Chapter 42: Chapter 39
Dominic's mom came and found me, I explain the effect seeing Jordan had on me. I apologize relentlessly for making a mess of the night while she sits there fixing my makeup.
"Oh honey you didn't make a mess of anything. Everyone thought you were wonderful, most all of them think it was just stage fright. I understand, your first breakup always hurts worst. You and I will just stay here a minute while you calm down, ok?" She pulls me into a hug and we sit there together until I feel ready to come back out.
Stepping out of the bathroom, Dominic is waiting for us. He gives his mom a gentle smile and pulls me close as she goes to find her husband.
"Are you alright?" Dominic asks, his voice gentle, his touch even more so against my cheek.
I'm stunned by the change in attitude, but the moment his mom is gone and no one is around, his hand wraps tightly around my upper arm and he tries to lift me up.
"Ow!" I squeak.
"Don't think I didn't see that little stunt you pulled!" He hisses at me in a harsh whisper, "Know your place! Pull any shit like that again and I won't be so forgiving," He drops my arm and walks away.
My arm throbs. He stands off to side fixing his suit and waiting for me, his glare is like daggers as he impatiently taps his foot waiting for me to come join him. I put my head down and don't fight as he wraps my arm in his.
The back up singer has arrived and has taken her place on the stage, a large majority of the guests dance and watch as she sings, the rest wander about looking at the silent auction or getting food. Dominic pulls me around like a dog on a leash as he goes to talk to guests, trying to persuade them to donate. A few of them compliment my singing, Dominic uses that as fuel to mention my mother was a singer and it must be in my blood. He cracks jokes and points them to the donation center, barely letting my utter a word.
Around ten o'clock he lets me go, telling me not to do anything stupid while he goes and finds his parents. I decide to look at the silent auction and see what there is. There's an area more specified to adults, expensive wine and weekend getaways, while at another table is stuff that would be more geared to my age group: headphones and stacks of books and expensive skateboards. Someone actually donated a car, a red Jeep Wrangler. I'm drawn to a pair of rose gold Beat headphones and a large box full of signed copies of different new young adult books with a new Mac book. Whoever donated this must work in publishing. I recognize some of the authors, a lot of these are corny teen romances but I love it. These are brand new signed first editions, books alone are expensive, these could be worth something someday. I glance at the bidding sheet even though I know I shouldn't, people are bidding more than $1,000 on these, more than triple that for some of the skateboards and weekend trips. The bidding closes in an hour, and I can't imagine how much the final bids will be.
I see Jordan in the crowd every now and again but do my best to avoid him. The thought that Dominic could see us made me sick. My arm aches the more I think about it, so every time I see Jordan I take it as my cue to walk the other way.
I find Emily sitting on a couch by the door, her mother close by as she almost falls asleep. Her eyes light up when she sees me, "Oh Rhea, thank goodness, can you take Emily home? I didn't realize what time it was, she's so tired. I called Dominic, he's getting a car. I have to stay with Dominic's dad until the event ends, but I would appreciate if you two could bring Emily home and put her to bed."
I nod and sit next to Emily, I try to focus on Emily and not the thought of her brother and I being alone at the house. Mrs. Stom helps me get Emily in the car while Dominic tells the driver where we're going. Emily starts falling asleep as I take the Bobby pins out of her hair and undo the braid and bun. Dominic sits across from us, watching quietly.
The drive back into town was long and quiet, it's after eleven when we pull in the driveway, and I myself was getting tired. I carry Emily into the house and help get her to bed while Dominic changes out of his suit. Shutting off Emily's light, I go up the stairs to get the clothes I left in the master bedroom. I realize how hard it will be for me to get the makeup off and all the hairspray out so my dad doesn't see, I lose my train of thought when I hear a knock on the door.
"If you need to shower go ahead, my parents won't mind. We have a few guest bathrooms and I know we have extra soap," Dominic leans on the doorframe and stares at me, I watch the twisted grin spread on his face, "Do you want help getting out of that?"
My stomach clenches, "N-no thank you."
His smile twists into a sneer as he crosses the room and pulls me against him.
"Maybe you didn't hear me, do you want help taking that off?" His voice is low and is laced with warning. This is too much. I need to draw a line.
"No thank you Dominic," I try to stand my ground.
It takes all of two seconds for his hand to wrap around my throat and squeeze. His eyes are burning with anger as he squeezes harder.
