Chapter Text
July
“Well that concludes our session today. Thank you ladies for coming and participating in the group activities. There’s refreshments as always in the back,” the group counselor directed enthusiastically as she clapped her hands. Pretty much everyone got out of their seats and headed to the back of the room where there were juices, cookies, muffins, and fruit and vegetable trays.
After what she endured this year, her mother had her signed up for a summer therapy group for survivors of sexual assault. Marisol was hesitant to go at first due to still being too traumatized to talk about the experience at first, but after the first two sessions, she was glad that this was happening. In her group there were girls and women of all different ages, races, and other backgrounds. She didn’t feel alone at all and she found it easy to open up about her trauma. No one judged her as an idiot or a slut for what happened. It was all positivity and acceptance.
As Marisol fixed herself a plate of cookies, Bianca approached her.
“I like the things you said today. You know, about how you couldn’t allow those guys to continue making you feel powerless and that you fought hard to not lose yourself,” Bianca said to her, and there was no sarcasm or mockery in her voice for once. The statement was genuine.
“Thanks,” she replied. She was surprised when Bianca of all people showed up to the first session, and the other girl acted like she didn’t want to be there. But after the third session, she opened up about her history with sexual abuse and it caused her to not see value in herself and other people.
It’s how Marisol found out that Bianca’s gangbanging “boyfriend” wasn’t her boyfriend at all. He forced her to sleep with him or else he threatened to kill Drew. It was horrifying and she felt awful that Bianca was forced to endure that for an entire semester. Her own experience felt almost trivial compared to that.
“It’s hard dealing with this kind of shit. I’ve been dealing with this since I was a kid and it’s only recently that I realized that my life has been very fucked up and I wasn’t acknowledging it. When I was with Vince, I was coping by being numb the whole time we were together but now it’s like I can’t stop being upset about it when I’m by myself,” Bianca confessed.
“You’re a brave person for enduring that. I don’t think I would have been as strong as you in that situation,” Marisol replied. She couldn’t stop thinking about how the bikers were going to kidnap her after they were done raping her and continue doing it when they dragged her to their house. They made that clear that they were going to use her as long as they could. If that happened, she might have just killed herself after the first night. For Bianca to sacrifice her body every day for Drew like that meant that she was an unbelievably selfless and compassionate girl, not the “evil tramp” she previously thought her as. She was more than that.
“You’re strong too, Marisol for what you went through. Especially since you still showed up to school that Monday and acted like everything was normal,” Bianca argued, “And I’m sorry for what Owen tried to do to you. It wasn’t right and I ended our friendship because of it.”
That second statement made Marisol realize that she was going to do something similar to what Bianca did. Just like how Bianca was coerced into a relationship with that monster because Drew’s life was on the line, Owen tried to coerce her into sex because he was using Katie’s eating disorder as a weapon against her. If it weren’t for Katie and Eli, she would have slept with him and god knows what else even if she didn’t want to. She would have been trapped like Bianca, so they were more similar than she thought.
It made her respect Bianca a lot more.
“You didn’t have to do that.”
“But I did. He’s always been an asshole but blackmailing you into sex was going too far, especially after you were assaulted. I can’t be friends with someone like that. I know you probably don’t believe that because I was always a bitch to you, but I can’t express how disgusted I am with him right now and I’m sorry for how he treated you and how I treated you,” the other girl apologized sincerely.
“Well, it’s in the past now. The bikers, Owen, and our beef. It’s over and it’s time for both of us to start over,” Marisol said with a warm smile.
“Yeah,” the other girl agreed.
“I’ll be seeing you at the meeting next, okay?” Marisol stated before telling her goodbye. Bianca gave her a simple nod before pouring herself a cup of lemonade.
When she walked out into the lobby, Eli was waiting for her in one of the seats. He was reading some teen magazine that she knew that he was only reading to make fun of it. She loved how supportive he was of her getting help. He accompanied her to every group therapy session, and in return she drove him to his therapy appointments when his parents weren’t available. As a couple, they were healing through their trauma together and were growing closer each day because of it. She didn’t care that he had bipolar disorder as she only wanted him to be healthy. She loved all of Eli Goldsworthy, not just his dark and mysterious appeal.
“Well, well, well. My princess is finally free for today,” he greeted playfully as he put the magazine down and stood up.
“Finally,” she repeated, “Where should we go next, my dark prince?”
“First of all, I told you not to call me that in public, and two I’m thinking The Dot,” he answered as he grabbed her hand.
“The Dot it is then, Emo Bear,” she replied with her other favorite nickname for him, which made him roll his eyes in annoyance. Eh, he’ll get over it with a nice makeout session in her car.
It was a beautiful, hot day in July and she never felt more at peace with him by her side.
“You know, at the beginning of the school year, I vowed that I would get the perfect boyfriend by the end. He was going to be hot, smart, strong, sweet, and caring,” Marisol confessed to him as they drank milkshakes together. They were sitting across from each other.
“And instead you got snarky, dark, twisted, and emotionally fucked up,” he replied dryly as he sipped on his chocolate milkshake. “Though I guess I’m smart at times,” he added with an amused grin.
“Please, you’re everything I ever wanted in a guy,” she argued. “Just different than I’m used to and that’s great! You’re better than the rest.”
“Well, I guess with the meatheads you’ve dated. But I’m still surprised that the most popular girl in school wants to be with me when you can surely do better,” he mused.
“I don’t want any other guy than the mysterious Eli Goldsworthy. That’s why, and I can’t do better than a guy that saved me and made my prom night memorable. You’re the only guy I need and I love you,” she proclaimed, “If anything I’m shocked you want me. Aren’t I a little different than your usual love interests?” She asked with a raised eyebrow.
“Yeah, but that’s why I love you even if you are the most troublesome girl in my life,” he told her with a smirk, “You’re the fire I need in my life.” If anyone told him in the beginning of the year that he would not only fall in love again after losing Julia and with a seemingly shallow and ditzy cheerleader at that, he would have called them a fucking idiot. However, he wouldn’t have it any other way. He loved every part of Marisol Lewis, and he wouldn’t give that love up for anything. She was meant to be in his life and he was thankful every day that she signed up for Love Roulette and wrote her name on the sheet in that glittery, pink ink.
“We really went through hell to get here, didn’t we?” She asked in a soft tone of voice.
“It was worth it though, because we now have each other,” he answered warmly, and they both smiled.
Together, they each leaned forward towards the other and shared a deep kiss in the restaurant.