Vice Inferno

Author’s note: A victim with a vendetta, a bully with a conscious, and the degenerates that want it all. Part one of a new series.

Her hair was shorter now. Lighter. She’d grown a little taller too. It was starting to feel like something new.

Charlie flipped on the lights in a large dimly lit room and watched as shimmering clouds of dust settled across the various art supplies and equipment laid strewn everywhere. The studio was empty save for the comforting early morning light that snaked down from the skylights above. It covered the studio in a creamy haze.

Charlie set her things down at a table nearby and began the routine she’d made up for herself since final projects had been posted months ago.

Bright and early, day in and day out and, most importantly, ALWAYS before any other students would show up – she was working. Something Charlie had always done her whole life. However, this time, it was different. This time she was working for herself.

It’d already been a year and a half since Charlie got accepted into the art school of her dreams – far away from anything resembling her old life. It was almost hard to believe. She let out a contented sigh and pulled her hair up into a loose ponytail and set to work.

Among the clutter of murky palettes, glass jars, weathered brushes, and the various projects of other students in the grand studio, Charlie pulled down a sheet; unveiling a large canvas in the back corner. She eyed at its center, glancing over each stroke, and criticizing every weight of color on the smooth surface. Months of work and sleepless nights presented itself to Charlie, and even still, she felt it wasn’t ready.

It was still missing something…but she didn’t know what. She felt she was nearly on the cusp of a breakthrough, and yet, stuck halfway. It was only a matter of time, though. She was on a roll.

There was nothing in her way now. Nobody to stop her or tell her what to do. She was free.

Charlie grimaced before she could stop herself. She squeezed her eyes shut and tried to think of something else. Things she thought she buried began to swell up from the dirt again. Even now, she was still affected.

Memories can be so cruel, sometimes.

It frustrated her how much emotion she still had whenever she thought about it. Why couldn’t she have just left it behind along with everything else? At this point, the power it had over her was starting to become annoying.

Even when she drowned herself in school and work, it wouldn’t go away.

Suddenly, a soft sound from behind her snapped her out of her thoughts and she quickly turned. She saw an unfamiliar face at the door. A girl.

“Wow, I’m pretty sure I was being extra quiet, too. You got elephant ears underneath that paint brush?” The stranger called out to her.

Charlie’s ear instinctively perked up against the paint brush she had perched above it. She squinted and gave the stranger a once over and wondered why she looked so familiar, considering she’d never spoken to the girl before. Probably. Charlie had a bad memory.

“Or do you have a reason to be looking over your shoulder?”

Charlie snapped her eyes back up to the strangers when she spoke again – taken aback by the remark – and found them staring right back at her. “What did you say?”

The girl let out a light chuckle, “not a fan of jokes, I see. Only kidding. I’m just here for my pen,” she reached over a pile of papers and picked up something off one of the tables. “Charlie, right?”

“Do I know you?”

“Diane Sumner. You’re a little bit of a giant in the art department. I hear the paint guys hate you.”

“Right,” Charlie trailed off unamused, “I’m sorry, I’m kind of in the middle of something.”

“Oh, don’t mind me. Didn’t mean to disturb you. Is that one yours?” Diane carried on, pointing at the canvas behind Charlie.

Charlie glanced at her painting and then back to Diane; floored by the girl’s blatant disregard for anything she was saying. “…Yeah.”

“It’s beautiful,” she lifted up her pen in front of her face and squinted an eye as if she was measuring the canvas from where she stood, “too bad, though.”

“What is?”

Diane smiled, “it’s boring.”

Charlie was stunned. Then she felt the anger next. “What the hell would you know?”

“Oh c’mon, don’t tell me it’s finished then?”

“Of course no-”

“And it won’t be,” Diane interrupted, “if you keep lying to yourself. It’s why you’re stuck, right? You can’t move forward and you obviously can’t go back. Maybe you should be more honest. I think that painting would appreciate it.”

Was she really getting unsolicited advice from a stranger at 5 in the morning?

“I’m fine, thanks for the concern.” Charlie tried her best not to get too carried away with her emotions and to brush her off firmly. Truth be told, her words were hitting too close to home. What the hell did she even know, anyway?

Diane just smiled. “Looking forward to the final product. See ya around, Charlie.”

