https : *⋆❝ sadiesinkhergf ! ❞
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🪷 . . . chapter seven
┈➤ 𝗚𝗟𝗢𝗥𝗬 𝗕𝗢𝗫, jj maybank
❦༄

TW! mentions of sexual assault.

🪷 chapter seven !
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THE GIRLS WERE CURRENTLY crouched by the toilet, with valentina holding wheezie's hair back as she vomited the remnants of kelce's alcohol-infused drink. the girl groaned between dry heaves, her face pale and sweaty.

valentina gently rubbed her back, offering what little comfort she could. the cool towel she held in her hand was used to wipe wheezie's mouth when she finished, and she placed a comforting hand on the girl's back.

sarah, standing a little further away, crossed her arms, watching the scene unfold with a hint of amusement despite the situation.

"so, what have we learned?" she asked, her tone sarcastic yet somehow affectionate.

wheezie barely had the strength to lift her head, but she managed a weak response.

"never mix... vodka with crystal light." her voice was hoarse, and she cringed slightly, clearly regretting the poor decisions. she leaned forward again, clutching the toilet bowl as another wave of nausea hit her.

valentina continued to rub her back, quietly soothing her. she felt a pang of sympathy for the younger girl, who had clearly overdone it.

when she finished, she looked up at the two girls, her face twisted in pain but also in embarrassment.

"please don't tell dad," she pleaded, her voice shaky.

valentina was about to reassure her, but sarah spoke up first, a playful glint in her eyes. "i won't, on one condition." she leaned forward, a smile spreading across her lips.

wheezie looked at her older sister with confusion, her brow furrowing. "what's that?"

"you cover for me sneaking out with topper tonight," she replied, her tone almost smug, as if she knew she was about to win. valentina's eyes widened as the realization hit. she had almost forgotten about the party tonight.

wheezie groaned, leaning back against the cool tile of the bathroom wall, shaking her head.

"please?" the blonde pressed, her voice dripping with sweetness as she leaned in closer.

her younger sister rolled her eyes, letting out an exaggerated sigh. "fine," she grumbled, her tone defeated, but she was clearly giving in.

the two girls immediately hooked their pinky fingers together in a solemn pinky swear, a gesture that made valentina smile slightly. it wasn't often that she saw them bond over something like this.

she was about to go wash her hands when wheezie leaned forward again, her face scrunching up in discomfort.

valentina's hand found its way back to her back, as she soothed her. "i know how you feel, girl," she said softly, her voice sincere.

"maybe next time, i'll just stick to water," she muttered, giving her a weak smile, clearly appreciating the comfort, before turning her attention back to the toilet.

"probably a good idea." valentina snorted softly, cleaning the girls mouth with the towel again, and brushing wheezie's hair out of her face with her other hand.

"you know what? we should just keep a stash of non-alcoholic drinks in here for you. at least you won't need a chaser." sarah laughed, but there was a soft tenderness to her tone.

after the three cleaned up again, valentina excused herself from the sisters, remembering that pope had asked her to call him. she pulled her phone out, frowning slightly as she remembered the power outage on the cut. he probably couldn't reach her because of it, and the thought made a strange ache settle in her chest.

she quickly dialed his number, hoping she'd catch him before his phone died or something, and she let out a soft sigh of relief when he picked up.

"hi, angel," she teased, trying to lighten the moment, but her tone shifted as she heard his heavy breathing on the other end of the line.

"i'm so glad you called," his voice came through, a mix of relief and urgency in his words. "i thought you forgot."

she furrowed her brows, feeling the confusion rising in her chest.

"what's going on, pope?" she asked, her tone softening as she registered his strained breathing.

his voice came through in quick, breathless bursts. "the power's out, and i can't even charge my phone. i need to be quick." he paused for a moment, almost like he was catching his breath.

the girl blinked, not sure where this was headed. "are you okay? do you need something?" she asked, her voice filled with concern.

"i need you to come to the chateau tonight," he stated, his words rushed.

"what?!" her stomach dropped, a feeling of disbelief washing over her. she couldn't quite wrap her head around it.

