Too Soon To Wind Up Here

(Takes place the next morning: Day 3)

Melissa hadn’t heard from Doug last night after he sent her the picture of her and Conner talking. Still, she knew enough to just wait. Something was coming from Doug and whatever it was it wasn’t going to be good. She had gotten up, after barely sleeping, got cleaned up, dressed, and sat down on her bed not sure what to do. That was when her phone chimed.

*Meet me downstairs in 10 minutes.*

The text from Doug was clearly an order and not a request. She swallowed and thought to herself. Clearly, there were people who wanted to help her. Maybe she should just tell Doug to go away and deal with the fallout? How bad could it possibly be? She had only been here 2 days after all. She had other people that wanted to be her friends. She didn’t really need the rich kids or Doug, did she? For all the courage she didn’t have she was trying to find some right now still her stomach wouldn’t settle; somehow she thought she couldn’t get away from him that easily.

10 minutes later she was downstairs and Doug was waiting for her, “Well, I see you do have some idea of how to follow directions.” The boy quietly hissed at her. “Come with me.”

Melissa followed and as suspected he took her for a walk. A walk that led down a path to a fairly secluded area, it was then that Melissa suddenly realized he had taken her off school grounds. She glanced around; there were no cameras around like on some of the paths at the school. What was he planning on doing?

“Doug, I don’t think...I want to go back.” Melissa’s voice quivered as she spoke.

“I don’t care what you want,” Doug said. “I wanted you to stay away from them….Conner, that scholarship student JD….Dante... but you didn’t do what I wanted. Why should I do what you want?”

An undertone of anger could be heard in his voice, he clearly wasn’t yelling but the anger was there just the same. Her fear was starting to verge on terror.

“I’m leaving.” Not knowing where that courage had come from. However, before she could take a second step he had grabbed her wrist to prevent her from leaving.

“You’re not going anywhere.” He squeezed her wrist.

“Doug, you’re hurting me.”

He ignored her and kept talking. “You’re going to stay because if you don’t, I’ll let everyone know about you. Your old school. Your reputation. Do you think anyone will want to be your friend once they know about that?”

Melissa was stunned silent not that he had found out, after all the internet held no secrets. but that things had gone downhill so quickly.

“Is it true?” With this he dropped her wrist, knowing she wasn’t going anyplace.

“Is what true?” Melissa asked as that question could be about a lot of things.

“That you’re easy.” He moved closer to her and cupped her chin pushing it upward. “I mean if I had known I would have done stuff with you when we first met but now that I know, don’t think that us getting together is off the table, any longer.”

“What do you want from me?” Melissa’s voice was shaking.

Doug grinned. “I want you to do exactly what I tell you or your little secret will be all over the school, I’ll make sure of it.” He paused. “From now on your my girlfriend and you’re to only associate with people I say you can.”

Melissa quietly said. “What about the shopping trip today, with the girls?”

Doug thought for a moment. “Well, if I don’t let you go people will ask too many questions so you can go. Just text me the minute you get back to the dorm room.” He then reached into his pocket and took out his wallet, pulling out two $100 bills and handing them to her. “Take it. Buy something sexy for the beach I want to show off my girlfriend.”

She stood there for a moment. “I don’t…”

“Take the money.” He gritted through his teeth.

Melissa relented and took the money.

“So, I think we understand each other,” Doug said. “Let’s go back, go to practice and then have breakfast with my friends.”

He held out her hand, Melissa sighed and took it. Only her third day and she had already made a mess of things. She had tried to make this school a fresh start but it looked like everything she had started to accomplish was all going down in flames.