And just like that, the strange girl was gone just as quickly as she showed up. Charlie hoped immersing herself in her work for the next couple hours would put her in a better mood after whatever…that was.

Now that she thought about it, she had seen that girl before. Only in passing, however. They weren’t even in the same class. After today though, she planned on steering clear.

It shouldn’t have come as a surprise to her when she walked off campus after classes ended, still unsettled. Not because of that girl, but because of what she said. She wasn’t lying to herself. Everything she felt and everything she worked hard for was as real and sincere as the damn ground she walked on. She fled away from the lies a long time ago.

And yet, why?

Why didn’t she believe it herself?

She decided a smoothie would probably make her feel better.

She sat across from a busy park, sipping her berry smoothie, and watched as the world passed by. The sun was high, even in the evening dust, and the people…perpetual. Without her, they’d keep going and the world would keep spinning. She felt content at the thought.

Suddenly, something came flying and skidded across the gravel just a few feet away from where she sat on the bench. It was a phone. Scratched and shattered now.

Charlie looked up and saw a pair of women coming her way. One of them was in a slim fitted indigo suit. The other one…well, the best way Charlie could describe her – upset? She watched as the tall woman in the suit calmly walked over and gracefully picked up the cracked phone.

“Sorry for the scare.” The strange woman spoke. Charlie began to reassure her it was fine until she realized she recognized the voice. She glanced up once again at the woman and felt a cold invisible grip tighten around her throat and pull it down to the pits of her stomach.

“Charlie? Is that really you?” The woman asked. Suddenly, the other woman, who’d been trying to keep up with the bigger strides of the woman in the suit, came around her and slapped her in the face. The suddenness of the assault shocked Charlie even more into silence.

“Fuck you! Who do you think you are, huh? How could you do that to me!? I’ve seen everything!” Screamed the upset woman. Her pretty face was twisted in anger and her makeup started to smear against the tears. She glanced at Charlie and that seemed to upset her more. “Who the fuck is this? Another one of your whores?!”

The woman in the suit hadn’t even flinched when she hit her. In fact, she was completely stoic. She pocketed her phone, straightened out her silk blazer, and pierced the other woman with daggers in her eyes. “Enough, Julia. You’re unsightly. If you had any sense, I’d take whatever’s left of daddy’s trust fund and build that YouTube channel of yours.”

The woman seemed confused. “What are you talking about?”

“The company’s partnership has been nullified. Your father no longer owns any stocks with us anymore. His embezzlement of assets over the past two years has been quite troublesome, after all. Now that the evidence has been compiled, you’re useless to me. You should call your father’s financial advisor about bankruptcy options.”

The other woman nearly collapsed there on the street; sobbing. “Wh-what…but…Brook…I love you…”

“Don’t call me,” Brook looked down on the woman, “and please refrain from showing up on company property. You will be escorted and charged with trespassing.”

The devastation on the woman’s face nearly matched Charlie’s. She ran away in hysterics, presumably from the utter shame and humiliation, leaving the two of them alone.

Charlie tried to run too. She begged and willed her feet to move but she was paralyzed. Fear anchored her there – a fear she thought she’d forgotten. And anger.

The woman in the suit spoke through the silence. “It’s been a long time. How are you?”

Charlie tried desperately to swallow the lump caught in her throat – to tell her to leave her alone – but all she could muster was a ragged breath. When she did find her voice, it was low and quiet. “Get away from me, Brook.”

She sounded so small.

The pupils in Brook’s eyes widened at the harsh words and she let herself grin. “Still as lovely as ever. It’s nice to see you, too.”

Charlie’s feet finally found the courage to move. Abruptly, she stood up and tried to walk as fast as she could without breaking into a full run. She needed to hold onto at least some of her dignity. But, as she walked away, she could feel Brook had moved too and was following along quietly.

It only took rounding the corner for her to give up and face the damned woman again. Such an irritating person. Charlie turned around quickly; prompting Brook to stop and smile at her. “Stop following me. Don’t you have somewhere to be? I said to leave me alone.”

Brook just shrugged. “I’ve been given an unexpected early release from work, so no. Don’t be so harsh, Charlie. Is that how you treat an old friend?”

“Is that what we are?” Charlie scoffed – she almost couldn’t believe her ears.”You think we’re friends? You think I want anything to do with you? After everything you’ve done to me? Don’t speak to me about treatment. Clearly, the people around you are still so expendable. Was it really necessary for you to humiliate that girl? I have nothing to say to you.”