"listen, val!" he sounded almost frantic now. "it's important. trust me. please?"

"yeah, sure, but there's a party first-" she could hear the urgency in his voice, and the tone was so insistent, so unlike pope, and she couldn't say no.

"leave earlier and come here, okay?" he interjected. "i wouldn't beg you like this if it wasn't urgent."

normally she would've made an inappropriate joke, but she refrained herself, glancing back towards where sarah and wheezie were as she noticed that the younger girl retreated back to her room, then slowly nodded, even though he couldn't see her.

"okay, yeah, yeah fine."

"thanks, val. see you tonight!" he exclaimed quickly, his voice almost relieved as he hung up abruptly.

valentina held the phone to her ear for a moment longer, staring at it in confusion.

"the fuck?" she mumbled under her breath. she shook her head as if trying to clear the fog that had settled in her mind. whatever it was, it clearly couldn't wait.

she slipped her phone back into her bag and headed back towards the sarah, her mind spinning with unanswered questions.

"you okay?" the girl asked as soon as she noticed the distracted look on valentina's face, and she nodded absently, still caught up in the conversation she just had.

"yeah, i just had the weirdest interaction with-"

her words were cut off when rafe suddenly stormed inside, his presence filling the room with tension. sarah couldn't help the smirk that tugged at her lips as she watched her brother's angry strides.

"told you," she murmured under her breath, but the other two caught it.

rafe paused in his tracks and his eyes landed on valentina, his face instantly hardening. he shot her a quick look, and she waved at him, not bothering to acknowledge the weight of his glare.

"shouldn't have bought that motorcycle with the generator money." sarah shrugged.

valentina blinked, the comment only adding to the confusion swirling in her head. she didn't know what the fuck that was about, but she figured it was some family drama she wasn't about to get mixed up in.

rafe just scoffed, muttering something under his breath as he walked away, his eyes briefly roaming over valentina's figure again before he disappeared from sight.

sarah let out a soft sigh, clearly used to rafe's antics, and turned back to valentina.

"sorry, what were you saying?"

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valentina sat perched at the edge of the pool, the thumping bass of the loud rap song vibrating through her body. she absentmindedly hummed along to the lyrics, her head bobbing slightly in time with the beat.

the party was in full swing- music blasting, people yelling, and laughter echoing around the mansion. she took a quick drag from her vape and handed it to kelce, who gave her a grin and a little wiggle of his fingers in appreciation before taking a hit.

"yo! topper's on the roof!" someone yelled from across the crowd, drawing the girl's attention. she squinted through the chaos, spotting topper standing triumphantly, on the roof, the crowd cheering wildly below him. she scrunched her nose in distaste as she watched him lift his arms, shaking his head with exaggerated confidence.

"is he for real?" she muttered to kelce, raising an eyebrow at the sight of him.

"look over there," kelce laughed, his eyes bright with amusement as he pointed, smirking. "your girl's up there, too."

valentina's gaze snapped to the roof again, her attention now caught by the sight of sarah cameron, laughing uncontrollably as topper held her in his arms, cradling her bridal style. her best friend's laughter rang out loud and clear, but valentina could sense a slight nervous energy in her voice.

"jump! jump! jump!" the crowd around them chanted in unison, egging them on. sarah squirmed in topper's grasp, her laughter mixed with a scream as she clung to him. valentina couldn't help but smile at the sight, happy that her best friend was enjoying it here.

"he's gonna fucking jump," kelce laughed, clearly entertained by the spectacle.

valentina took another hit of her vape, her eyes still focused on her best friend up on the roof, and she nodded.

sarah's scream echoed through the backyard, her voice high-pitched as topper jumped off the roof. valentina had leaned back slightly in her spot, dodging the spray of water that flew in the air as topper hit the pool with a splash, laughing like a madman.

"can you believe this girl right here?" topper shouted, holding sarah tight in his arms, his free hand pointing to her dramatically. "the coolest chick in the OBX!"

valentina let out a chuckle at the pure joy on sarah's face as she clung to topper, a grin stretched across her lips. the excitement in her eyes made it all seem worth it, despite how insane the stunt was.

sarah swam towards the girl, her hands landing on the valentina's thighs as she rested on the edge of the pool.

she looked at the blondes wide, almost panicked eyes, grinning as she caught her breath.

