Bailey

This story contains mentions of substance abuse, and alludes to sexual violence and assault. Trigger Warning.

I stepped out of the party, and into the rain, letting each drop fall onto my body. I was soaked in a few seconds but that was the farthest thing from my mind. I told Bailey that I wasn’t interested.

A cold chill crept up my spine, and I could almost hear the slithering scales. I didn’t have a fear of snakes, but feeling that cold snake travel up my back could definitely give me one. The chill was broken by a flash of warmth on my skin that I found completely unnecessary. My skin was dirty, I knew that. But, when I looked down at my pale arm, I saw no dirt, only rain. I shook my head and kept walking. I told Bailey that I wasn’t interested.

I could barely see through all of the rain water in my eyes, but I could clearly make out all of the lights of the cars who were racing down the highway. I considered briefly jumping in front of one, but I didn’t want to put my death on the conscience of an innocent driver, who probably just wanted to get home to his family at this time of night. Two am, I should have been home two hours ago. I told Bailey I wasn’t interested.

Memories of the party flashed through my head as I crossed the highway. Weed, booze, shrooms, cocaine… Who the hell even brought the cocaine? We’re high school students, for Christ’s sake, we shouldn’t even be near cocaine. I told Bailey I wasn’t interested.

My thin band tee and shorts weren’t doing much to protect me from the rain. But then again, I hadn’t expected to leave until well after the rain had stopped. My phone buzzed in my pocket, over and over and over and over again; a phone call. I pulled it out to check before sighing and sliding it back in my pocket. I told Bailey I wasn’t interested.

I pulled my earbuds out of my pocket to forget about the sound of rain but they were full of water. I dropped them on the sidewalk and kept walking. I’m sure I have another pair at home. And, in this world of technology that I live in, you can buy crappy earbuds at every dollar store and gas station in the country. This thought passed through my head, but so did some sounds underneath the breezeway I was passing. I started to run, but I tried and almost fell, scraping my hands even more. I picked myself up and kept running. I told Bailey I wasn’t interested.

The rain was truly deafening. I shook my head to attempt to physically get rid of the distraction and continued my race home. I could feel all of the hands on me, and the blunt on my lips, but I continued to run. After a few seconds, I fell again. This time, it was much harder. The blood from my busted lip mixed with the rain and slipped into my mouth. The taste of iron kept me going, and I popped up, continuing my full sprint to my house. I didn’t even care who was following me, I told Bailey I wasn’t interested.

I slammed the door of my house and folded to the floor. Only a few seconds passed before the viscous knocking came, but I stayed in my lump on the ground, for what seemed like an hour. Soft whimpers stirred me and I looked up to make eye contact with my pup. She spurred me to get up and took a look out of the peephole in my door. Nobody was there. I shook my head as I turned away. I told Bailey I wasn’t interested.

I pulled my phone out of my pocket and dried off the water that had collected on it. I tried turning it on, but the stupid thing gave me a black screen. I threw it down on my coffee table and walked back over to the front door. From somewhere in my house, I heard a ringing. It took maybe forty five seconds for me to find it. Someone had left their phone in my kitchen. I picked it up and placed it to my ear. Only screeching followed. I leaned away slightly, sighing as the numerous ‘where are you?’s and ‘what the hell happened?’s flowed into my ear. I snorted. “I told Bailey I wasn’t interested.”

I couldn’t tell you who’s phone that was, nor could I tell you how it got in my house. I let it rest on my counter, and headed upstairs to my bathroom. The warm water that flowed out of my faucet was extremely inviting. I slipped out of my drenched clothing, wiping my face with my shirt as I went. No matter how hard I scrubbed, the smell of booze, the feel of sweat, and the memories of the party clung to me. I scratched at my skin for what felt like hours, until I was as red as a lobster. I gave up soon after and stepped into my densely fogged bathroom. The cold tiles flooded my mind with the feeling of the freezing cold rain from outside. I stared at my own face in the mirror, picking it apart. It wasn’t one that I recognized, which caused me alarm. I lifted my pruney fingers to my cheeks, and let them rest there. When did I start crying? Was it in the rain or in the shower? Why wouldn’t this dirt that clung to my skin just come off? My brain swirled with questions but only one answer came to mind. I told Bailey that I wasn’t interested.

“I know you’re here! Open the fucking door!” I heard a voice from downstairs and a series of more vicious knocks. I quickly clothed myself and dashed down my stairs, careful not to fall and slam my head into the wall. I opened the door and froze. I told Bailey I wasn’t interested.

“What are you doing here?” I managed nothing above a whisper. I looked into the boy’s eyes and quickly broke eye contact, ashamed. He said nothing, only pulling me into a tight hug. He was drenched as well, which stood out to me. His short wet hair fell onto mine. For a split second, wrapped in his arms, everything was right in the world. Everything was okay. The party was a horrible fever dream, and I never had to see those horrible boys ever again. But, it was fleeting. As soon as the feeling came, it was gone. I looked up to see the tall blonde boy looking directly into my eyes. “I told you… I wasn’t interested…”

Tears continued to fall over my cheeks. “I’m so sorry. I’m so sorry.” He whispered, wrapping me in a hug again. “You never have to see those guys again. I made sure of it.” I couldn’t bring my eyes to fall into his steely gray gaze again. “Please. Let me stay here tonight. I’ll help you.” Blinding white rage covered my vision and I pushed him hard. How could he even suggest that? I told Bailey I wasn’t interested.

I screamed so loudly that I thought my eardrums would rupture. I slammed the door in his face, but my words still echoed in my mind over and over again. “I told you, Bailey! I wasn’t interested!!”