Charlie could feel her whole body trembling with every outburst. As much venom she could spit at Brook, there was still some part of her that was afraid of actually pissing her off.

Brook just stared at her without a word. Charlie couldn’t read the look on her face. She never could. She felt herself already regretting her big mouth.

“Don’t forget the things you’ve done,” Brook said flatly, “and the things we’ve done together. I’ve made peace with who I am a long time ago. Can you say the same for yourself? Julia and her family of thieves got what they deserved. That has nothing to do with you.”

Brook stepped in closer to Charlie as she spoke. So close she was practically a breath away. Charlie tried to regain her composure.

“I did what I had to do. Dealing with you, it’s all we can do. Isn’t it? You don’t care about anyone, so please, enough. It’s sickening.”

Before she could let Brook insert herself again, she quickly turned around and didn’t look back. Out of her bag and out of sight, a single pen rolled out onto the ground.

Noticing it, Brook gently picked it up. One glance and she realized the pen had a university name on it. She pocketed it and watched stoically as Charlie ran from her.

~~~

“Stay still you fucking idiot!”

Charlie flinched and tried to steady herself as she stood in front of the soccer net. The gym teacher hadn’t noticed. No one had noticed. Or maybe they just didn’t care.

A soccer ball whizzed past her – barely missing her head – and flung rapidly into the net behind her.

“You missed?! How the fuck did you miss? She’s standing still, you moron!” One of the girls laughed.

“Fuck off, she moved outta the way,” the girl kicking the ball snapped back. She glared at Charlie and pointed to where she stood, “I said stay still, bitch. Or I kick your fucking head in, instead. Got it? Hurry up and give me the ball.”

Charlie could hardly breathe. Despite it being hot out, she felt a sickly cold numbness washing over her. She nearly collapsed when she bent down to pick up the ball. Her knees were trembling and she was sore all over her body.

This had been going on for the last hour and no one had bothered to notice. They were supposed to be playing a mini game of soccer, but instead, these girls were playing target practice with Charlie’s head.

She had the unfortunate luck of being teamed up with the very people who had been making her life a living hell for the past six months. She couldn’t even beg the teacher to place her in another team before they’d ganged up on her to shut her up.

Suddenly, somebody stepped up beside the girl who had been kicking the ball and Charlie’s insides curled when she saw who it was.

“Move. My turn.” Brook demanded. She shoved the smaller girl next to her with ease, grabbed the ball, and dropped it right at her feet. When she glanced up at Charlie, she grinned a nasty grin. Charlie froze in fear.

Taking a step back, Brook charged up for a kick and swung her foot; sending the ball spinning straight towards the quivering girl in front of the net. She’d kicked it with so much force and power that it’d made a whizzing sound when it left the ground.

Charlie closed her eyes, but it didn’t matter. It didn’t lessen the pain when the ball smacked her right in the face and threw her back into the mess of the net. A blur of bright hot lights soared across her vision and her head rang back and forth with an intense and evil throbbing. She was certain her nose had been broken just now, or at least that she’d suffered a concussion.

“Holy shit, Brook! You almost took off her head!” One of the girls laughed. They all jeered and guffawed; mocking Charlie’s crumpled body.

She couldn’t see them laughing at her, she could barely see her hands in front of her face. But she could hear them. Amidst the whistle of the wind, the chirping of birds, and the noise of the other students, she could hear them laughing loud and clear.

It echoed all around her and seeped into her ears.

She curled tighter into her ball and tried to hold back her tears. If she started crying now while she could hardly take back her breath, she was sure to choke on the blood and saliva dripping from her chin. The familiar taste of copper filling her mouth gave away the bloody nose that poured down her face. She willed herself not to cry.

Suddenly, she felt a presence standing beside her and then, without warning, she was yanked up by her hair. Instinctively, Charlie grabbed at the hand and winced as she was made to look into the eyes of her tormentor.

Brook stared down at her with indifference. “Don’t make a scene. Wipe your fucking nose and get up.” Her eyes were cold as she said it. Even in the pool of the sun that glittered her brown eyes a warm honey gold, they were utterly and deeply cold. They made Charlie shiver.

She softened her grip on Charlie’s hair; whom elicited a moan of relief as her burning scalp cooled just a bit. Then, Brook raised both her hands above Charlie’s head, making her flinch.

But no pain came. Instead, she felt Brook gently straighten out her tousled hair and adjust the yellow jersey that had been thrown about her small frame during the entire ordeal.

Charlie opened her eyes to Brook brushing off her shoulders.

“Can’t have you looking like shit during the last stretches. Someone might ask what’s wrong. We don’t want that, do we?” Brook stated. Abruptly, she grabbed Charlie by the mouth and leaned in closer. Blood from Charlie’s still pouring nose squelched as she squeezed tighter. “You say anything and I’ll kill you.”

With one motion, she reached under Charlie’s jersey and wiped the blood off her hand onto the inside of the shirt and shoved her away. Charlie grunted and tried not to fall as she watched Brook saunter back to her friends.

The tears that threatened to fall stung Charlie’s eyes red. She wiped her nose and took a deep breath.

Why was this happening?

