He saw Roys eyes widen, grinning he leaned down and pulled her in for a kiss. The crowd grew silent, watching and waiting. Her hands rested against his chest as he pulled her body tighter against his own, wrapping his arms securely and possessively around her waist.

She pulled back from their kiss, breathing heavy. "You are amazing!" He whispered in her ear.

"Wow, Rachel. Why didn't you ever tell me you were this talented? Babe, that was incredible!" Roy said as he walked towards the pair.

Rachel tensed and laid her forehead on his chest, squeezing her eyes closed. She felt Richard take a deep breath against her. "Roy, don't even come any closer." He knew the crowd was probably thinking there would be a fight. But he wasn't going to sink that low. Not here, not with Rachel there to watch it.

"Awe Richard, don't tell me you're jealous?" Roy was smirking, he wanted a fight.

"Shut up Roy. Just shut the fuck up." Rachel said pulling away from Richard. She walked up to Roy, not seeing Richard grin at her, and slapped the monster across the face before walking out.

Richard walked out after her, expecting to have to run to catch up with her but to his surprise she was sitting on the top of the stairs. He took a seat next to her and wrapped an arm around her shoulders.

She was trembling. "Whats up? You cold?"

She shook her head. "I scared myself. I wasn't planning on doing that back layout, not to mention how high I was."

Leaning over, he kissed her temple, his lips lingering an extra few moments. "You are beyond amazing! I don't know how you manage to do half of those stunts. Not to mention, the courage it took to slap Roy like that in front of everyone."

They spent the rest of the oh too short weekend watching movies with Victor in the guys room, waiting for the snow to finally stop. Toni had disappeared for the time being, but Rachel wasn't worried. The girl was pretty much glued to her boyfriend on the weekends and would occasionally go with him to visit his family when he went home.

Monday morning came and Rachel found herself in her seat next to Roy in English working on her final exam. As soon as she finished her exam she sprang out of her chair, more than ready to get away from Roy who had been giving her looks since she walked through the door.

Walking towards her dorm, Rachel tried to call her parents again. She still hadn't gotten ahold of them and didn't know what the plan was for winter break or the holidays. She walked into her room halfway through replying to a text, and gently kicked the door shut behind her.

She jumped slightly when it slammed shut, spinning around.

"Oh I'm sorry Rachel, did I scare you?" Roy asked sarcastically. He had a twisted smile on his face that disturbed Rachel to her core.

She glared at him, sending her text message. "What are you doing in here?" She threw her backpack to the floor by the foot of her bed.

"Haven't you figured that out yet, my dear?" He started slowly moving towards her. "I want you."

"Get out of my room!"

She stepped back.

Too late. He grabbed the front of her shirt and pulled her against him. Pushing her down, Roy pinned her to the floor with her hands above her head. He had both her hands in one of his as his free hand roamed under her shirt. "Stop!"

No, she couldn't let him hurt her again.

"You came here for a visit at the end of April last year," Roy began as he started pushing her shirt up, stopping when it was bunched up by the top of her ribcage.

"What does that have to do with this? I didn't even know you back then!" Rachel was trying to keep the fear from leaking out of her voice.

Releasing her hands, he ripped the front of her shirt open and continued, "Your buddy for the weekend brought you to a party." He leaned down and nuzzled her neck, placing a kiss on her collar bone.

"You weren't into it though and were out on the back deck alone. Grayson got to you first-" His voice was venom filled. She fought against his hold, wanting to get out from under him.

She remembered the party, she hadn't wanted to go, but her buddy said it was part of the college experience. She wound up spending most of the night on the back deck alone until Richard had joined her.

Roy slapped her cheek. "You're not listening!" His voice had gone past dangerous.

He ripped open the front of her bra. "Pay attention! If I had gotten to you first, you'd be mine right now." He growled as he grabbed her wrists again and pulled her pants down.

"Stop! Roy stop!" Rachel struggled, trying to get out from underneath him. "Stop!"

"Shut up!" He growled and slapped her again. He pulled his shirt over his head and straddled Rachels hips. She tried to kick, but it didn't make a difference.

She opened her mouth to scream, but he put his mouth over hers and kissed her, shoving his tongue in her mouth. She tried again to get her hands free. Tears began rolling down her cheeks.

