Prove My Innocence

CONTENT WARNING: This chapter contains references to sexual assault and may be triggering for some readers. Reader discretion is advised. 

~.~

FOUR YEARS AGO

I was covered in sweat by the time I pushed the double doors to the locker room, my harsh pants shaking my chest from how hard I had run here. My phone burned in my pocket, the text I had gotten from Michael echoing in my head like a gunshot. 

Mike: I don’t think this is working, Siri. People stare at me everywhere I go because they know I'm dating the daughter of a con man. It’s almost like they think I scam people too! I’m sorry, but let’s call this off.

Me: What?! Michael, please don’t do this to me! I love you. You know I do! We can make this work. I’m not my father, and you're not either. What they say doesn't matter when we have each other, right?

Mike:

Siri, my reputation is at risk here. I have so much to lose as the captain of my team, so much responsibility on me.

Me: Please, Mike, I'm begging you. Don’t do this to me. We can make it work. We can date in secret if that’s what you want. Just don’t leave me, please. I’ll do anything, I swear.

Mike: This is something we should talk about in person. Come meet me at school right now. I’m in the gym locker room.

It was ten at night, but I hadn't hesitated to throw on clothes and sneak out of the house, even though my father wouldn't care where I was going so late at night. He doesn't care about anything when it comes to me, and yet everywhere I go, everyone I meet seems to care that I was Marshall James' daughter. 

Everybody saw him before they saw me, and now he was about to ruin my relationship. 

Never in a thousand years would I have thought that a popular, handsome guy like Michael would look my way. Never would I have imagined that he would be interested in me, and we would even have sex.

I wasted no time giving my virginity to him when he asked for it. I never questioned it when he asked for sex just in the first week we started dating. The sex had been painful and not all that enjoyable like I've heard people talk about, but to me, it had been magical. 

He had been magical. 

He said he loved me. He had whispered it into my ears, and looking into his eyes that were filled with pleasure, I knew it. I knew he really loved me, and I loved him even more. 

So him wanting to end things now because of my father was ruining me; it was breaking me in ways I never thought I could be broken. I couldn't. I couldn't lose Michael. He was the only bright thing in my life right now.

So I rushed into the locker room, panting and sweating, my heart beating so fast I feared it might stop. I looked around, but all I saw were rows of black lockers lining both walls, with wooden benches in front of them. 

My heart sank when I didn't see him. 

Did he leave already? Did he decide it wasn't worth it, and was just going to end things like that? Oh God, please no.

“M-Michael?” I called, my voice shaking, my hands pressed to my chest. “Mic–”

“In here!” his voice called out from the bathroom stalls, and relief hit me. 

I released a breath as I ran towards it, pushing the doors open.

“Please, I–”

My words died in my throat when I saw he wasn't alone. There were three of his teammates with him, all of them standing with their arms crossed, and a look on their faces that sent a shiver down my spine. I turned to Michael, who was leaning against the wall with his hands shoved into his pockets, and his legs crossed at the ankle. 

My heartbeat picked up when I saw the look in his eyes, but still, I slowly made my way towards him.

“M-Michael. Y-you said we should talk.”

He didn't push off the wall, didn't move any closer, and just stared at me with that dark look in his eyes that was scaring me.

“I did,” he said, and even his voice sounded different. 

That should have set off alarms in my head and made me turn and run out of here, but my legs were glued to the floor, and I just kept staring at him, waiting for that softness and light to return to his eyes, his voice. But the darkness there only seemed to spread. 

“I did call you here to talk, but I didn't say talk with our mouths. Or…” His lips lifted into a smirk. “With clothes on.”

His teammates behind me snickered, and I flinched when I felt them coming closer to me. My body was shaking now; everything in me was screaming at me to run, but I didn't move, just kept staring at him, pleading with my eyes.

“I-I don’t understand, Michael.”

“Y-you will soon, my pretty girl,” he said, mimicking my stammer, and my cheeks heated as his teammates joined in his laughter and mockery.

He finally pushed off the wall, his hands still in his pockets as he slowly made his way to me. When he got close, his hand reached out and tucked a strand of hair behind my ear, his knuckles brushing against my heated cheek, and I leaned into that touch. 

“You said you would do anything to save our relationship, right?” he asked softly, and I nodded without hesitation, my heartbeat slowing down for a second. “Then do this for me, Siri.”

He grabbed my shoulders and spun me suddenly, turning me to face his mates who were now standing too close to me, all grinning, and my heartbeat thundered in my ears. 

Michael leaned in, his lips brushing against my ear as he whispered, “My friends here want to see what the hype is all about. You see, I couldn't stop talking about the taste of your pussy, and they all think I'm lying.”

His hand moved up my stomach and cupped my breast, and I gasped, my eyes wide, fear and panic making my entire body tremble. 

“So why don’t you help your man out and prove my innocence.”

He pushed me, and his friends caught me, their hands moving all over my body. 

Panic made me nauseous. 

There were too many hands. Too many voices, and laughter. I screamed, I begged, I threatened. I fought until my body stopped listening to me. And Michael watched it all with a grin, with a camera to capture everything.

That night, I lost my voice. 

And half of my soul.