~~~

It’d been a couple of days since Charlie made a mental note to stop going to that smoothie shop. What did it matter anymore, anyway? The days warped together now. Time, apparently, was never on Charlie’s side.

How could this happen? Many things ran through Charlie’s mind, none of which were comforting in the wake of Brook’s sudden appearance.

But one thing she couldn’t stop mulling over was why. She’d tried so hard to be as far away as possible from Brook. To wash her hands of her. Why would she be here in this place, in this damn city, anywhere near the east coast?

Born in the suburbs of a miserable sleepy city somewhere in the Midwest, it wasn’t much of a place for dreams.

Hell, even Charlie’s parents expected nothing less from her. Moving up in life looked like a 9-5 at a corporate office and someone’s little wife. If she finished high school, that was a plus.

In other words, it didn’t leave Charlie sore or tearful when she finally left for good. People were disappointing. Who would’ve known she needed to cross seas for good measure.

Charlie could barely recall the morning she had. She wasn’t even sure if she spent it working on her project or staring blankly at it. By the time classes were over, she was tripping over her paint brushes that were somehow pouring out of her art supply case.

In her daze, she hadn’t noticed how loosely she tied it and now she was putting on a show for everyone on campus to gawk at.

She sighed in frustration and bent down to gather her tools. She had to get on her knees to reach the ones that’d scattered under bushes. Ever so slightly, the bottom of her shirt lifted; revealing inches of her smooth backside.

“Be careful, you’d think the misogyny would end in an art school, but instead of assholes they call themselves ‘nice guys’ here.”

Charlie spun around at the voice. Diane grinned as their eyes met. She followed the girl’s green eyes that urged her attention to her shirt. It’d ridden just above her back dimples. Charlie pulled it down quickly and went back to what she was doing.

Maybe if she ignored her, she’d take the hint.

She picked up the last of her brushes but noticed her favorite one was missing. It was old, the handle thicker than most brushes, and it was a little crooked in shape from countless nights of artists’ passion so they might say.

“This ones got a story,” interrupted Diane; prompting Charlie to glance over at her favorite brush in the girl’s hands, “I wonder what the bumps and bruises have to say.”

Charlie reached for the brush but grasped nothing when Diane playfully retracted her hand. Wisps of Diane’s cream blonde hair danced around her shoulder as her messy bun bounced in place. “Woah, pretty handsy, aren’t you? Girls generally like being taken out before any touching.”

Charlie just grunted. “Give it back.”

Diane smiled bigger. “Didn’t know the great painter was such a stiff. I think you meant to say ‘thank you’.”

Reluctantly, Charlie obliged. She supposed the girl did find it for her. “Thanks. Give it back.”

“You’re just a ray of sunshine, aren’t you? Isn’t it exhausting being the lonely prodigy? Or do you like the attention?”

To be honest, Charlie never really understood half of the things Diane said to her. She spoke so candidly that Charlie could never tell whether she was being rude or an idiot.

One thing she could say for sure: she didn’t like her.

“I’m not a prodigy,” Charlie stepped closer to Diane and grabbed the brush right out of her hand, “and I don’t care.” She turned around and headed for the campus gates.

“Really? Self-taught? Wow, Charlie, I didn’t think you had it in you. Your fellow peers aren’t gonna like it when they find out it’s because they don’t try hard enough.” Diane chatted as she walked along.

“I don’t care about being the best. And I never said I was some genius. I just like painting.”

