Devil's Lair

Chapter 2

Freya lay on her bed, looking at the ceiling as the clock approached 10 p.m. Sleep was a faraway concept. The convo with the doctor played over and over in her head, and the red notice on her door seared into her memory. Everything was too much. She had to do something, and there was only one person she could think of at the moment. Drake, her spicy boyfriend.

"Maybe he can help," she said to herself, her doubts persisting. She sat up, grabbed her phone, and summoned a taxi. She couldn't ride her bike in this condition.

The cab came shortly after. Freya walked out onto West 89th Street, her gaze searching the peaceful area. The city's regular buzz and bustle had dropped down, leaving the streets quiet, but her heart was not. As she walked towards Claremont Avenue, where Drake resided, she could feel the weight of what she was going to ask resting against her chest.

She climbed the stairs to his flat, feeling each step heavier than the last. She stopped when she approached his door. From within, there was loud and carefree laughter. Her heart plummeted. Drake's friends were over again.

Before she could knock, a voice cut through the laughter.

"Man, that Freya your noob girl, she’s somethin’ else," one of Drake’s friends slurred, his voice dripping with mockery.

Freya froze, leaning closer to the door.

"Yeah, she’s hot and all, but what a freakin’ tease," another voice chimed in. "Drake, bro, how do you even deal with her acting like some saint?".

“Drake's more of feeding a w***e but ain't getting her laid, only s**t guy's keep saints like hers. You sucks bro”, the teasing increased.

Freya’s breath caught in her throat. She didn’t want to listen, but her feet wouldn’t move.

Drake’s voice came next, and what he said hit harder than the rest. "Man, I dunno. She’s such a pain sometimes. Always talking bout her problems, always asking for help. It’s like, damn, I’m not her freakin’ bank. And she doesn’t even let me touch her, like, what’s the point?"

"Exactly," a third voice joined in. "Why are you even with her then? If she doesn't put out, find someone who does."

"She does have great t**s though", Drake laughed.

"That she does bro!", the second voice agreed.

"Bet they'd feel amazing wrapped around my c**k".

The room erupted in drunken laughter. Freya’s heart shattered. She bit her lip so hard she thought she might draw blood. Tears threatened, but she pushed them back, straightened her spine, and knocked on the door.

The laughing vanished instantly. Drake opened the door a few seconds later, his eyes wild with astonishment.

"Freya? What are you doing here? He inquired, his voice carrying no warmth, simply slight resentment.

"Can I come in?" she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

Drake stood aside to let her in. His buddies, noticing the atmosphere, gathered their belongings in an awkward manner. "We'll catch you later, man," one of them murmured as they shuffled away, glancing briefly at Freya.

Once they were gone, the room seemed stifling. Drake turned to her, scratching the back of his neck. "Why did you get here so late? Is anything wrong?

Freya stood there for a minute, wondering where to begin. Her chest was constricted, but she pushed herself to speak.

“I'm fine as you can see, just here to check up on you”, she lied, biting down her lips not to spew out the bucket of pain she's going through. But then she couldn't hold it long before the tears finally escaped through and her voice let out, sobbing.

“Babe you're good?. Tell me, what's all these sad moods all about?”He asked surprisingly, he'd never seen her shed tears, not the mighty Freya who acts all big as if she's capable of doing everything on her own.

“It’s my grandmother… I—” her voice cracked, and she cleared her throat. “She’s really sick, and the hospital needs more money for her treatment.”

Drake raised an eyebrow, barely reacting. “Yeah, so?”

Freya swallowed hard. “I was hoping maybe you could help. And… I got into Salisbury University.” She managed a weak smile. “But I need to pay the acceptance fee in 72 hours.”

The mention of university seemed to trigger something in Drake. His face twisted in irritation, and he let out a bitter laugh. “Oh, so that’s your plan? You’ve been keeping me on a leash, not letting me get what I want because you’re planning to bail on me for some school, huh?”

Freya blinked, taken aback. “What? No, that’s not….”

“You think I’m dumb or something’?” Drake cut her off, stepping closer, his eyes narrowing. “You’ve been stringing me along for months, not even letting me lay a finger on you. And now you’re running off to college? Ain’t that convenient.”

Freya backed up a step, shaking her head. “Drake, that’s not true. I just… I’ve had so much on my mind, and my grandma…..”

“Always an excuse. Your Grandma here and there. Ever thought about us? ,” Drake yelled. His frustration boiled over. “You know what? I think you’ve been playing me this whole time.”

Before Freya could react, he grabbed her wrist and pushed her onto the bed. Her heart raced as panic surged through her. “Drake, stop,” she pleaded, but his grip tightened as he leaned over her, his breath reeking of alcohol.

“You owe me, Freya,” he growled. “After all this time, you owe me.”

Freya struggled beneath him, her mind racing. He sneaked his fingers into her underwear, and she froze.

“No, not like this, please”, She screamed, trying so hard to push him away, but he was stronger. Her vision blurred with tears.

The breaking shards of rum bottle on his head brought a big disappointment to his almighty standing muscle, the one beneath his trousers. He fell from the bed, his head bleeding.

“Get off me!” she screamed, tears burning in her eyes as she scrambled to her feet.

Drake stumbled back, cursing under his breath. “You’re such a witch, Freya. You’re not worth the trouble.”

She left before hearing anything else. She fled for the door, slamming it behind her as she dashed down the stairs, her pulse thumping.

Outside, the chilly night air slapped her hard. Tears obscured her eyesight, but she continued going. Her head was racing, her body trembling. She had nowhere to go and no money to take another taxi. Her phone had switched off and she was far from home. The only alternative she had was to trek back home.

Freya walked over the shadowy streets, her legs weary and her heart crushed. She had nothing left, not the money, nor the support she felt Drake provided.

Freya trudged down the darkened streets, her legs heavy and her heart broken. She had nothing left, not the money, not the support she thought she had in Drake.

Just as her legs were ready to give out, a black sedan came to a stop near her. Her breath caught when the window slid down.

"Freya?" A familiar voice beckoned from the inside. It was Isabelle.

Freya burst into tears as the relief of seeing her buddy overwhelmed her. She approached the car, her voice barely a whisper. "Isabelle…"

"Get in, darling," Isabelle replied firmly, her gaze searching Freya's tear-stained face. "What the hell happened?"

Freya didn't respond. She didn't have the words. All she could do was clamber into the passenger seat, her body quivering as Isabelle drove away from the curb.