"You were the reason he chose soone else," she says.
"That wasn’t my fault, I didnt want to be here in the first place."
"I know that now."
"But back then I didn’t care."
The air feels heavir again and Claire takes in a breath.
"There was only one thing about you that Zane didn’t know."
My stomach tightens instinctivel, I don’t like where this is going one bit.
"What are you talking about?"
Claire’s eyes hold mine now.
"That night....."
My heart stutters.
"What night?"
But I already know what she’s talking about ...Claire answers anyway.
"The night that man raped you."
Instantly mories try to crawl up from sowhere deep and buried but I shove them back down imdiately..
My voice turns cut
"Don’t."
Claire nods slightly.
"That’s exactly why."
Sothing inside begins to shake.
"What?"
"That was the only thing," she says carefully.
"The only thing I never told Zane about you, then it was because despite him putting up to being your friend I....I started to like you and see you as an actual friend, so I thought to hide that and protect that little secret of yours."
My chest tightens painfully as her words start coming faster now.
" I never reported it to him."
"I never told him who the man was."
"I never told him what had happened."
"So I used it..."
I stare at her
"What?"
Claire presses her lips together for a mont then....she says it.
"I contacted him."
My heart slams against my ribs.
"That man..."
The room spins.
"I contacted him and asked him to co to the club."
My voice cos out strangled.
"You did what?"
Claire’s eyes flick away for a mont.
"And I invited you out to that club too..... I knew how hurt Zane would be..especially his fragile ego. How he would feel knowing that sothing like that was happening under his nose, In his club "
My brain refuses to process the sentence.
"You’re lying."
"I’m nt unfortunately"
Rage starts building in my chest like a fire
"You knew what that man did to ," I whisper.
Claire’s shoulders tense.
"I know."
"You watched fall apart after that!"
My voice cracks loudly now.
"You saw what that did to !"
My hands are shaking.
"You knew how bad my ntal health went to hell after that."
Claire looks miserable now.
"I didn’t think he’d....."
"Don’t!" I shout.
My voice echoes through the room.
"Don’t even dare finish that sentence."
My breathing is uneven and my chest hurts.
"Why would you do that to ?" I demand.
"You...you were my friend."
Claire’s face crumples again.
"I was angry, at you and at Zane" she says weakly.
"That’s not a fuckin excuse!"
"I know."
"Then why?"
Her voice cracks.
"Because hurting you ant hurting him."
"So yo hurt because of a man?. A fucking man?!!"
The rage in my finally breaks loose, befor I even realize what I’m doing I stalk forward, my hand swings and I slap the freaking shit out of Claire.
Claire’s head snaps to the side, the sound echoing against the walls while my palm burns instantly frm the impact but I don’t care.
"You evil fucking bitch!" I shout.
Claire stumbles back slightly, her hand flying to her cheek.
Tears are pouring down my face now.
"You brought my nightmare back into my life!."
My voice shakes violently.
"You dragged that monster back into my life!"
Claire doesn’t fight back she just stands there holding her face.
"You knew what he did to ! You knew how drained of life I was" I scream
"You fucking knew!"
The rage and betrayal are choking the air out of my lungs.
"And you still chose to use it!"
My hands are trembling violently now.
"Go to hell, Claire."
My voice is raw.
"Go straight to fucking hell cause that’s exactly where you belong."
I’m standing there with my chest heaving and my palm still burning from where it connected with her face.
And the mories she just dragged back into the room are clawing at the inside of my skull.
My stomach turns violently as Claire’s words keep repeating in my head.
It feels wring.... Even the air I’m breathing feels wrong, like I can’t breathe enough of it.
Claire slowly lifts her head and her cheek is already turning red where I slapped her.
She looks shocked, like she didn’t think I’d actually hit her.
After everything she’s done? That’s the mont sothing inside finally snaps.
"You evil bitch," I say again.
My voice is shaking so hard the words barely sound like mine.
Claire opens her mouth
"Elaine..:.."
Before she can finish the sentence I move, faster than I think she expects.
My hand grabs a fistful of her hair and yanks.
Claire screams instantly.
"What the hell....."
My other hand cos up and slaps her again, harder this ti. The sound cracking through the room.
"You brought him back into my life!" I shout.
Another slap.
Claire tries to shove away but I’m already on her. All the anger that’s been building in my chest explodes out of at once as my nails rake down the side of her face.
Claire cries out in pain, stumbling backward.
"Are you insane?!" she screams.
"Yes!" I yell back.
My hand swings again as I slap her again.
Claire finally shoves hard in the shoulder.
"Get off !"
But my training kicks in before my brain can even catch up. My foot slides forward automatically, closing the space she tried to create.
Claire tries to grab my wrists.... Which is a bad move, I twist one arm free and shove her backward nd she crashes into the dining table with a loud bang. The dishes Margaret left out rattling violently.
Claire shrieks.
"Elaine stop! What the fuck is wrong with you."
"No!"
My nails drag across her arm this ti and she gasps sharply.
"Look at what you did to !" I scream.
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