Chapter 10
"You with me over there?" Justin waved a hand in Ashley's face.
"Yea, sorry...I spaced." She looked down at her food, then back up at Justin who was watching her intently.
"So, what's on the agenda for tomorrow?" He said, taking a bit out of a sub.
"Um...I'm going to visit my dad's grave and plant those flowers we picked up. Then we're pretty much free. Sunday, I wanted to go to church, if that's ok with you. I never get to go anymore, and I would like to see everyone." He voice picked up a meloncholly tone, and Justin was sorry he brought it up.
"You wanna watch that movie we picked up?" He changed the subject to see if she would cheer up. He hated seeing her sad, because it brought him down too.
"Yes, I would like that." She smiled at him, and he couldn't help but return the gesture. "I'll pop some pop corn." She stated getting up from the table.
Justin got the video set, and they sat down next to each other on the couch, with a bowl of popcorn in between them. They sat in silence, watching the movie. Everynow and then an arm would move so they could eat some popcorn, but other than that, it was still.
Justin had been watching the movie, but at the same time Ashley. She was so intent on the plot, and she looked so beautiful. Her eyes shining with the light reflected off the tv screen. He couldn't help but notice her. She had a smile that lit up a room the moment she walked in. She had a presence that no one could surpass and a love of life that was intoxicating.
He reached his hand down to get some food when he noticed it wasn't popcorn he picked up. He had her hand in his. She turned and looked at him.
"I hope you're not going to eat me." She laughed. Justin smiled, but he picked up the bowl, and put it on the table infront of them. He then pulled Ashley so she was sitting right next to him, almost in his lap. He then picked up her hand, and gently licked the butter off one of her fingers. Slowly. Then moving onto the next.
Ashley felt a tingle of pleasure run through her spine. She closed her eyes as he kissed up her arm to her neck. He paused at the indent at the base of her neck, then running his toung up to her jaw where he placed tiny kissed across her face. he then turned her head and placed a passion filled kiss on her slightly parted lips. He felt her tense up, but seconds later she gave in. She pushed him over so his back was against the arm rest, and he slid down so his head was leaning against it. She got ontop of him, straddling his waist. She put her arms around his shoulders and her fingers played with the fine hairs on the back of his head.
Justin placed his hands on her waist and tugged at her shirt. He pulled it up slightly and his hands roamed over the soft skin of her back.
Things were starting to get hot and heavy, and Ashley was caught up in the moment, but she soom realized what was happening. She pulled back from his soft, sensual kisses.
"Justin, I can't stop please." He stopped kissing, but she could still feel his hands on her back, and she froze with fear.
"What are you doing! get off of me Rick!" Ashley screamed as the man she once knew as caring forced her into his jeep.
"Lighten up Ash....this will be fun. You'll like it!" He said with equal force. He then grabbed her shirt and ripped it off. His cold, hard hands were on her back and then he forced her arms over her head. "Just let me handle everything....I promise, it'll be real quick if you let me." He whispered into her ear. Ashley felt cheap and dirty.
"No! Do you hear me...no!! Get off of me...!" She kicked and screamed but he wouldn't get off.
Justin felt her tense up and he quickly took his hands off her bare stomach and back, and placed them on her hands.
"Are you Ok?" He said, conserened. "I'm sorry, I just got caught up in the moment..." He looked at her pale face. "You don't look so good...are you ok?"
"It's just...I...Oh Justin." he was surprised as she threw herself onto him, crying in his shoulder.
"What is it...Ashley? Talk to me...come on. I can't help you if you don't tell me what's wrong." She sniffled and looked back at Justin. For some reason, she felt as if she sould tell him.
She got up off the couch, and sat on the coffee table infront of Justin.
"When I was 16, I was going out with this guy named Rick. We went out to a party one night and he got drunk. It was my birthday and he had been celebrating with his friends, but since it was my birthday he decided to take me along. He was 18 at the time. Well, like I said he was drunk..." She stopped and took a deep breath, but when Justin opened his mouth to say something she continued. "It was about 2 o'clock. I told him I was getting a cab home, because he was so plastered. But he said no, and pushed me toward his jeep." She lowered her head and Justin took her hand.
"It's ok Ash...you don't have to tell me." She shook her head.
"He...he forced me into the backseat and ri...ripped off my shirt. His hands were all over me, and...and I told him no, but he wouldn't stop....he wouldn't stop Justin. I kept screaming and screaming for him to stop becuase he was hurting me, but he wouldn't get off!" She started crying again, but pushed Justin away when he tried to hug her.
"I was so attracted to him when I first saw him. He had curly blond hair and deep blue eyes. Just like you, but when I look back, his eyes were dead. Full of broken promises and nothing more. He never smiled with his eyes and he was always acting. I thought he was so kind, but he wasn't. He lied to me....and then he raped me." She wipped her eyes with the back of her hand. "And the worst part...after he got off of me, when it was over, he threw me onto the ground and said 'This will be the birthday you'll never forget baby. And you owe it all to me.' and he drove off and left me in the middle of downtown Orlando without a ride." She spoke softly now, Justin had to strain to hear her.
"That was the night my father died." Her head was hung low and she hiccuped every now and then. Justin looked at her in shock. He had never imagined that someone so beautiful and carring could go through so much pain. The thought made him sick. The thought of someone hurting her like that.
Ashley looked at Justin and his face was stained with tears. He got up and pulled her into a tight hug and gave into a warm embrace.
The two ended up sleeping in eachothers arms giving silent comfort and Ashley had the first good night sleep since she was 16.
Chapter 11
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