Chapter 12: You Don’t Even Like Me

        Her stomach churned, and her head spun as she raced up the carpeted stairs. She pushed the door of her bedroom open and ran straight toward the bathroom, unsure if she was going to faint or throw up first. She could hear Sean’s footsteps pounding up the stairs behind her, but she ignored him and slammed the bathroom door shut. She twisted the lock and collapsed onto the cool marble floor. Curling into a fetal position, she closed her eyes. Seeing Marco had triggered a long line of terrible memories. She’d held most of them off in the cell, but she couldn’t fight them anymore. They crashed over like a wave and dragged her back into the past. She shivered and shook, feeling phantom pinches and punches, kicks, and slaps. She heard Marco’s voice, slurred with alcohol calling her a useless slut. She heard his voice sharp and sober, too, accusing her of ruining his life and her own. She felt the heavy weight of him on top of her, the pawning of his greasy hands, and the animal grunts