Roys free hand traveled down her side to her hip, caressing the sensitive skin for a moment before he pulled her underwear down her legs.

She bit his lip till it bled.

He pulled back and raised an eyebrow at her, putting a finger to his bleeding lip. "Like it rough, eh?" She started struggling again and he punched her in the stomach, letting go of her long enough to get rid of his jeans and boxers.

"Stop! No, Roy get off!" Someone banged on the door.

Roy froze over her. "Shut up and stay quiet." She tried to quiet her ragged breathing.

"Rachel? You in there?" It was Victor. "Rachel?"

He banged on the door again. "Rachel what's going on in there?

"Tell him you're fine." Roy hissed near her ear. "Do it!"

"I-I'm fine, Victor." There was a slight tremor to her voice and Roy slapped her across the face again for it.

"Rachel, let me in." Her breath hitched in her throat as she choked back a sob.

Roy waited a few minutes for everything to get quiet again.

"You're mine Babe. Pathetic little Richie can't drag you away this time. And dumb Victor can't save you again." And with that, he shoved himself deep inside her.

She screamed.

The banging began again along with Victor yelling for Rachel open up the door.

Roy covered her mouth with his to muffle the sound as he pounded into her.

A few minutes later, a lock clicked and the door to Rachels door swung open.

Victor stormed into the room, shocked at the sight. Growling, he pushed Roy away from Rachel and proceeded to beat him senseless.

Rachel lay on the floor curled in a ball, sobbing silently. She jerked when a blanket was draped across her.

She opened her eyes to see Victor talking on his cell quietly, they locked eyes for a second before he looked away.

A few minutes later Victor came and kneeled down about a foot away from her. "That was Richard, he's gonna come by. All right?"

She nodded, curling up into a tighter ball.

Closing her eyes she let out a shaky breath, the pain.

It was back. It hurt so much, and she just wanted it all to stop.

This was worse than she remembered it being.

Twenty minutes later there was a knock at the door. Rachel jumped from her place on the floor.

"It's all right Rachel. It's just Richard." Victor said, getting up from where he had been sitting near her. He hadn't pushed her to say anything or tried to get too close and she was grateful for that. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath trying to push the pain out of her mind.

Victor opened the door, and immediately moved aside for Richard.

"Rachel? Rach, are you all right?" Richard crouched down on one knee, and ran a hand through her hair. She tensed under his hand and he gave her a small sad smile.

"Victor, what happened?" Richard asked, standing up and pacing.

"It was Roy, by the time I had picked the lock on the door…well, he had already hurt her. I gave him a good beating and literally threw him out the door."

Richard sighed and ran a hand through his hair. Frustrated. Bending back down, he picked up Rachel and the blanket. She tensed against him and whimpered, wanting to get away. She didn't want to be hurt again.

Not again.

It hurt so much, she just wanted it to stop.

She just wanted it all to stop.

"Shhhh. It's me Rach. I'm not gonna hurt you. I won't hurt you." He whispered. Richard took a seat on Rachels bed and moved so his back was against the wall. He laid her across his lap and wrapped his arms around her protectively.

"You might wanna take her shirt off?" Victor suggested. He had noticed what Roy had done to her clothes.

When Richard just looked at him questioningly Victor continued, "From the look of it he didn't actually take her shirt off all the way." Victor shrugged, taking a seat on Tonis bed.

Richard adjusted his hold and realized that he could feel the frayed edge of her shirt. He just wasn't entirely sure how to get it off her at the moment. He doubted removing it with Victor around was a good idea. "Rachel…"

She had her face buried in his chest, his shirt fisted in her hand.

He brushed some hair off her face and leaned down to place a soft kiss to her temple.

She shied away from him, releasing his shirt to put her hand up and push him away.

"What are you doing over winter break?" Richard asked looking up at Victor, deciding to just let her be for the moment.

"I'm planning on going-" He was cut off by Toni showing up.

She looked up from her phone, startled to see the three of them in the room. "Oh hey Richard, Rachel. And I don't think we've met?" She walked towards them and threw her backpack and sweatshirt by the foot of her bed.

"I'm Victor, his roommate. And I'm assuming you're Rachels roommate?" She nodded.

"Toni." She turned her back to the boys and dug through her closet. "So what's up with Rachel?"