Chapter 5: Chapter 5

After the incident with the strange wolves that appeared in the entrance and backyard of the house, Dub seemed healed and didn’t come near me again, although he also avoided me, and I didn’t return home until I saw Lia’s car parked. That’s how I survived the first week, between school, afternoon work, and full-time weekends, with the evasive glances from the twins, whom I couldn’t decide whether I wanted to have around or not; the only thing I was sure of was to stay away from Chloe and Liam’s girlfriend, Amelia, who now did nothing but observe me with hatred.

I had a peaceful week until the day of gym class.

Although this time I did wear the proper uniform, I soon realized how uncomfortable I felt with the furtive glances from the twins, who, to my relief, were separated from my group and played basketball while I was placed in the group that would play volleyball. The only objection I had about this arrangement was the fact that both Chloe and Amelia not only chose that sport as well but were on the opposing team.

I have never been very skilled at sports; rather, I’m the slow type, the one that the ball seems to aim for directly at my face. Nonetheless, I was determined to do my best and perhaps earn some respect from the twins’ girlfriends if I showed them that I wasn’t a fool. But my intentions were shattered after watching them play for no more than two minutes. Not only were they very skilled, but also quite strong and played rough. I swallowed hard when I saw them whispering to each other and sneering in my direction. Chloe took the ball to serve, and I positioned myself as far back as possible, but I knew that if Chloe wanted it, she could command the ball to find my face, and she would succeed.

The gym teacher’s whistle sounded, and before the ball was in the air, I saw Chloe’s gaze directed at me, with a half-smile that sent shivers down my spine. When her hand struck the leather of the ball, I knew I had to throw myself to the ground, and that’s what I did. I heard the ball hit the floor just an inch away from where I had been, and with such force that I immediately knew I wouldn’t have been able to respond to that serve even in a million years of hard training. However, when I threw myself to the ground in a hurry, I stumbled and still ended up hitting myself. I had saved my face, but not my head, which bounced with the same force as the ball had.

The last thing I saw before momentarily losing consciousness was Chloe’s laughter as she high-fived Amelia. A moment later, I heard Aly’s voice, who had remained safely in the stands. She called out to me urgently, but no matter how much I wanted to, I couldn’t manage to get up.

“Are you okay?” she asked when her knees almost hit my face.

“Yes, yes, but my head hurts a lot,” I replied when I managed to get my tongue to coordinate with my brain, which must have missed a few neurons after that blow.

“Can you get up?” the teacher asked.

I felt like I couldn’t, but then I realized that I had fallen into a position where my legs were practically open and barely covered by my uniform shorts. To my misfortune, the twins’ gaze was fixed on the landscape my crotch offered. Then I found the strength to get up.

“Yeah, I think I’ll just end up with a bruise,” I said while trying to hide the blush that had covered my cheeks. From the corner of my eye, I saw how eagerly the twins were observing me after I had interrupted their game with my spectacle.

“Take your friend to the infirmary,” the teacher said, addressing Aly. “It’s better to have her checked.”

Aly nodded, delighted to be able to skip the rest of the class at the expense of my pain and humiliation, which seemed to have no end.

We walked slowly towards the infirmary, and there the nurse, an older woman who seemed to have seen it all when it came to school accidents, ordered me to lie down.

“Can you give me a pain pill?” I asked when I realized that would be the extent of the nurse’s intervention.

“I’m sorry, child, but I can’t give you anything unless one of your parents authorizes it. Do you want to call one?”

How I wished I still lived with my grandmother, whom I would have called immediately. But just thinking about Lia made my stomach turn.

“No. They must be working, and they’ll freak out if they receive a call over this nonsense,” I said. “I’d rather endure the pain than endure their nagging.”

The nurse gave me a look that showed she understood my situation and why I had refused, with a lie, to call either of my parents.

“Alright,” she said. “In that case, if you want, I can give you a pass to leave early because that’s the only thing I can do. That way, you can go and buy a pill, although I would also recommend you see a doctor as soon as possible.”

