Beauty Bleeds

ProloguePart3

The next morning.

I didn’t sleep at all that night. The sun started peaking through the curtains of the cheap motel room I now occupied. Dated wallpaper filled with faded flowers was peeling at the edges, the horrendous pink carpet was stained and matted. This was home for now. I sat up slowly in the bed, my body resisting the soreness resounding through it. The ache was a painful echo of what happened to me, before my mind could wander I shut down the trail. I could not get lost in painful memories. I needed a distraction, opening my laptop I was bombarded by text messages and news notifications.

Mother: Do not speak to anyone until Father and I can contact our PR firm.

Jasmyn: Hey girl! Last night was so much fun, mall today?

Lucas: You’re being a bit dramatic don’t you think? We’re getting married anyways…

I didn’t bother reading the rest of his message, I signed out of the account that attaches my phone to the computer. When I opened the browser, the home screen had a feature from Channel 5 news, and in big bold letters I saw, “SERENA STERLING STEPS AWAY, SOURCES HINT AT A PRIVATE DRUG REHAB” I slammed my laptop closed. Of course. My parents couldn’t tell the media their daughter had been r*ped by the boy they promised her hand in marriage to. That would destroy the possible alliance with the Vaughn family, and we just couldn’t have that. My family would spin this in a narrative that they could control. The world would see that I was the problem. They would see “Serena Sterling the basket case.” not that Serena Sterling was betrayed.

The hurt from that was all consuming, rocking me to my core.

I laid back onto the bed, laying there in the quiet. Cursing myself inwardly for still shaking.

Would I ever feel okay again?

I knew our family’s reputation was important, I just hadn’t realized that it was more important than my safety and well-being. There was a knock on the door, looking through the peep hole I see Allen standing there looking around nervously. I opened the door, without wasting a minute he rushed in. “You put the room under your name?,” I nodded numbly in response, he rambled on, “They’re already looking for you. Lucas convinced them it was a mishap, a one time mistake. They’ll be here any minute.” He pressed car keys into my hand and a thick envelope, “I got this car from one of the gardeners, it can’t be traced back to you,” Allen swallowed thickly, seemingly choking back emotion, before continuing on, “Drive Serena. Never use the Sterling name again. Go far away from here if you don’t want to come back. They will still make you marry him, your life will never be your own,” tears slipped out of his eyes, he choked back a sob as he said, “As far as the world is concerned Serena Sterling has to die for all intents and purposes. You have to go, go now.” I was in shock, my body forgot how to move as I was barely registering his words. I knew he was right. Allen pulled me into a tight hug and whispered, “I’m so sorry sweet girl. You were like a daughter to me, I wish I could have done more to protect you.” At that, he gathered my things and rushed me to the car outside. Taking his keys back from me, he put me in the driver’s seat and shut the door. He stared at me through the window for a moment, kissed his three middle fingers and pressed them to the glass with tearful eyes, then raced back to the car he loaned me last night and he was gone.

Everything was swirling around her, she was in so much pain.

I knew Allen was right. I couldn’t stay and live this lie, the part that could fake it snapped inside of me as I started the car. I would miss Port Sterling. I wasn’t leaving because I was scared.

I was leaving because staying meant allowing everyone else to tell their own version of my story.

As I backed out of my parking space and pulled onto the main road, I looked in my rearview mirror. My eyes looked so sad. Whispering to myself, quietly mourning all by myself, I said, “Rest in peace Serena Sterling.”