By Eddlynn Jennifer Mangaoang
Please do not repost or copy to another site. Thank you. Enjoy reading.
Trigger Warning! <Harassment, Implied Rape and Murder, Use of Date-Rape Drug>
He advances the four inches gap between them and slowly creeps his hand on my bare knees, his other hand behind me on the back of the couch twirling a piece of my perfectly curled hair. My body folds inward trying to avoid his alcohol-reeked breath wafting my rose-colored cheeks.
"N-no," I push his hand weakly away from my shoulder - the hand on my knees is already fondling my thing, his fingers playing my right inner thigh close to my private area. "Please, no."
He chuckles and leans down to whisper in my ear, "Wanna take this somewhere?" He grasps my shaking hand and brings it down his jeans-covered crotch. I shake in fear and try to curl my hand into a fist while pulling it away from his grip.
I feel hot, uncomfortable, and the loud music and on-and-off colorful lights of the dance floor make my head ache into a throbbing, swirly mess. I look up trying to catch anyone's eyes for help, but I'm alone with a sexual harasser, and no one's looking our way. Or so I thought. The music slows down into some kind of love song and our friends come back giggling and full of energy.
"Whoo! That was intense!" Tamara chugs the cocktail she lifts from their table. The others sit all around them while he straightens in his seat. I relax somewhat, but I cannot shake the feeling that something is amiss.
"Tam," I hold her hand. "Let's go to the restroom?" I'm not sure if she hears the desperation coloring my tone, but she pulls me up and we walk hand-in-hand toward the restroom area.
In there, I cup cold water with my hands and splash my face with it. "You've got make-up on?" I hear Tamara say.
I tug several paper towels and put them through the water faucet then wipe my face bare with it. "Tam. Tam, I think they're trying to rape us."
"Rape?" Tamara laughs and pounds the wall next to her with her fist. I can see tears come out of her eyes.
"There's nothing hilarious in this, Tammy. I, I, I felt dizzy and confused earlier. Jason's friend, that guy who didn't dance with you guys, kept on touching me here and there. Tammy, I worry that they're sexually harassing ---"
"Oh, quit with it, Jessi!" She shakes her head at me. I can see the disappointment in her eyes. "A touch here and there doesn't hurt, you know? We're here to flirt after all."
"But, Tammy ---" I try to reason with her, but she turns her back and walks out of the female's restroom. I bit my lip and find my hands trembling again. I numb them with the icy cool water from the faucet and jerk them repeatedly, take a deep breath thrice and shout from the top of my lungs.
* * *
Tamara groggily wakes from her deep sleep when she hears her phone pings several times and reaches out when it begins to vibrate indicating an incoming call.
"What?" She backs herself onto the headboard.
"Tam!" The other person behind the phone shouts in panic. "Tam!"
"What?" She cups her aching head as she moves to sit by the bed's edge, ready to stand up.
"Jessi---"
"Jessi, what?" Tamara feels her heart beat faster. "What happened to Jessi?"
"She--, she--," there's a strangled cry and a choking sound, and Tamara finds herself on the floor.
No comments:
Post a Comment