"that was the scariest shit ever, oh my god!" sarah exclaimed, still recovering from the adrenaline rush, her voice a mix of disbelief and excitement.

valentina poked her cheek teasingly, leaning down just a little closer. "you looked sexy and badass, girl. who cares?" she teased, her grin widening at sarah's slightly flustered expression.

valentina eventually grew tired of the poolside chaos, the laughter and loud music starting to feel more suffocating than fun. she slipped out of her seat, grabbing the short dress she'd discarded earlier and pulling it over her bikini, feeling the fabric cool against her sun-kissed skin. she straightened the dress, brushing a few strands of damp hair out of her face, and began walking toward the house, hoping to find someone familiar to talk to.

as she stepped inside, the hum of chatter and music greeted her, but the overwhelming noise of the party made her head spin a little. she scanned the room, eyes flicking over groups of people she barely recognized.

she couldn't help but sigh as she pushed her way further into the house. she hadn't realized just how badly she needed a break from everything until now.

"yo! sweetheart!" rafe's voice cut through the noise, and she froze mid-step, glancing over to see him sitting with a few of his friends in the lounge area. her eyes flicked to the table in front of them, where a few white lines of something powdery sat, and she raised an eyebrow, trying to hide her distaste.

she made her way over, her heels clicking against the floor with each step.

"what's up, rafe?" she asked, her voice smooth as she leaned against the arm of the couch, crossing her legs, casually observing the scene. rafe smirked, wrapping his arm around her waist, his gaze lingering a little too long.

"you looking to join the fun?" he asked, nodding toward the lines on the table. "you know, like old times?"

valentina's stomach churned slightly at his words, but she kept her cool, smiling faintly as she shook her head.

"no. thank you, rafe," she said, glancing over at the others, who were too busy snorting to pay much attention to her. "maybe you should find another way to entertain yourself tonight."

"you mean, with you?"

valentina raised an eyebrow, a playful laugh escaping her lips as she shook her head. rafe's smirk grew wider, and without a word, he glanced over at the group for a moment before standing up abruptly.

before valentina could react, he grabbed her hand, tugging her away toward a more secluded area.

"come, let's go."

"rafe, what are you-" valentina muttered, trying to pull her hand from his grip, but he didn't let go. she caught sight of topper storming into the room, but she couldn't even process his arrival before rafe slammed a door shut, locking them inside a room.

"rafe, what the fuck are we doing here?" she demanded, her voice sharp as she noticed the hazy, almost wild look in his eyes. he smirked lazily, stepping closer until she found herself trapped between him and the wall.

valentina's heart skipped a beat, her mind racing as she tried to process what was happening.

the moment he had grabbed her hand, she had known something wasn't right, but now, as he backed her into the wall, her body tensed with unease. she could feel the weight of his body against hers, the way his hazy eyes flickered with something unsettling, and she quickly pushed against his chest with both hands.

"i just wanted some time alone with my girl. is that so bad?" rafe murmured, his voice low and slow, making her stomach turn.

"i'm not your girl, rafe."

"you are, baby. you've been fighting it for too long..." he gradually slid his hand up her thigh, leaning closer to brush his lips against hers, but she turned her face away.

"rafe, get the fuck off of me," she murmured, straining to push him away, though he remained still. his lips now moved to her neck as he held firm. "don't fucking touch me."

"don't run from me, baby. i know you want this," he whispered against her skin, his hands gripping her hips tightly, his knee pressing into her legs. "you've been a tease for too long."

"rafe, please stop," she pleaded, and as soon as she felt his hands raising her dress, panic surged through her as she fought him as hard as she could.

he didn't stop though, and his hand grazed her panties, causing her to whimper in fear. he ignored her and instead, started sucking down her neck harder, his other hand holding both her hands. her back hurt from how hard he had her pressed against the wall, and his hand nearly slipped under her panties.

just then, the sound of the door handle jiggled from the other side, and she could hear a muffled voice. valentina's heart skipped again as she recognized the voice- it was topper.

