Chapter VII

The rape scene

Chapter VII

 

          January stood at the art gallery dressed in only her best. Lily was kind enough to send $100 for the showing. Xandera and January had found a cotton dress for that amount. Even NYC has sells sometimes apparently. As for the shoes she borrowed a pair of ‘neck snappers’ (as Xandera calls them) from the girl beside January’s dorm. Her hair was up in a nice bun and she wore cheap, fake diamond earrings.

          The art showing was held at an art gallery ten minutes away from the school. Apparently ABAU owned half of it. This building was pulled between ABAU and another art school and lucky for ABAU it was their turn to use it.

          The rooms were hot and a Jazz band played far away in the distance. Older, more sophisticated New Yorkers walked in well dressed and drank freely of the free wine (which January also tapped into; on one asked for ID). They also looked at the paintings, the price tag and mumbled comments under their breaths. January was told that the paintings were sold and 90% of the money went to the student, the other 10% went to the school. January wanted to complain but when she saw the price for her painting ($400, $360 for her) she decided not to. 360 dollars is always better then nothing.

          The only real thing she had to do was stand by her painting and make small talk to potential customers. One older man looked interested by her painting but really stood around at talk about the weather and his dogs. The person to buy her painting was a women opening a bookstore soon.

          January asked the big wig of the night for her money and he told her that she could receive it at the end of the week though Student Financial Center.

          The biggest surprise of the night was finding Jared there. He too had not one, but two pieces of art in the showing. He was so kind and generous with January. He kept brining her Diet Coke and wine went she couldn’t leave to get it for her self.

          They left the building at nine p.m. It was dark and cold out so Jared wrapped her up in his jacket and promised to take her back to the school.

          The car he drove was a beat up, blue piece of crap, but that didn’t matter; at least January could take the shoes off.

          She sat in the front seat and rubbed the ball of her foot. “Guys, really. Ya’ll never have to worry about looking good in high heels.”

          “Ya’ll?” Jared smiled mysteriously.

          “I am a southern girl after all. I was raised in North Carolina.”

          Jared popped a cigarette in and sat back.

          “When we going back to the school?” Jared hadn’t even started the car yet.

          “When ever you want to, I guess. I’m just enjoying a smoke with a pretty girl.” Then he winked and handed January the cigarette pack.

          “I don’t smoke.”

          “A girl from North Carolina who doesn’t smoke… Way to waste wonderful cash crops.”

          They didn’t speak for a few minutes and during that time January started to feel fuzzy. Her tongue seemed to be glued on to the roof of her mouth. Even her thoughts seem to take forever to be acted upon. When he started the car she wanted to ask where they were going but the words she wanted to say wouldn’t come.

          He kept on and kept on driving. At some point January was sure he was driving in circles.

          Her body felt weak and limp. When Jared stopped her pulled her out of the car by her legs. The pavement was scratching her face as he dragged her across it. She wanted to fight back but she couldn’t. Thought her body felt limp her mind was only a little hazy.

          Jared pulled January until they were in the woods. By the time Jared slammed January’s body into the tree she recognized the place; it was the woods a mile away from the school.

          January couldn’t feel anything, but she could hear it. He tore her dress and panties. She wanted to kick, to scream but all she managed to do was fall onto the ground.

          After falling he kneeled down and took control. January tried to think of something else, puppies, ice cream, anything but what was happening.

          The whole thing took ten minutes and when he was finished he pulled his pants back up.

          “Call you later.”

          After he said that January fell into a deep, coma like sleep.

Reviews

[Tina Kline]

He was obviously giving her drinks with the date rape drug in it. What a monster. They're just too many of them out there. This is a really good story.

[Coyote Poetry]

The chapter started with a interesting beginning. Trying to sell her painting. The ending was terrible and sad. I will keep reading.
Coyote

[Valette]

This was a very emotive chapter. It riles up a good mix of feelings of righteous anger, pity, and indignation.
However, there was a few things that I thought could be improved on.
First, the sentence, "Even NYC has sells sometimes apparently." I believe you meant 'Apparently, even NYC has sales sometimes.'
The biggest thing I noticed was that the end felt rushed, and things got a bit confused. First off, he's dragging her across pavement on her face? Then he slams her against a tree. And she falls to the ground. Sequence feels off. He would be more likely to carry her; if he dragged her, would he really want to ruin her face? Or would he drag her on her back and shoulders?
The sentence, "After falling he kneeled down and took control." is off. He was in control from the moment she got into his car. Now, whose fall is he kneeling after- hers or his?
"Call you later." -There are so many better phrases to use here that would envoke a reader's sympathy- like him calling her a w***e. If she would have given her number to him earlier, call ya later, might fit better.
This is a very uncomfortable part of the story, and it feels rushed.
It might be better to end with something like 'Unable to move from the exposed position he had left her in, she slipped into darkness.'

[Daydreamer54]

That b*****d got her drunk on purpose! sghe should have been more repsopnsible and not take the wine her gave her! I feel sorry for her, and sadly these things happen at colleges and other placres alike! I hope she treid to fight back,but she was probably too weak. :(