Chapter 131
Lily’s POV
The hallway outside after the first period is a blur, my heart a bruised thing, still raw from Dad’s call—his venomous “You’re a slut, just like your mother” echoing, his discovery of my Vermont photos with Crew a noose tightening around me.
I’m hurrying to class for the second period. My eyes sting from tears. I can't stop, when I see them—Crew, his broad shoulders tense, and Alison Blake, her golden hair gleaming, her body too close, her hand on his arm. My breath catches, my steps faltering, as she leans in, her lips brushing his cheek, a quick, daring peck, her smirk triumphant.
Crew wipes his cheek, his jaw tight, but the image boiling me—Alison’s boldness, her sexual fire, claiming him in a way I never could. My chest cracks, as I feel the pain blooming, and I feel so fucking stupid, believing Crew loves me, that he’d fight for me against Dad’s rage, against the world.
I turn, walking fast, my boots slipping on the slick floor, tears spilling, my heart screaming—How could I be so naive? Crew’s words—“You’re mine, Lil”—feel like lies, my necklace, my grandmother’s heirloom, around his throat a mockery, not a vow. Alison’s everything I’m not: confident, experienced, her curves a siren’s call, while I’m shy, clumsy, my virginity given to him in Vermont now a regret that’s ruined me. That weekend—his fingers on my pussy, my moans, our bodies entwined—was a dream I thought was love, but it landed me in hell, Dad’s fury, a storm I can’t escape. His voice—“I saw the photos, you whore”—chokes me, his fists a promise I know too well, and I hate myself for trusting Crew, for thinking he’d choose me over her.
I’m trembling, my vision blurred as I ignore Crew’s shout—“Lily, wait!”—he's chasing me, but I can’t face him, can’t bear to look him in his eyes, the truth that to see I’m not enough. I need someone, anyone, to hear me, to hold the pieces of me falling apart. June, my best friend, flashes in my mind—her laughter, her strength, even after what Fig did to her, his scar she’s healing from. I duck into an empty stairwell, my fingers shaking as I pull out my phone, dialing her number, praying she’ll answer. It rings, once, twice, and I hold my breath, tears streaming, until her voice—warm, familiar—comes through. “Lily? Hey, you okay?”
Relief floods me, her voice sounds so comforting, and I sob, the words spilling. “June, I’m a mess. I saw Crew with Alison, she… kissed him, and I’m so stupid, thinking he loved me.” My voice breaks, my chest heaving, the image of Alison’s lips on his cheek. “I went to Vermont with him, gave him everything, my virginity, and now my dad knows—he saw our photos, he’s going to kill me. I regret it all, June. I’m such an idiot.”
“Oh, Lil,” June says, her voice soft, pained, and I can almost see her, her dark eyes kind, her own wounds still fresh. “You’re not stupid. You loved him, trusted him. That’s not a mistake—it’s human. I’m so sorry about your dad. What did he say?”
I choke out the story—Dad’s access to my iCloud, the photos of Crew’s bare chest, my lip-gloss kisses, our sleepy selfie after sex, all exposed. “He called me a whore, June. He’s always hit me, Mom too, but this… he’s furious. I don’t know what he’ll do.” My ribs ache, remembering his fists, his slaps, Mom’s bruises, and I’m terrified, my body trembling, my pussy a reminder of Crew’s touch now tainted by shame.
June’s quiet, then firm. “Your dad’s a monster, Lil. You don’t deserve this. And Crew—if he’s letting Alison close, he’s not worth your heart, but don’t let it break you. You’re stronger than this.” Her voice cracks, her own pain surfacing. “I’m still healing from Fig, from what he took from me, but I’m fighting, and you can too. I’m coming back to school soon, okay? We’ll face this together.”
“You’re doing okay?” I ask, wiping tears, needing her strength, her survival is inspiring.
“Better,” she says, a smile in her voice. “Therapy’s helping, and I’m not letting that bastard define me. I’ll be there in a week, Lil. Hold on, tell someone—a teacher, anyone—about your dad. You can’t go home to that.”
Her words spark hope, faint but real, and I nod, though she can’t see. “I’m so glad you’re coming back,” I whisper, my voice low. “I miss you. I don’t know what to do about Crew, about Dad, about… me.”
“Start with you,” June says, fierce. “You’re not your dad’s punching bag or Crew’s second choice. You’re Lily, and you’re enough. If Crew’s playing games with Alison, confront him, but don’t lose yourself. And stay safe—promise me you won’t go home alone.”
“I promise,” I say, tears falling, her words a shield against my despair. We talk longer, her voice grounding me, her empathy comforting, and when we hang up, I’m still broken but less alone, June’s return a light in my dark. I think of Crew, his plea—“You’re everything”—and Alison’s kiss, her confidence, a wall I can’t climb. I regret Vermont, the photos, the love that’s cost me Dad’s wrath, but June’s right—I’m not nothing. I’m Lily, and I’ll fight, for me, for Mom, against Dad’s fists, against Alison’s fire.
I wipe my face, my heart heavy, my body aching, but resolve stirs. Crew’s with Alison, or tempted, and it hurts, a betrayal I didn’t expect. I’ll face him, demand the truth, but not now—now, I need to survive, to plan, to protect Mom. Dad’s rage looms, his punishment a storm, but June’s coming, and I’m not alone. I step into the hallway, my eyes still red, my heart bruised but beating, ready to fight, to reclaim myself, no matter the cost, no matter who tries to break me.