The Dark Places by R. Whitfield (novel24 TXT) 📕

She smiled and let him run his hands seductively up to her shoulders, gently surrounding her neck. She tilted her chin up, accepting his open mouth, and moaned.

“God, Surin,” he responded, grabbing her tightly around the waist, pulling her to the ground. Her arms fell naturally around his neck, and they kissed deeper and deeper. Time seemed to stop as she surrendered herself to his expert touch. Somewhere in the fog of her mind, she heard a nearby twig snap. She sat up instantly as her heart started hammering.

“What’s wrong?” Eamon asked, clearly annoyed.

“I thought I heard something,” she stammered.

Eamon looked around, taking in the tall pines. “Sury, it’s the middle of the woods at dusk.” He turned her face back to him tenderly. “No one is hiding in the bushes,” he added with a grin. She smiled, feeling foolish. “It’s probably a deer or something,” he continued. “Now where were we,” he murmured quietly, running his hand up under her yellow summer dress. In a blur of movement, he was on top of her, kissing her hard on the lips, his breath was short as he mumbled her name over and over again. Surin threw back her head as his fingers finally found her most intimate part and without her even realising what was happening, he slipped her panties to the side and continued to stroke her until she felt like she was going to explode.

“Eamon,” she breathed quickly, reaching the tip of euphoria when a sudden, sharp pain hurtled her back to reality. “No,” she cried as she felt him enter her again.

“Surin, it’s OK,” he groaned and quickly pushed back inside her.

“Eamon, no,” she begged, as tears spilled down the side of her face. “Please, not like this.” She pushed on his chest, but it was no use.

“I love you, Surin,” he murmured, his breath quickening and he groaned with his final release.

Surin lay under him for what felt like an eternity. She cried silently for what she had just lost, waiting for him to move. He rolled onto his side and kissed her shoulder, then her neck and softly turned her face to him.

“What’s wrong?” he asked, genuinely concerned. “Did I hurt you?”

Surin stared at him in disbelief. “Hurt me?” she stuttered. “You forced me,” she said, as the rage began to build.

“No,” he said, sitting up instantly. “No, you were there, in the moment.” He began to reach for her, but she pulled away abruptly.

“No, Eamon, I wasn’t.” She stood up on shaky legs, pulling her dress down and fixing her now blood-stained underwear.

“Surin, please,” he said, desperately scrambling to his feet. “I didn’t mean to hurt you, I just…” She glared at him, daring him to continue. “I couldn’t stop, I would never fucking hurt you,” he cried out.

She could see the desperation in his eyes, the urge to reach out and comfort him was strong, but she refused. All of a sudden, a wave of sorrow passed over her. She knew in that instant that this was the end for them and that she had truly loved him.

“Surin,” he pleaded again. “I love you. Please talk to me,” he stuttered.

She could see tears begin to well up in his eyes. “I want to go home,” she said and turned towards the path. He ran up behind her and clasped her hand. She let him, knowing that it would be the last time they would ever touch. They walked the rest of the way in silence, Eamon stealing occasional glances at her. She felt numb, like a hard shell had formed over her sorrow. Was it her fault, she asked herself? Nearly a whole year together, endless promises of next time and finally had he just not been able to stop. She shook her head. Eamon saw the movement and took the opportunity to try to explain himself.

“Surin, please,” he begged, “talk to me.” He faced her, holding both of her hands in front. “I’m so sorry,” he said again.

Surin stared at his impossibly beautiful face. She would miss the curve of his cheek and the way his dimples appeared when he laughed. She would miss his hands and the way he had made her feel safe and loved until now.

“I have to get home,” she whispered, not trusting herself not to cry.

“I’ll walk you the rest of the way,” he replied urgently.

“No need,” she said coldly, instantly regretting her tone as she watched panic register on his face.

“I’ll see you tomorrow, right?” he asked. “After graduation?”

“Sure,” she replied, knowing it was a lie.

He relaxed a bit and smiled shyly. “I love you, Surin. I want to spend my life with you. You know that, right?” She nodded, and as he leant in to kiss her, she turned her head so that his soft lips touched her cheek. “Night,” he said quietly, as she turned and walked down the quiet street towards her house. She knew he would still be standing there, but she couldn’t help wanting one last glance. As she turned, he lifted his hand up and waved. Tears came, thick and fast, and there was nothing she could do to stop them.

“I loved you,” she whispered and took in the glorious sight of him for the very last time. She rounded the corner of her home, stopped and stared at the front door. She could still feel the slick stickiness between her legs, a mixture of blood and bodily fluids, and realised she could not go in and face her parents just yet. Instead, she decided to firmly shut one door in her life so she could open another.

The night had grown cooler than expected. Her flimsy yellow dress offered no protection from the frigid wind as she walked the four blocks to