Eight: fake

Temperance


"And what does that mean for me?” I ask him frantically. "It means if we don't stop this, then you won't make it.

"He’s joking, right?"

"Anything that could have caused this?" The doctor asks. I tremble as I realize I can’t tell him the truth, the real cause. He won’t know how bad my body has been treated.

Internal bleeding? God really hates me, doesn’t he?

"I got mugged the other day." I blurt out a lie. Emaline looks at me, thinning her lips before getting distracted by something Ella whispers.

"Aside from your face, where are your other beatings?" He asks. "My stomach and back."
"Lift your shirt for me." He responds bluntly. I cross my arms in front of my chest, refusing to lift my shirt. I don't want anyone to take advantage of me. I don't want to be touched like I was before.

"Temperance, it's ok," Ella tells me, giving me a soft smile. I shake my head, finally agreeing. The doctor turns to Ella and Emaline, "Will you two leave the room, please."
As soon as he says those words, I freeze. Why would he need them to leave?

Without a second thought, Ella and Emaline walk out of the room, leaving this doctor guy and me by ourselves.

"Take off your shirt." He said firmly. What the fuck is wrong with this guy? My mind swims with uneasiness as my small body trembles.

My blood runs backward as he lunges at me. I lean back in a hurry, kicking my leg up and firmly planting my foot against his chest. I put all my strength into kicking him backward.
He sits up straight and dusts himself off. Against my racing thoughts, I also sit up.

"Yknow. Your dad has been trying to find you." With one sentence, my world breaks down. His words shake me to my core. My heart beating so fast that I feel like I'm going to die. I am petrified.

What am I supposed to do? He knows my father.

"You're not a real doctor, are you?" Tears sting my eyes. I glare at him, sending daggers his way, hoping they will kill him.

"I am a real doctor. You are bleeding internally. But I'm not Alec's personal doctor. I was called in. Once I found out it was you, I had to come." He answers, running his fingers through his dark hair.

"If you scream, I will tell him where you are." He touches the end of my shirt and slowly starts to lift it.

No, no, no, no, no.

Within a second, I am naked, on display for this sick fuck. He forcefully puts his hand over my mouth and unbuckles his pants.

I cry, feeling around for something, anything to help me in this situation. I feel a stinging pain in between my legs, like a metal pipe that’s burning to the touch. The little hope I had is gone now, fled like the safety of this place.

I let the tears stream down my face as snot leaves my nose. He doesn't let me go.
It’s happened to me before, it’s happening to me now. Some things will never change, I’m trapped in this endless cycle of pain.

It will hurt when you walk, when you pee, when you sit down. It hurts, and it doesn't stop.
You feel so violated it’s all you can think of for days, weeks, and months. Perhaps forever. I haven’t gotten that far yet.

You can't escape it. It will always be in the back of your mind haunting you.

Your skin turns red and raw as you scrub your skin in the burning shower. You want him off of you, you can still feel his touch when he isn’t there. He’s long gone, but to your mind, he’s still here.

You don't want to be touched by anyone ever.

You’re disgusting for what’s happened to you. That’s what people will think. It’s shameful and you won’t be able to escape it.

You have to live with what they did to you forever.

When he was done, he washed himself in the sink, not leaving a mark of evidence on my body.

I feel absolutely disgusting.

Everything hurt so bad I could die right now.

I put my clothes back on. Wincing at the burning pain.

I’ll never be able to forget this. My thoughts about being safe here seemed to shatter within the act of the man violating me.

"I'll give you some pills for your internal bleeding." He acts as nothing happened. I wipe my tears away, staying silent, hoping to somehow not exist anymore.

"I'll give Alec your pills when I come back." His disgusting hand makes its way to my cheek.

"Don't touch me." I whimper. He pulls his hand away. "I know you enjoyed that. I sure did."

"Get the fuck out."

"Keep that our little secret." He winks at me and puts his finger up to his mouth, shushing me. With that, he walks out, leaving me here as if nothing had happened.

I don't want to be in this room anymore. It just keeps replaying in my head.

Ella and Emaline are both gone. Making it easy for me to go to Alec's room instead of staying in mine. I know he isn't in there. He has another deal to run.

I get up and limp to his room, crying with every step.

I open his door. His room is massive. And neat. I close the door behind me and limp to his bed. I crawl under his covers and curl up into a ball.

I feel so disgusting. I can't tell anyone. They'd all tell me I'm disgusting. They would hate me.


***************************************************

Alec

I can't help but think of Temp. I've only seen her once today. It's surprising for me to say, but I actually miss her.

Since when did I start missing people? This is a girl I’ve just met, what’s wrong with me?
It’s poison acting up. It must be my time to go.

"Finally, a weapon deal went right." Bee smiles. The group behind me cheers when we get into the kitchen.

Lidia walks over to me and rubs my arm gently. I know what she wants.

"We can go celebrate this in your room. I can show you what else I've learned with my tongue." She licks her lips.

Without knowing what to say, my body comes to an awkward halt. She’s very attractive, the things she does in bed make up for the kindness she lacks. But, this feels wrong.

"No, Lidia. We haven't done it in a week. We need to keep it that way. I don't want you."

She looks taken aback by my words, she would’ve never thought I would turn her down.

"You know you want me, daddy." She whispers in my ear. I push her back gently and look into her eyes, “No, Lidia," I try not to shove her.

"You're only saying that because that stupid Temperance bitch is here." She almost spits, as if Temperance's name is a bad taste in her mouth. My brows furrow at her words. Anger boils my blood and I take a step back from her.

"Don't call her that. Don't speak about her like that. I don't want you, Lidia. Learn your place before I put a fucking bullet between your damn eyes." With those cruel words, I leave the room. The sleepless nights are finally catching up to me as I trudge my way down the hall.

I hear a knock at the door and I roll my eyes, wanting to fall to the floor and be one with the house. I rub my eyes, yelling to everyone that I’ll answer it. I open the door and come face to face with a doctor I don't recognize. "Who are you?" I ask, crossing my arms.

"I'm doctor Anthony. I am a stand-in for your regular doctor. I was the one that looked over that beautiful young lady up there."

The back of my neck starts to tingle as he talks about Temperance. I get a weird feeling from him that I can’t put my finger on.

"Mhm, ok, what's wrong with her?" I ask him, glaring.

"She has internal bleeding." He replies bluntly. My heart drops as fears run wild in my head.

"Is she ok?!" I am desperate for an answer.

He looks at me and rolls his eyes, placing a pill bottle in my hands. "It isn’t severe. Make sure she takes these twice a day. Morning and night. No food for thirty minutes after she takes it."

He gives me a smirk.

I look at the pills, reading the labels as he wishes me a good day. He turns around and walks to his car without another word.
What a weird doctor.