Nick’s eyes flew open hearing Jessica’s desperate pleas. He immediately realized she was dreaming. Sitting up, he instinctively wrapped his arms around her and pulled her closer to him. “Jess! Wake up,” he pleaded urgently as he shook her slightly. Even in her sleep she looked so pained and so scared. He hated seeing her like this.

Jessica awoke suddenly, her eyes snapping open. She felt a pair of strong arms around her holding her tightly. She desperately flailed her arms trying to break free of his grasp. It was no use. He just held her closer.

“Jess. Calm down. It’s me Nick,” he said as he stroked her hair. “You’re okay. I’m here,” he said soothingly.

At the sound of his voice, she stopped thrashing about and looked up at him. As her eyes fell upon his face, all the tension left her body. It was Nick - not Justin. Justin wouldn’t hurt her. She held onto to Nick until her knuckles went white. She pressed her body as close to Nick’s as she could silently wishing that Nick could take the pain away so it wouldn’t hurt anymore.

“I-It’s you,” Jessica stuttered. “I thought you were….”

“Shh. Jess. It’s okay. I’m here,” Nick said soothingly.

Jessica buried her face in Nick’s chest, her tears soaking his shirt. She clutched onto him as he rocked her back and forth slightly.

“You want to talk about it?” he asked quietly.

Jessica could feel herself nodding her head although she wanted to say no. Nick had that power over her. It was hard to keep anything from him. She looked up into Nick’s eyes taking a deep breath. “He…,” she started. “And I couldn’t… and he,” she struggled to get the words out. It was impossible though. She was too overcome with emotion as the painful memories of that night flashed before her.

Sensing her fear, Nick held her closer. The closest two people could possibly be. He could feel her wet tears on his shirt and hear each one of her heart-aching sobs. They sat there alone together in each other’s arms for hours. Jessica’s sobs quieted after a while but she didn’t fall asleep. She lay in Nick’s arms wide-awake.

Jessica looked down at his arms around her. Nick’s arms made her feel so safe. Safe from everything in the world. Everything except her dreams. The horrid dreams that haunted her mind subconsciously as she slept. The dreams that told her that she hadn’t forgotten – that he was still there wherever she went. She wanted desperately for them to stop.

“Nick,” Jessica whispered. She kept her eyes on his hands unable to look into his eyes. She could feel Nick’s gaze on her, his blue eyes penetrating her. Still she couldn’t look up. She didn’t want him to see the pain in her eyes as she told him. She had to tell him now. She couldn’t keep it a secret from him for much longer.

“He raped me,” she said in a voice so tiny that it was almost impossible to hear. Almost, but not quite. Nick heard her loud and clear.

Slightly flustered, she looked into his eyes apologetically. He had the most beautiful eyes. They were so familiar to her. His eyes were a chocolate brown colour framed with thick dark lashes.

“Sorry,” she mumbled averting her eyes to the sand. Since the crack of dawn, Mya had been walking the beach just thinking. Since they had died things hadn’t been the same. Every thought that ran through her mind was one of guilt. After all, it was because of her that they had died. If she hadn’t begged them to come see her, they’d still be alive today.

AJ watched as Mya dug a hole in the sand with her toes her head still bent low. He watched her intently for a few seconds at a loss for words.

The art of speech usually came easily to AJ, but this was different. Her eyes were so empowering, so evasive that he was unsure of what to say. “Sorry about that. I didn’t exactly see you coming,” AJ said with a soft smile. Mya looked up smiling, her first genuine smile in a long time. AJ observed that she was even more beautiful when she smiled.

As she smiled back at him, AJ noticed the loneliness in her eyes. Something in them screamed out for someone to help her. Someone to listen to her. More and more AJ could feel himself wanting to be that someone. It was an unexplainable feeling. All he knew was that if he just walked away from her now, he’d regret it forever.

“Would you like to take a walk?” AJ asked knowing it was a long shot. She didn’t even know him. Why would she agree?

“I’d love to,” Mya said surprising herself. She had no idea why, but something about this guy was so compelling, so intriguing. In the mere minutes that she had known him, she found herself wanting to know more. This was the first time in months that she had allowed herself to think of anything else besides the accident. The one that had changed her life so dramatically.