"See I'm trying to be nice here, and I must say you're being a bit rude Rhea. I've done a lot for you, got you the babysitting job, I took you out to a nice dinner, I let you come with to this event tonight, and here I am now offering to help you and this is what I get? Ungrateful bitch going around flirting with her ex and giving me shit?"
I try and pull his hand away from my neck, but the most I do is leave a couple scratches on his hand. I start coughing and crying, I feel like I went home without ever walking through my front door.
Dominic drops me and watches me crumble to the floor, coughing and sobbing. He stares at me like I'm disappointing him and wipes his hands off on his shirt like nothing even happened.
"Shower and go home. I'll see you at school," He starts walking out of the room, stopping at the door, "And Rhea, take tonight to think something over. We can do this the easy way, or the hard way."
With that he's gone and I'm left in the middle of the room shaking and crying. It takes me almost twenty minutes before I feel like I can move again, I quickly grab my clothes and stumble around for an extra bathroom. I make sure the door is locked before I start the shower and undress. I find makeup remover under the sink and rub until my face is red. Pulling out all the pins and stuff in my hair is a chore but I get it done. I shake as I step in the shower, I'm scared that Dominic could be right outside the door and I'm in here completely exposed.
I shower as quickly as I can, just wanting to leave at this point. I'm lobster red when I come out and put my clothes on. Unsure what to do with the dress I bring it out of the bathroom with me and go to put it back in the master bedroom.
"There she is," I jump at the sound of Mrs. Stom's voice, "I was just looking for you."
"Sorry, I wanted to shower before I went home. Hopefully I can go home and just crash," I try to chuckle, "Dominic said it was ok."
"Of course it's ok. Thank you for getting Emily in bed, and thank you for coming with tonight. You were a tremendous help," She pulls me into a tight hug.
"Anytime. Could I leave the dress here? I don't really have anywhere to put it," I hand it to her.
"No problem, let me go put this down and then grab my wallet to pay you for your help," She starts off to the bedroom.
"You don't have-"
"Hush, you watched Emily, you stepped up and sang, you helped persuade a lot of people to donate, you deserve something for the evening."
I smile as she disappears, coming back a few moments later with a wad of money. She counts $500 before handing it to me.
"Drive carefully, alright dear?" She walks next to the front door where Dominic is waiting, "We'll hopefully see you this weekend to babysit again."
I nod gently before Dominic pulls me into a hug. He kisses my cheek, making me cringe as he whispers in my ear, "Remember what I said tonight."
I give a curt nod and take off out the door with a wave goodbye. I shake as I get in my car, shoving the cash in the glove compartment so my dad doesn't find it. The drive home feels like the drive to school, aside from the hardware store I don't think I have anywhere safe anymore.
Opening the front door I brace myself for whatever beating is coming. I make it to the kitchen before I hear my dad stumbling around and my instinct tells me to run, but what's the point. I cry out when I feel a hand wrap in my still damp hair and pull me back.
"Dirty slut out again? I think you need to learn a little lesson in respect," He throws me to the side with more anger I've ever seen. I curl up in a ball and cover my head even though I know it will provide little protection as his foot rams into my stomach.
His words fade into unintelligible yells as pain fills my world and blocks out my sight and hearing. Hit after hit, he kicks until I can't resist it any longer. He grabs my arm and yanks me up to slap me in the face.
He drops me down again and storms off, mumbling to himself even though I can't hear any of it. I lay there in the middle of the dining room limp and in pain. Maybe if I just stay here long enough I'll die and this can all stop. Maybe I could be with mom.
Fear creeps into me. I'm really thinking about this, I haven't felt this alone in a long time. I haven't really contemplated death since dad's drinking first got bad
I somehow manage to pull myself up, dragging myself and my bag to my room, but collapsing by the door. I can't move any further, it hurts too much.
With a weak hand I reach in my bag and grab my phone, barely able to make out the numbers as I dial. I listen to the dial tone, begging whatever higher power there is in the universe to make him pick up.
"This is Jordan, I can't come to the phone right now," I start sobbing as I listen to the message, "If you leave a message I'll try to get back to you as soon as I can."
I hear the loud beep as it breaks my heart. My sobbing gets worse, making my body shake and hurt more.
"Jordan," I whine, a slopping mess, "Please pick up. Please. I'm scared, it's getting so much worse. Please answer your phone..." I'm so tired, the more I cry the more pain I feel, and the more I feel my body is shutting down unable to take anymore tonight, "Please, I need you... Please... Please..."
Weekly Power Status
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Ranking 
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