April
I stare at Aden. The dark mischievous lit to his eyes and the way he said it made my heart skip a beat. This is a side of Aden I've never seen before.
I laugh nervously and sit back in my seat. My heart is racing inside of my chest. Aden's cute and when ever he's around I feel all fuzzy. Most of the time it's just his natural adorability that draws me in and makes me forget my senses.
There was nothing light and cute about the way he looked at me then. It sent an immediate shock down to my nether regions.
I don't know know what surprised me more Aden's sudden change or the way my body responded to it.
"Unless of course you are against spending alone time with me." Aden say.
I look back at him and his back to his normal slightly shy self. I relax. This Aden I know how to handle.
"Of course not. I look forward to it and if that's what you want then I'll keep it out little secret." I say.
"Great."
Aden smiles and sits back in his chair. Is it weird that seeing him happy makes my heart flutter. Or that just knowing his happy is enough to make me happy?
Class starts and ends without much happening in between. When the bell rings Aden and I both stand up.
"See you in bio?" Aden said.
"Looking forward to it."
Not really. I missed Aden but I definitely didn't miss that class.
Aden and I go our separate way. I walk down the hallway. It's nice to be back to the same routine. Life feels like it's starting to get back to normal.
"Come on Regina. Everyone knows that you the girl that says yes to everyone." I hear a male voice whisper.
I turn my head down the hallway. At first I don't see anything, but then I catch a glimpse of Regina green hair behind the lockers.
I turn and walk towards her.
"Everyone's an idiot and if you keep trying to rub your little Vienna sausage against me I'm going to cut it off." A voice that could only belong to Regina say.
"B!tch I don't know why you acting like you too good for this d!ck. It's not like you that cute little cheerleader you was in freshman year any more. You should be happy anybody want to touch yo bitter fat a$$."
That's it. I've heard more than enough. I walk over and see the guy who with Regina. He's one of the basketball team members. Not a star player but I've seen his face before. His hand is wrapped around Regina's and he's pressing her against the wall.
"What the hell do you think you're doing." I say glaring at him.
"Look b!tch mind your own damn-"
The boy stops when he turns to look at me. It probably only took him a second to register who I was and more importantly who I was related to.
The boy lets go of the Regina and takes a step back. He looks nervously at both of us.
"I...uh...didn't know it was you, April. I never call you a-"
"Why were you touching all over her. From what I heard she made it very clear that she didn't want you near her." I say stoping whatever pathetic apology that was about to come out of his mouth.
"It wasn't like that. We were just talking weren't we Regina." He says looking at her.
Regina isn't saying anything. Her arms are crossed and she looking down. I can feel the anger radiating off of her.
"Leave now and if you ever come near her again my brothers will be the least of your worries." I say.
The boy looks at us a second longer before turning to leave. I glare at his back before turning back to Regina. She's been awfully quiet.
"Are you o-"
Regina brushes past me before I can even finish my question. She walks down the hallway.
The bell rings. I should be headed off to class but I can't just leave her like this. I run to catch up with her.
"Regina." I call to her.
She doesn't turn around.
"Wait up." I yell for her but she keeps walking. I have to increase my speed to catch up with her.
I grab her arm and stop her from walking. She turns around and glares at me.
"What?" Regina asked.
"Are you okay?" I ask.
"Peachy, can I go now?"
I'm surprised by her hostility. I just wanted to help. Regina seems to hate me no matter what I do and I don't understand why.
"What are you waiting for a thank you or something?" Regina asked.
"No, I'm just worried about you."
"Well don't be. This isn't the first time something like that has happened and it won't be the last."
I frown. "If this keeps happening you need to report it Regina."
Regina lets out a bitter laugh. "Report it? To who. The principle who thinks I'm just a trouble maker? The teachers who think I'm a liar or maybe the police so they can ask me what I was wearing when it happened?"
I stare at Regina and feel sadness settling in my heart. How could I forgotten what Keith said. According to the rumor Regina had tried to report an incident before. Did that mean it was true. Had that football player really done that to her and had the school really turned its back on her like that.
I feel sick. As sad as it is, in this society all woman are trained to fear that the unwanted advance of a man will end with him forcing his desires on them. They tell us to watch what we wear and how to act. Never go out at night and fear the creepy man in the bushes, but the truth is that most rape cases happen with people the victim already knows.
There is no way to make yourself less 'rapable' and to assume that there is only places the blame on the victim.
I knew all of this but to know that Regina was forced to go through that is something else entirely. I feel awful. How could they have done that to her. Then she had to listen to everyone spread rumors about how she was a slut. Rumors that even I had contributed to. I don't know if I could handle it.
"No thank you. I'm not reporting anything. I'll take care of me just like I always have." Regina said.
Regina pulled away. I watch as she continued down the hall. I could just let her go. Even if I did know how to help she made it clear that she didn't like me.
Regina said that she wanted to be alone and maybe that is what I should have done.
But, turning away from someone I knew was hurting wasn't in my nature, even if I we never got along.
I hurry to follow Regina. I find her out side. She siting against the wall. Her knees are pulled up to her chest and her cheeks are wet with tears.
Regina sees me and quickly wipes them away.
"What the fvck do you want Robinson?" Regina asked.
"Nothing. I just want to sit here. Can I sit?"I say.
Regina looks at me but doesn't say anything. I take her silence as a yes. I sit down next to her.
We sit in in the quiet as silent tears fall down her face. This is the first class I've skipped and I'm not sure if me being here is even the right move.
All I know is that having Aden sit next to me while I cried is the only thing that helped me in my time of need.
"Regina." I say.
Regina turns to look at me.
"I don't know if it helps or if it even matters but ...I believe you."
Regina look at me moment before letting out a chuckle.
I frown. "What's so funny."
Regina shake her head and drops it back against the wall. "I can't believe it. Aden was actually right about you. You really are fvcking nice."
ððð
Author's note: Okay so we all know Regina got issues she's dealing with. She's bitchy at times judgmental and has a bad temper but hopefully this chapter helped you see that she is also scared and maybe needs a friend like April to help her grow. I don't know if she could ever be the girl she was before the incident but hopefully she finds her path to happiness.
Then again maybe you still don't like Regina as a character which is okay, but she will continue to be apart of the story.
Inspired by
National sexual assault hotline:
800-656-HOPE
Get help or help a friend
"Nothing that has happened to you or will happen to you, could ever make you unworthy of love and respect."
More Aden and April action later. Aden still trying to figure this whole relationship thing out so there will be time when his confidence is waning but as the story goes one we might see more of the sexy confident side. It also might help if April took his attempts at flirting seriously but she so use to being friend zoned it might be a little hard for her.
Until next time my lovely readersðð¾