I nodded gratefully, although I already knew that I wouldn’t do either of the two things she suggested. I wouldn’t go home early for anything in the world. Dub had to be there, and I didn’t want to push my luck any further. I also wouldn’t visit a doctor because I was convinced that I didn’t have any medical coverage or insurance.

The nurse went out to get the paperwork she needed to write me the pass, and Aly, who was still by my side with the firm intention of not going back to gym class, took the opportunity to tell me that she had been invited to a party while she was in the stands.

“But I would only go if you promise me that you’ll go too,” she said.

I don’t know why, but the first thing that crossed my mind was that I wouldn’t go either if the twins weren’t going to be there. I asked Aly about them, but I framed my question as if I were wary of them and their girlfriends.

“I don’t think they’re going,” Aly replied. “They don’t usually go to other students’ parties, they always gather in the forest, in an open field, as if they were university students.”

“Do you want to go?” I asked.

Aly shrugged.

“Yes, I think it will be fun.”

I deduced that Aly, like me, was someone who had never been to a party before, but now that she had been invited, she felt tempted to go. I felt the same way, and although I would have liked to hear that Ethan and Liam were going too, when I thought about their girlfriends, Chloe and Amelia, I decided it was better if they didn’t even show up.

“In that case, yes, let’s go.”

The party was planned for Saturday night. We could go after our shift at the restaurant.

The nurse soon returned with my discharge ticket already filled out. My head still hurt, but it was bearable, and I decided to wait until the time of departure to get that pill. Aly had a different class, and we said goodbye.

“See you later at the restaurant,” I said.

I used my discharge ticket to stay in the hallway. The next class I had was with the twins, whom I didn’t want to see at that moment, especially after exposing my private area to them. I walked to my locker with the intention of organizing it. I didn’t realize they were approaching until I recognized the scent of their cologne and some of the sweat covering their bodies after gym class.

I turned around, scared because it was because of them that I hadn’t gone to class. I didn’t even have time to close my locker when they were right on top of me.

“Did you hit yourself really hard, darling?” Liam asked behind me.

“Yes, I think it was a big hit,” Ethan said, responding to his brother but not taking his eyes off mine, which then lowered.

Liam’s hand landed on the bruise adorning my forehead, and although I felt a slight sting when he did, I was immediately overwhelmed by a strong sense of pleasure. His hand, although large and strong, touched me gently, almost tenderly.

“It’s just a small bump,” Liam said. His breath brushed against my ear, and it sent shivers down my spine.

“Let me see,” Ethan responded as he approached to inspect my forehead. He was in front of me, and my eyes met his once again. As he leaned in to examine the bruise, I also felt his breath against my neck. The sensation made every hair on my body stand on end.

“What are you doing?” I whispered, intending to defend myself, but secretly hoping they wouldn’t leave. I now felt so pleased that they had bothered me that I even felt the thrill of the game.

“I know how to heal those kinds of bruises,” Liam said, behind me. He whispered it so tenderly that I leaned my back against his leg.

“Yes, I know that remedy, brother,” Ethan responded, moving closer until my chest brushed against his. I was cornered between the two twins, and with each passing moment, they pressed their bodies against mine more insistently. Then I felt it—the wet, warm, and full lips of Liam against my neck. He was giving me little bites that made me clench my teeth to suppress a sigh.

I hadn’t realized that I was still wearing my gym uniform shirt and that Ethan’s warm hand had settled on my stomach until I felt it. I wanted to grab his hand and squeeze it where it was, so that he would never remove it.

“Susan?” a voice said, one I immediately recognized.

I looked up, frightened. Until that moment, I had been alone with the twins in the deserted hallway. I closed the locker and saw them vanish as quickly as they had arrived.

“Aly. I thought you were in class,” I said, unable to follow where the twins had turned their gaze. I noticed that Aly couldn’t take her eyes off mine either.

Though somewhat embarrassed, at least now my headache was gone.