Diane chuckled. “I’ve always envied the hard workers. It makes the craft worthwhile.”

Something about that statement irked Charlie. She felt as if Diane was looking down on her somehow.

The blonde sighed, as if resolved. “Then it’s the attention.”

Charlie stopped and turned around. Diane simply wanted a reaction out of her. It was probably fun for her to goad people on.

But she couldn’t help but engross herself in the irritation when she saw Diane’s smug grin. She looked so pleased with herself.

“If people want to pay attention, then they’ll be disappointed to know that the show’s over. Find someone else to bother.”

“You don’t get it, do you?”

“I don’t get what?”

“Secrets have a way of spilling out. And you’re just full of them, aren’t you?”

“Who the hell are you?” Charlie confronted.

They’d finally reached the mouth of the gate.

Diane feigned innocence and shrugged. “Oh, but that would give all the suspense away! I’m just a regular student. A sculptor major in my third year. But I guess that’s not what you wanted to hear, is it?

Charlie couldn’t make any sense of the girl’s cryptic words.

But before she could say anything else, something caught her eye.

A woman in a suit leaning against a black car.

It was Brook. It had to be. When the woman looked up from her phone, all doubt went out the door.

What the hell was SHE doing here?

Almost as if on cue, Brook tilted her head in her direction and locked eyes. Great.

Now she was coming over.

There was no dealing with both Diane at her heels and now Brook from whatever black hole she came from. Even if she ran, it was a college town and she lived in the dorms and didn’t have a lot of friends. She was certainly not leading any of them back there.

She was stuck, truly, between a rock and a hard place.

And now she was certain of it: Brook always found her somehow.

The gnawing depth of that reality made Charlie shudder. She couldn’t escape her.

But only for a moment. Things were different now. They were.

They were.

Intrepidly, Charlie walked past Brook without a word and into the passenger seat of the woman’s car; confusing both women.

Brook scoffed humorously and eventually made her way back as well.

Diane watched as they pulled out and left.

“That was easier than I thought.” Spoke Brook as she settled in her seat.

“Not as easy as thinking the world revolves around you. Enough with the jokes, how did you find me?”

“You leave little bread crumbs everywhere you go. Is it really that surprising when someone shows up with a handful of those crumbs?” Brook tossed the university pen onto Charlie’s lap. “I just want to talk.”

Charlie was speechless. The audacity of this woman. Even still. “There’s nothing to talk about.”

“Then why did you get in the car?”

Well, she had a point there. “It was hot out.”

Brook let out a slight chuckle. Silence overtook them for a moment.

“Who was that woman with you?” Brook asked; changing the subject.

“I’m sorry to say, but that’s none of your business.” Replied Charlie quite sarcastically.

“Ah, a lover then?”

“What do you want!”

Instantly, she recoiled. It was unintentional; raising her voice. She glanced over at Brook fully expecting to be slapped or grabbed at, but the woman was unfazed. In fact, she was calm.

“Like I said, I want to talk. Have you eaten?”

“Here is fine. So, say whatever it is you want to say.”

“Humor me, won’t you? I’d like to take you out to lunch. My treat. It’ll only be for a short moment. Please?”

This was a new side to Brook. A new tone. She seemed almost…normal. And for certain, Charlie had never heard her plead before.

“Why? Why does it matter?”

Brook took a moment to answer. “Life is funny sometimes. Sometimes moving on looks a lot like staying rather than running away. Doesn’t that speak for the both of us?” She looked over at Charlie; her gaze steady and intense, “how could I not?”

Brook had taken them uptown to a classy little cafe Charlie wouldn’t have been able to afford on a normal day let alone today. Thank god she offered to foot the bill.

“What is it?” Charlie said sharply. The waitress hadn’t even finished setting down their glasses yet. But Charlie was tired of this game of cat and mouse. She was caught. So hurry up with the kill.

“Your hair got shorter. You look different. I didn’t know you were here. If I did, I would’ve spoken to you sooner.”

“Why are you even here, Brook?”

“As you know, my father has quite the business. Since expanding, other locations have been established. I work at the subsidiary here. Transferred irrevocably. Or, as my father likes to put it, ‘out of sight out of mind’.”

