Wanting Winter(54)

He hits me again. I feel his erection press against my back, but I don’t move away or show my disgust for him.

He has tried to fuck me, but I blank out, I just lie there like a corpse and he can’t get it up.

It’s my fear that turns him on.

He knows that the Winter he always wanted and lusted after has been replaced by this skinny, ugly-looking girl. My breasts have shrunk. My bones are more defined against my skin. I can’t see myself but I know I don’t look attractive anymore.

Feeling another sting, I scrunch up my face for a second, trying to think about the outside world.

“My dirty whore,” he whispers.

I hear him grunting and moaning and then feel his warm liquid slide down my back. I still don’t move.

“Beautiful. Think you earned this.” He unties me and hands me a pack of baby wipes. This is a treat. If he is happy with me, he gives me something useful.

I bow my head in gratitude. He looks at me angrily for a moment hating that again I haven’t spoken a word.

I wobble over to the far wall, and taking out the wipes, I start wiping my face. I use each wipe to wipe another part of my body.

He leaves me alone once again, locking the door behind him. I have tried to open it in the past, but it doesn’t budge and I won’t fit through the tiny window.

I grab hold of all the furniture and pile them on top of each other. Climbing up, I look outside; it’s the only real pleasure I do get. I see bushes in front of me. I smiled once when I saw a rabbit hop by. This is the only glimpse I get of the outside world. I stay there until my body feels too weak to stay. I move everything back in its place and go back to my spot near the wall.

I hug myself as I close my eyes, getting some sleep.





Nineteen





Trent





“How the fuck did you get in here?” I shout at Candice. Of all things, she sneaks into Winter’s home.

“She probably brought us all here for some sort of gang bang,” Joshua says, crossing his arms.

“Yes, I want to fuck you all at the same time in Winter’s home,” she says sarcastically. “I think something is wrong with Winter.”

That I am surprised about.

“Why do you suddenly care about Winter? You haven’t in the past,” Drake says, sitting on the couch.

“I may feel jealous of her, but I wouldn’t want any serious harm to come to her. I’m not that much of a bitch. Joshua showed me his text from her, saying she’s at her mom’s, but I remember her telling me ages ago that her parents were going on this cruise; I found the number in her book for their room on the cruise and she isn’t with them.”

“Maybe she is at home by herself.” Drake shrugs.

I knew something was wrong; I felt it in my gut. “Has anyone heard from her?” I ask, looking at each person. They all shake their heads. “Right I’m going to call her.” I take out my phone and call her number, but it just rings before going to voicemail. I do this a few times but there’s nothing. “She’s not answering. I’ll leave her a message to see if she’s okay.”

Candice quickly takes my phone from my hands. “You need to mention her mom. If she says she’s with her then it's not her. Winter doesn’t lie. Even if she’s pissed at you, she will tell you how it is.”

I watch her write out a message.

“So what you trying to say? Someone took Winter and is messaging people on her behalf?” Drake tries to joke.

Candice glares at him. “It happens all the time. It has been four weeks—four fucking weeks—since any of us actually saw her or even heard her voice. The school are only getting emails from her, but no phone calls, nothing. I’m sorry but I know something isn’t right.”

“I think she’s right,” I say.

“Of course you do.” Drake rolls his eyes and this time I glare at him.

“She replied back,” Candice says, looking to the phone. She frowns. “She said she is having some Mom time and to not message back until she gets her head sorted.” We all look to her. “I really think something is wrong. Wait. I’ve got an idea,” she shouts, heading to Winter’s room.

We all follow her.

“What are you doing now?” Joshua asks her.

“I remember Winter mentioning a neighbor; if the neighbor says they have seen Winter, then I’m wrong, but if they say no one has been in her parents’ house, we need to go to the police.”

“Don’t you think you are blowing this way out of proportion?” Drake asks her.

“How would you feel with yourself if you find out that I’m right and someone took Winter and is hurting her, or worse?” She gives Drake a look.

“Call them,” I say. I don’t care what Drake or Joshua thinks. I need to know she is okay.

Candice goes through the phone book until she recognizes a name and calls them, and from what I hear on this end, no one has been in the house apart from them to water the plants.

“I knew something was wrong, I felt it,” I say out loud.

“We don’t know for sure if anything is wrong,” Drake says coming to my side.

I look at him angrily. “This is meant to be the girl who you have crushed on, and now it seems like you don’t fucking care,” I shout at him.