The two began walking side by side down the beach, silent at first. Mya kept her distance from AJ. She was still not sure exactly why she had agreed to walk with him in the first place. AJ eyed her surreptitiously from the corner of his eye. Her smooth skin was accentuated by her silky jet-black hair, which framed her face in sleek dark layers. Her ice blue eyes contrasted sharply with the rest of her features. She was tall and slim and carried herself with amazing poise and grace. AJ tore his eyes from her face suddenly realizing that he didn’t even know her name.

“I just realized I don’t know your name,” he said voicing his thoughts.

“Mya,” she replied quietly. “And you would be….”

“AJ,” he answered noting her soft British accent for the first time.

They continued in silence before AJ finally broke the ice again. “So Mya, tell me what are you doing out here all by herself?”

AJ watched as the same pained look encompassed Mya’s face again. Her features immediately changed, her expression becoming sullen and somber. It was the same look that he had seen the day of the storm. For the second time that day, AJ found himself desperately wishing that there were some way he could help her.

Lila sat in the comfort of Brian’s arms, her head resting against his chest. The two were stretched out on the couch in the entertainment room. As Brian leaned in close to give her a sensuous kiss, a pang of guilt stabbed at her heart. I’m doing this for us, she repeated to herself trying to erase all feelings of remorse that lingered in her body.

Brian ended the kiss sweetly pulling away to look into Lila’s eyes. “I love you,” he whispered into her ear.

His words sounded so passion-filled and so sincere that Lila wished she could believe him. She just couldn’t though. What assurance did she have that he wouldn’t leave her? None.

Brian stared down at Lila’s less than enthused expression upon her face. She had seemed distant all day. Something was wrong. He just couldn’t put his finger on what it was. Even in the midst of their passionate kiss he could feel her hesitation in the way she responded to him

Brian reached over and gently entwined his fingers with Lila’s. “Is everything okay baby?” he asked solemnly.

“No! Everything is not okay!” she wanted to scream. “Everything is fine,” she heard herself saying as she smiled half-heartedly. Her voice was so sickeningly sweet that it made her sick to her stomach.

“You know you can talk to me about anything,” Brian told her.

Lila nodded her head. Not about this. She was unable to look at Brian for fear that if she did, her own eyes would betray her.

As Brian kissed Lila again, he couldn’t help but feel like she was lying to him. In fact, he was almost certain she was.

Nick could feel the blood drain from his face as Jessica said the words. Raped? Jessica? His mind began to spin as the reality of what Jessica had just told him sunk in.

He looked down at Jessica, who was attempting to conceal her emotion by putting up a brave front. Nick could see right through her though. Her eyes gave it all away. They reflected all the hurt, pain, anger and sadness Justin had inflicted upon her. Too stunned to say anything, he remained silent cradling Jessica in his arms.

A million different emotions ran through Nick’s mind. Sadness, pain, but mostly anger. How could anyone ever hurt her like that? Nick wanted to rip Justin limb from limb. Instead, he just held onto Jessica tighter wishing that he could take all her pain away.

“I’m so sorry this had to happen to you,” Nick said in a low whisper. He knew the last thing that Jessica wanted or needed was his pity. Still, he had to tell her how he felt. “I’ll never let anyone hurt you again Jess. You don’t have to be afraid anymore.”

Jessica responded by merely clutching Nick’s hand tighter. She never wanted to let him go. His presence, his touch, his voice made her feel so safe. So protected from the outside world. “Can we just stay here like this?” Jessica asked Nick her voice cracking.

In response Nick pulled her close, gently wrapping his strong arms around her. He rested his chin lightly on her head as he pulled the covers up around them. Still holding Jessica’s hand, he watched her tear-stained face as she closed her eyes. Almost 10 minutes later she was sleeping.

Sleep however didn’t come as easily to Nick. He lay awake thinking about what Jessica had told him. It almost seemed surreal to him. All the hurt, fear, pain seemed unimaginable. It was very real though. Jessica had the emotional scars to prove it. Scars that in time would fade but never fully disappear. [Next Chapter].[Table of Contents].