Ariel's POV

I paced around my room, trying to control my heavy breathing. Ethan, Grayson and Emilia would be here in about half an hour. They would hopefully be a distraction.

The words kept ringing in my head.

Damaged. Damaged. Damaged.

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"Go do your work, girl. And if I see you talking to that Paul boy...", she said threateningly, glaring at me.

"Yes.", I said, and walked away to the main room. All the eyes of the men turned to me, and I could see their eyes go dark. I gulped, holding back my tears.

A man stared at me, licking his lips as he eyed the outfit I was forced to wear. A sheer top, sheer stockings, high heels, eyeliner and red lipstick.

Pedophile, I thought, as I looked at him. He had shiny black hair, and was about fifteen.

He walked towards me, carrying me effortlessly in his arms, and walked to one of the private rooms, adjusting his pants, and I struggled to hold in my tears.
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I sat in my room, crying my small eyes out.

Knock knock.

I turned to the door.

"Come in!", I croaked, wiping my eyes with the backs of my hands.

Jake entered, smiling brightly, two freshly baked cookies in his hands.

"I sneaked them out for you!", he said, handing me the cookies.

"Th-thanks Jakie. But you have to go. If she finds out you're here...", I said, looking up at him sadly, taking a bite of the chocolate chip cookie.

It was heavenly.

Jake looked at me sadly, reluctantly nodding. He turned away and walked out of the room.

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"COME OVER HERE GIRL!", I heard her shout. I gulped. Did she find out?

I walked out to the living room, and sure enough, she stood there with Jake and Jake's mother.

"What did I tell you about hanging around with Paul? Huh? What did I say?", my mother asked, glaring at me. I didn't answer.

Mrs.Paul looked at Jake.

"Stay away from this girl. She is bad. She is not a nice girl.", she said, and tears trickled down my cheeks. She continued, "She's....damaged".

I wanted to scream that I'm a nice girl. I wanted to scream that I'm not bad.
I wanted to scream that it was my mother who was bad.

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"Jakie?", I called softly.

I had sneaked out to his house next door, and he was sitting on his doorstep, staring up at the full moon.

"Go away. You're bad. I don't want to talk to you. Mama says you're damaged. I don't like you anymore.", he said coldly, getting up and turning back to his house, and without a single backward glance, he went in, and I heard the click of the lock after he shut the door.

I walked back to my house, and when I entered, I saw my mother sitting there, with a belt in her hand.

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I cried as I saw the scars on my shoulder and neck.

The next day, I found Jake's house empty, and the 'open house for rent' signboard outside.

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I wiped away the stray tear as I heard the doorbell ring. I sniffed, got my breathing back to normal, and walked to the door. "Coming!", I yelled.

I opened the door, and saw Emilia standing there, grinning, a small box, with the words Pierre's Bakery printed neatly on it.

"Hey! I bought you some cookies!", she said, handing me the box.

"Have you been crying?", she asked, scrunching up her nose.

I grinned. "Why would you say that?", I asked.

She shook her head and entered my apartment, shutting the door behind her.

"The twins didn't come yet?", she asked, disappointment lacing her voice.

"Miss them?", I asked, grinning.

"What? No.", she said.

"Sureeeeee.", I said amused, winking her way.

I took the box of cookies from her hand, and walked into the kitchen.

I put the box of cookies on the counter and searched through my cabinets for snacks. There was the unopened tin of anchovies, but Ethan hated them, So I  figured that Emilia would hate them too. After five minutes of ignoring the box of cacao powder, I finally sighed and took it, thinking of making brownies. Or hot chocolate.

I took my phone from my pocket, searching for microwave brownie recipes; I didn't have an oven yet.

"Em? Wanna make some brownies?", I yelled, and almost instantly, Emilia stood at my side, grinning.

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Just as I took the brownie out of the microwave (I had to double the recipe twice), the doorbell rang, and Emilia rushed outside, and I noticed the blush on her face as Ethan and Grayson stepped in, with the widest grins on their faces.

I walked outside, a plate of brownies cut up in squares in my hands.

"Hey, Em, get the cookies, please", I said, and Emilia went inside the kitchen, and coming back out with the box of cookies.

"Wait, we're sitting in? Come on, let's go out!", Ethan whined.

Emilia mumbled an agreement.

"Anything's fine by me.", I said, taking a bite of a slice of the gooey brownie.

"Lets goooo!", Ethan exclaimed, excited, and I sighed.

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"What about the beach?", Grayson suggested. We were walking to nowhere, since we hadn't figured out where we were going.

"Nope. That seems like the only place I've visited.", I said, shaking my head.

"What about the mall?", Emilia asked.

"Ooh! I love the mall! Let's go get some Starbucks then! Yay! We'll post selfies, hashtag squad!", Grayson said, in a high-pitched 'girly' voice, doing the peace symbol with his hands.

We all- except Emilia- burst out laughing, while she just frowned.

Ethan took his phone out, and a selfie with Grayson (in front of and without us, how rude!), showing the peace symbol.

"See? We'll take selfies like this! Hashtag blessed!", Ethan exclaimed, in a high-pitched girly voice, showing us the selfie.

I laughed at their goofy faces, and so did Emilia.

"Okay then, where should we go?", she asked.

"Aunty Martha's!", Grayson yelled.

"Yeah, no, I'd gone there yesterday.", I said.

I couldn't afford another encounter with...

"Hmm....", Emilia said, apparently deep in thought.

"Let's go watch a movie!", I exclaimed.

Emilia nodded vigorously, and Grayson and Ethan agreed too.

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I looked at my ticket. The movie started at four, and it was currently around 3:30.

We were at a small café in the mall, where we would also be seeing Tulip Fever.

"So why didn't you wanna go to Aunty Martha's?", Ethan asked, putting a marshmallow in his mouth.

"I told you. I've been there yesterday.", I said, raising my eyebrows, and taking a marshmallow and putting it in my mouth.

"Excuse me, but I've gotta pee, and I'd rather do it now, than during the middle if the movie.", I said, getting up.

"I have a pad if you want one.", Emilia whispered.

I shot her a ridiculous look, and walked away towards the washroom, looking back at Emilia who looked like she was going to explode with her controlled laughter.

I walked into the ladies' room, and sat at the stall, peeing.

I flushed the toilet, and walked out of the stall, and washed my hands.

"Payback is a bad bitch and baby, I'm the baddest, you're fuc- oh, I didn't see you there.", I heard someone behind me. I turned around, and a look of recognition came across my face.

And the other girl's face too.

My jaw dropped to the floor when I saw who it was.

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Ah, cliffhangers. Please don't forget to vote or comment, those really make my day!

Also, check out my short story, 'Sweatband!'

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