"hey, is everything okay in there?"

rafe immediately stiffened, his hand quickly dropping from under her dress as his gaze darted toward the door.

"yeah, everything's fine," he said quickly, his tone now defensive, though there was a slight tremor in it.

valentina took a step back, eyes narrowed in disgust and frustration. "get the fuck the of my way," she pushed him harshly, already moving toward the door.

rafe glared at her, but didn't protest, letting her unlock the door. as it creaked open, she found topper standing there, looking equally confused and concerned. his eyes quickly flickered to rafe, who was still leaning against the wall with an annoyed look on his face.

"you good?" topper asked quietly, his eyes glancing back to valentina as he noticed the fear in her eyes.

she didn't answer immediately. instead, she stepped out and into the hallway, her heart pounding in her chest.

"i'm fine," she muttered, though her voice was shaky. she pushed past him and sped back towards the backyard, grabbing her purse that kelce had secured from her, before leaving the party, unannounced, unlocking her car as fast as she could.

she sat in the drivers seat, her hands gripping the steering wheel. her heart pounded in her chest as the events replayed over and over in her mind. she couldn't believe what had just happened, her body still tense, her breath shallow. her eyes were wide with shock, and for the first time, she couldn't hold back the slight quiver in her lip as she fought to calm herself.

her mind swirled with what could've happened if topper didn't interrupt them, and she felt defeated when she realized how much stronger rafe was than her- not budging as she tried to push him off desperately.

the feeling of his breath on her skin, the pressure of his hands- she shook her head, trying to shake the images away. she was grateful, more than ever, that topper had shown up when he did for once, her hands trembling as she turned on the engine, before getting out of that place as fast as possible.

when she pulled up to the chateau, she glanced at her reflection in the rearview mirror, wiping away any traces of makeup that had smeared from her earlier tears. her eyes were red and puffy, but she exhaled sharply, trying to compose herself before stepping out of the car. she couldn't afford to look vulnerable, not now.

she approached the door, and she was about to knock, but before she could even raise her hand, the door swung open abruptly.

"fucking finally, what took you so-" pope stood in front of her, his expression shifting from impatient to concerned when he took in her appearance. "have you been crying?"

she froze, a mix of frustration and embarrassment washing over her. she slapped his hand away as he reached for her face, offering him a glare that was a little too dramatic for the moment.

"what? no." she pushed past him quickly, doing her best to avoid the pitiful gaze he was probably giving her.

when she stepped into the room, the other three were sitting around the table, their eyes immediately locking on her. there was a heavy, uncomfortable silence before she awkwardly waved at them, trying to lighten the mood despite the tension.

"uh, hey?" she offered, her voice betraying the exhaustion she felt.

"hey princess." jj winked, and kiara rolled her eyes with a dramatic sigh, clearly unimpressed.

"took you long enough," she said, crossing her arms.

valentina made weird talking motions with her hands, her voice dripping with sarcasm as she placed her purse on the couch. "blah blah blah, sorry, i don't make time for peasants."

kiara her patience was clearly wearing thin, but before the two could start their usual back-and-forth, jj's voice cut through.

"ouch, princess. you callin' me a peasant?" he raised an eyebrow, his tone teasing, and valentina rolled her eyes with a smile.

"you literally are a peasant, freak."

john b threw his hands up in exasperation, clearly frustrated with the banter.

"guys!" he protested, his voice rising slightly. "we don't have time for this right now, okay?"

valentina looked around at the group, their faces all twisted in expressions of guilt and pity, their eyes lingering on her.

"yeah, what the hell is going on? why am i here?" she asked, her voice rising with confusion and frustration. no one answered her, but jj stood up from his chair, holding a tape recorder in his hands.

"what- what is that?" she asked, her head spinning as she took in the sympathy on their faces. "hello?"

"just... just listen to it," he said softly, his voice unlike anything she'd ever heard from him. the unsettling feeling in her chest spread as she took the tape recorder from him.