Charlie shook her head silently in dismay. What were the fucking odds of that. “Congratulations on the expansion,” she remarked sarcastically, “but I came here to be far away from you. That shouldn’t come as a surprise and I won’t mince my words. I hate you. So, I don’t appreciate you contacting me and I’d like it if you could just pretend that you don’t know me while you’re here.”

Brook smirked. “You hate me? Yes, maybe you did. And I would’ve deserved it. But you weren’t saying that towards the end.”

“I said anything I had to. I had no choice. You think anything was real? Then you’re more delusional than I thought.”

“You made it real. And before you get ahead of yourself and get pious about that, I wasn’t the one who wanted to keep it going. You used me.”

“And you tortured me!” Charlie nearly shouted.

The silence was sharp. Intense. Charlie tried to hold herself together but she was slipping through the seams. Her face grew hot and red and her heart raced itself into an inescapable circle.

She’d never said it out loud. Certainly not in front of Brook. Even after what happened. Now, all the humiliating terrible memories began to flood her lungs and she almost couldn’t breathe.

She gritted her teeth and tried to hold back her tears. “Why me?” She uttered. “I never did anything to you. I was just a kid. But you hated me. You hated me so fucking much. Why?

Brook’s face was dark. Her entire body language had changed. Cold again. “I never claimed to be a saint. I can’t ask for forgiveness so I won’t. I know what I did. I never expected you to give me that mercy. But don’t sit there and pretend like you’re the only one who got fucked over. You want an answer? Then tell me why I can’t stop thinking about you. Tell me why I’m the one who got left behind and thrown away.”

“Maybe it’s what you deserved.”

Suddenly, Brook had Charlie by her wrist. She’d grabbed her across the table and was gripping her with such strength that Charlie winced.

Even as her breaths came out shallow and in trepidation, she mustered all she could to speak. “Go ahead. Hit me. Show me what you’re really here for.”

Brook leaned in closer and watched Charlie shudder underneath her grip. “Maybe I never did understand you. Maybe I didn’t try hard enough in the first place. But we both sinned. The both of us. Both so scummy, shitty, terrible fucking people. You want to know why? Why after all this time – it matters? Because we both don’t deserve anything else.”

Brook released her grip and Charlie jerked it back. It was slightly red and sore. Charlie hid it underneath the table to sooth and cradle.

Then she got up. “If this is all you had to say, you wasted my time.”

“You know, I didn’t think I’d ever care if anyone walked out on me again,” Brook interrupted.

For the first time since that evening, they looked directly into each other’s eyes. Only for a still moment. And then, like dandelion seeds carried away by the wind, it was over. Lost again.

Charlie was gone.

~~~

Every piece that fell revealed a bruise bigger than her hand. They’d been kicking balls at her the whole class period. Of course, she was bound to bruise.

Nevertheless, it was alarming; the extent of the damage.

She cowered in the corner lest anyone see her deformed body. She was so disgusted with herself.

This wasn’t the first time this had happened. At some point, she’d become used to the bullying. She couldn’t remember how it started or when.

One day, it was just her turn. It didn’t hurt any less once she accepted it, though.

As gently as she could, Charlie massaged at the bruise that bore an aching hole in her shoulder.

Thoughts about Brook ran through her mind. She had known of her and her friends from previous years, but if she remembered correctly, Brook had transferred in around sophomore year.

She remembered how odd that was because it had been in the middle of the school year. Apparently, Brook had trouble staying in school.

They’d never crossed paths before then. Never exchanged a single word between each other. But now, ever since the bullying started, it seemed she was always in school.

Torturing her. Messing with her.

Abruptly, someone hooked their arm under her chin and pulled her in for a nuggie. Charlie winced as she felt her body being lurched around from where she sat on the locker room bench. When she looked up, it was one of the girls from Brook’s group of friends.

“Naked little Charlie. Look at her little tiddies. Is that all you got, huh?” The girl badgered.

Charlie’s cheeks reddened and she squirmed when the girl suddenly grabbed her breast and began to fondle them over her bra.

Most of the girls in the locker room laughed at this; trying to mind their business.

All the girls feared Brook. No one ever stepped into her affairs.

There were countless rumors about her and how she had beaten up older girls. Disfigured people who had disrespected her. Stolen boyfriends. How she was part of a gang. Rumors so numerous and outlandish they were scrutinized and sometimes deemed impossible.

Teachers wanted nothing to do with her. It made her invisible. But in the eyes of the tormented, she was only made more invincible.

Most of the girls began to leave the locker room; allowing Charlie’s tormentors to flock closer and closer to her.

Before she knew it, they were the only ones there. Charlie was still in a headlock by the time the last girl left.

“God, you’re like a fucking stick. Although it really helps the bruises pop out, doesn’t it?” One of the bullies snickered.

A sudden urge welled up inside Charlie and she shoved the girl holding her, causing her to trip and bang against the row of lockers behind her. Instantly, she was filled with regret.

“I’m sorry-” Charlie started in a panic.

But the girl cut her off, “you fucking bitch!”

She set on her like a wild animal: kicking, punching, and throwing her around.

Just when Charlie thought she was going to kill her for real, a voice cut in-between them.

“Enough.”

The girl beating her looked up from her rage and stepped aside quickly, “the bitch pushed me,” she murmured.

Charlie had been beaten down onto the ground. Her hair was a mess and she was still in just her bra and gym shorts.

She heard Brook’s voice again.

“Get up.”

And so she did.

Charlie held her arms in front of her body to shield her nakedness and save some of the dignity she had left. Again, she tried not to cry. She would never cry in front of them. That was all she had left in control of.

Brook looked on, watching as the shorter girl shivered and trembled. From head to toe, she was covered in cuts and bruises. Her long brown hair had been tossed from the beating she’d gotten and one of the straps of her bra had fallen off her skinny shoulder. She looked so pathetic.

“You’re so insignificant. Nobody would even know you were gone if you disappeared right now.” Brook’s voice was monotone as she belittled her.

Charlie stared hard into the ground; trying not to let her words get to her. Trying not to break down right there.

Brook was so much taller, so much bigger than her. She felt that if she looked up at her right now, she would never get rid of the feeling of inferiority that would plague her if she met eyes with the girl that hated her so much.

“What do you wanna do with her this time?” One of Brook’s friends interjected, “flush her stuff down the toilet? Or we could have her run laps naked around the track.”

“Shut up.” Brook said suddenly.

Her friends looked at her in surprise.

“W-what do you -”

“Shut the fuck up and get out.” Brook snapped, although still in an eerily emotionless tone. When they didn’t move immediately, however, she raised her voice. “Now!”

They all ran. Too scared to question her.

Now, it was just the two of them.

The tension was killing Charlie. She didn’t know what to say or do.

Finally, Brooke spoke.

“You’re so disgusting to look at.”

The venom and harshness in her voice pierced Charlie like a stake. A lump welled up in her throat and a sickness hallowed out her chest. Brook had called her many things over the past couple of months, but nothing like this. Not so wretchedly.

She felt so filthy. Naked. Gross. Small. It tore her in half.

But what could she do? What could she say? She would rather take the verbal abuse than give Brook any reason to beat her up. She was tired of the pain and she feared her anger.

In the end, she gave up.

“All you do is stand there like an idiot. Look at you. Letting people beat the shit out of you. Letting them spit in your face. You’re so disgusting. I hate people like you the most.” Brook kept on. She raised a finger and plunged it into the bruise on Charlie’s shoulder. The force pushed her back against the lockers, pinning her there.

Charlie winced and tried to push away her hand, but Brook pressed deeper. It felt like she could break her skin at any moment. Charlie gasped as the electric pain traveled up her neck and down her arm.

What was she to do? Panic filled her head and pure adrenaline rushed through her veins. She was hyperventilating.

Everything became a blur after that.

Just as Brook was about to say something again, she felt Charlie grip her wrist and move.

All of a sudden, the girl was kissing her.

It was sloppy, warm, and completely unexpected.

It took Brook aback.

The shorter, smaller girl had her lips on hers. It only lasted a few seconds before Brook regained her momentum and quickly pushed Charlie away. The girl thudded against the lockers; filling the empty room with a loud bang.

The shock left Brook speechless. Hurriedly, after a fit of incoherent expletives, she gathered her things and ran.

Finally, in loneliness, Charlie slumped to the ground and pulled her knees close to her chest to cry.

~~~

Blue iridescent light flickered across Charlie’s face through the darkness of the night. She sent another text and put down her phone; enshrouding herself completely. She stood waiting around the corner of a rather high-end apartment building.

When she was satisfied with the text that appeared on her screen, she walked up to the intercom and pressed the buzzer.