"what?" she muttered, staring at it in confusion. "guys, if this is some prank, now really isn't the time-"

"val," pope interrupted gently, placing a hand on her shoulder. "come with me."

he led her toward a room, where books and papers were scattered all over the floor, and shut the door behind them. the sudden sound of it closing made her heart race, and she quickly moved toward the door, flinging it open in fear.

"what the hell are you doing?" pope asked, looking between her, the tape recorder, and the door.

"don't close the door, please." she shot him a desperate look, her voice shaking.

pope's face softened, and he nodded slowly. his expression full of concern. "uhm, okay."

she let out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding, her body relaxing slightly as the door remained open.

she sat down, trembling, as her fingers pressed the button on the tape recorder in confusion. her mind was blank, her heart pounding.

"hi, baby girl," the voice began, and valentina's eyes went wide in disbelief as she stared at pope, dropping the tape recorder on the desk in shock as she choked for air.

it was her mothers voice.

"my sweet girl, i miss you so much."

the sound of her mother's voice sent waves of confusion and emotion crashing over her, and tears filled her vision as she fought to process the words, pope quickly moving to her side, gripping her hand in his.

"i know i've been acting a little... off lately, and i'm sorry for lying to you when you kept asking me about it." her mother sniffled, her voice filled with regret.

"i've been with john b's father, big john. and no, baby," her mother laughed softly, a hollow sound that only added to valentina's confusion and shock. "it's not what you think. i've been looking for the royal merchant with him, and we found it, angel. we found the gold."

the joy in her mother's voice tore at valentina's heart, and her body shook as the words seemed to reverberate in her chest.

"we need to find a way to get it, and i promise, baby, i promise i will get you out of that house. we'll go somewhere, somewhere far away, just the two of us. somewhere safe." her mother took a deep breath. "i don't know if you'll ever find this tape, i have no idea where big john is gonna put these, but if you do, know that i love you more than words could express. my precious girl."

her mother paused for a moment, the sound of sniffling followed by the quiet ache of her words.

"don't let your father ruin you like he ruined me."

the tape clicked, signaling the end of the recording, and silence filled the room.

valentina stared at the tape on the desk, her world spinning. quiet tears streamed down her face as she looked between the recorder and pope. her body trembled, her mind racing, and her hands pressed to her mouth to stifle the sobs building in her throat.

before she could speak, pope enveloped her in a tight, comforting hug, his arms wrapped around her as she clung to him. she buried her face into his chest, her tears soaking his shirt, and his voice cracked as he whispered, "i'm sorry."

her mother's words, the unknowns swirling in her mind, the overwhelming emotions that she couldn't even put into words- it all crashed down on her.

the room was heavy with silence, the others watching with solemn faces, not knowing what to say or do. the only sound was valentina's quiet sobs, muffled into pope's chest, her grief echoing.

john b felt a tightening in his chest, a sense of guilt washing over him for reasons he couldn't even pinpoint. he knew her pain better than anyone else in the room. he understood her struggles, her need to escape, her unspoken fears, and seeing her in this moment hit him harder than he expected.

he stood up, his chair scraping slightly as he moved, but before he could take another step, jj's hand gently landed on his arm, holding him back. his gaze was firm but understanding as he shook his head softly.

john b hesitated, his eyes still fixed on valentina, unable to pull his gaze away from her shaking body. the guilt gnawed at him, but he swallowed it down, nodding slowly, though he couldn't quite stop the feeling of helplessness. he sat back down as the group quietly let pope be the one to comfort her for now, just like kiara had done for john b last night.

🪷 . . . MAISSA !
hi angelssssss

if you've ever been in a position where something sa related happened to you, or someone you know, don't be afraid to speak up about it! i've been a victim myself and speaking up caused the boy who did it to lose chances of getting into college, and certain jobs!!! don't be afraid !!!! you're strong and i love you ❤️

double update cuz i felt like it (ignore any spelling mistakes i tried to proof read but its 3am so bare with me)

well... that certainly took a turn 😛 poor girl getting so much thrown on her plate all in once

i have nothing else to say besides that i love you all & im excited (and scared) to publish the next chapter 💋💋