After a brief exchange, the doors opened and she let her feet take her down a long hallway and up the elevators. She’d become familiar with this place now. No more tentative steps or dithering thoughts. The elegant lights and expensive decorative furniture that embellished the rows of modern living no longer intimidated her.

Though, she still found the gentrified pretentiousness of it all no less laughable. Wealth tastes different when the soup kitchen is just a block away and the middle finger you live in used to be an outreach center.

But, bad people flock to good things. No. To things that make them feel good.

She stood in front of a room door and knocked.

A woman, scantily clad, answered. “Charlie. It’s been awhile. I was starting to miss you.”

“You know I hate small talk, Gail. Do you have time or not?”

Gail draped her dreads loosely over her shoulder and playfully sighed. “I’m gonna have to start taking away loyalty points with every last minute call. It’s not good for business when I cancel appointments, even for you. But, I figured, it’s been so long since Charlie came to visit. Even IF it’s the middle of the night. I just want to know why. Did something happen?”

“Gail, stop talking. Do you want to fuck or not?”

Gail’s lips curled into a slow smirk and she rolled her eyes. “You’re such a perv.” She opened up the rest of her robe and dropped it to the floor around her ankles and stood there bearing it all to Charlie right there in the doorway. “Since you made me cancel a threesome tonight with a candy maker and this hot guy who works at the Nike store, you’re gonna have to make it up to me. So don’t disappoint.”

Charlie answered the unsuspecting tenant with a silencing kiss and closed the door shut.

She’d forgotten what it felt like to touch another person’s skin. To feel their body. To smell their scent.

To have them completely ravish you.

Charlie gasped as Gail grabbed a fistful of her hair and kissed her hard. Her tongue darted inside like a viper, poisoning her from the inside to reap the rewards of pleasure. Gail tossed Charlie onto the carpet with a slight force that disheveled Charlie’s soft brown hair and threw her shirt above her waist.

Charlie looked back. Gail liked it when she did that. With her knees beneath her, her back arched and extended where Gail could see, and her clenched hands interlaced into the tight threads of the wool carpet with that look in her eyes. That hungry look. It excited her.

Charlie wanted it. And it made it that more enticing to give it to her.

Gail bent down and kissed along Charlie’s bare back while undoing her pants. She could feel Charlie pressing her backside into her; prompting Gail to pinch and slap at the taut cheeks that teased her. When Charlie’s pants came loose, she quickly ripped it off and dipped a finger into her folds; feeling how wet she was.

Charlie moaned. When Gail bit her, she moaned louder.

“This is in the way.” Gail uttered. She grabbed Charlie’s hair and pulled her up-right into a kneeling position. With the other hand, she pressed her palm onto Charlie’s soft tummy and moved it up; inch by inch taking her shirt off until it was over her head and thrown across the room.

She bit into the nape of Charlie’s neck and flipped her onto her back. Charlie moaned with pleasure at Gail’s roughness. And when she leaned down on top of her until she was completely straddling her, so did her body. It let out a great big moan that ached to be released.

Charlie shoved her nails deep into Gail’s thighs; almost penetrating her dark skin. Gail leaned in closer and kissed her more.

Suddenly, her lips were replaced with a hand clasped around her throat, squeezing just enough for her to enjoy it. When she almost couldn’t breath, Gail trailed her other hand down Charlie’s slender body and slipped two fingers inside of her and started thrusting. Slow and steady at first. Until it wasn’t.

Until Charlie was clenching her legs tightly around Gail and bucking wildly.

It was hours into the early morning when the moans finally halted.

Gail lit up a joint and exhaled. She sat by her window; her naked silhouette softly framed by the city lights below her windowsill and the dim candles in the living room. Off to the side, Charlie was in the middle of hooking her bra back in place.

“It was a little rough today. More than usual. Not that I’m complaining, but I would be concerned about bruisings for the next couple of days. You never said to stop once.” Gail said between puffs.

“‘Stop’ isn’t my safe word.”

“Quit being a smart-ass. As good of a fuck as I am, I also double as a handy listener. You were wound up tonight. And I didn’t even have to tie you up. What’s up with you?”

Charlie rolled her eyes and hiked up her jeans around her waist. “I ran into trouble at school. And I had a terrible lunch. Remember when you said personal information was off limits?”