It Takes a Village Pt. 06

Hello y'all! Part 6 of 8 here. Just a quick trigger warning: this installment does describe a sexual assault, so if that will be tough for you to read, I suggest stopping at chapter 17. Thanks!

PART 6

Chapter 16

Monday and Tuesday flew by. Despite our weekend encounter, my shift with Austin wasn't awkward in the slightest. He had an amazing capacity to make everyone feel at ease.

Wednesday dragged on. I was starting to really look forward to my night with Austin. Things were not good with Ruth, and I wasn't in the mood to talk to Mia about everything; she was too happy in the blissful honeymoon phase of her relationship with Isaiah. I was truly in a good mood until my mother called after my calculus class let out.

"Hi, mom, what's up?" I asked, the nerves already setting in.

"Dot, your father has been lying to me this whole time." He blurted out angrily.

"Okay, be kind, rewind." I took a deep breath before continuing. "What did he lie about?"

"Everything!" she screamed, forcing me to physically move my phone about four inches from my ear. "That bastard has been having dinners and drinks with his ex-girlfriend! The one from college!"

I knew about that ex; it was his only other serious relationship before my mom.

"Cheryl? Isn't she married?" I asked.

"Not anymore. Your father just informed me that she divorced her husband last year. And this whole time, he's been going out with her."

"Okay, mom, calm down. Are you sure they aren't just friends? Maybe she needs support after her divorce?"

"If they were just friends, why the FUCK wouldn't he tell me about it?" She asked. I had to admit, my mom had a point. Things didn't look good for my dad.

"I don't know, mom, why don't you ask him?"

"I can't talk to him, that asshole. I told him to sleep at his brother's house tonight."

"Okay, well, I'm sorry all of this is coming out. I don't know what you want me to do though."

"I want you to find out everything you can about Cheryl. She probably has an Instant Gram, right? Maybe a Facebooks?"

"Instagram and Facebook, mom. She might, I don't know. I can check, but nothing else. No stalking." I lied through my teeth. I wasn't going to play this game.

"Thank you, let me know what you find."

"Mm-hm. Love you, bye mom." I hung up.

I hopped on the bus to go home, put my earbuds in, and turned the music up as loud as I could. I couldn't sit still on the ride; my leg was bouncing constantly and I was looking over my shoulder as if someone were after me. I started getting weird looks from others on the bus, so I ended up getting off at the next stop. Fresh air would probably do me good, anyhow.

As I walked past Isaiah's apartment, I stopped to pull up his schedule on my phone. We had exchanged screenshots of our class schedules at the start of the semester to see if we were in any classes together and which of mine he had taken before. I looked at the Wednesday block and saw nothing after 11:30 AM. I started up the stairs to his door, knowing full well that he could be working, or at the gym, or studying on campus. Worst of all, Matty or Rian could be home. To my surprise, Isaiah answered the door when I knocked.

"Dot!" I loved how he was genuinely always excited to see me. He pulled me in for a hug and I pressed my cheek against his chest, gathering strength from his body. "Are you okay? You look upset."

"Um, I don't know, actually. I don't think so." I started, completely unsure where to begin. "I had a big fight with Ruth on Saturday."

He nodded. "I know; she told me at Perry's party."

"Oh." I looked down, ready to hear that Ruth now hated me, or that she didn't want to be roommates.

"She felt terrible, Dot. She told me what she had said about you..." he went to hug me again. "And Mia." He said softly. "She didn't mean it. She was just upset about Matty. But don't worry, I backed you up on that one."

I turned my head out from his chest and looked up at him. "Really? You did?"

"Of course I did, Dot. I'm starting to realize he isn't who I thought he was. Besides, I definitely didn't think you wanted to fuck him." He laughed quietly.

I exhaled forcefully, making a small grunt noise. I mind was still circling the word that Ruth had called me. "I? Do you think I'm..."

"No Dot. I do not think that. I think you're behaving very normally for a 20-year-old college student."

I let out a breath that I didn't know I was holding. "Thank you. It's been eating me up." I said, pushing off of his chest.

"That's what friends are for."

"I'm going to head home now. Ruth is working late tonight and I want to clean the house to apologize."

"Okay Dot, just... call me if you need anything, okay?"

"Thanks I, love ya!" I called as I walked out of his apartment.

I returned home with a new energy and lightness. The knowledge that Ruth wasn't horrendously mad at me made everything better. She wasn't home yet and wouldn't be for a few hours. She had another shift at the hospital, and depending on how busy they were, she might not be home until midnight. As I walked upstairs to shower in preparation for my night with Austin, my phone buzzed. I glanced at the notification and saw it was an email. I didn't recognize the name, so I open the app and read the email.

Dear Dorothea,

It is my pleasure to inform you that you have been accepted to the 4^th annual Reproductive Health and Right Congress as a member of the Data Analysis and Statistics team. You are one of 15 students from around the country that has been accepted, and with a record-breaking number of applicants this year, we hope you recognize this accomplishment and your own potential.

Details on how to accept or reject this offer will be sent within the next three days, and we ask for your final decision by February 15^th. More information on the Congress can be found in the attached document.

We look forward to working with you, and we are thrilled to have you join our team. Together we can work toward public policy that protects reproductive rights.

Sincerely,

Erin Patel, MD, Ph.D.

Executive Director of Admissions

I stood in my room, my backpack hanging onto my body with one strap, my shoes half-way off, and my jaw open. I could not believe it. I was accepted into the Data Analysis and Statistics team for the Reproductive Rights and Health Congress! It was literally my dream job! Getting to play with data and numbers to protect a cause I was so passionate about? Who wouldn't be excited?

My joy was dampened when I remembered the state of relationships with my family and my best friend. Even though Ruth wanted to resolve our conflict as much as I did, I didn't want to tell her my good news until we were on good terms. My family would be happy for me, but the conversation would eventually turn back to my parents' issues. I decided I would keep the news secret for now. Except Isaiah. He would be nothing but happy for me. I sent him a screenshot of the acceptance, along with a bunch of exclamation marks and a request that he not tell anyone about this—not even Mia. Just as I expected, he told me how proud he was of me and said I deserved it more than anyone, and he assured me he wouldn't tell a soul.

Chapter 17

I was on cloud nine for the evening. Austin picked me up at 7:15 PM for the 7:45 show, and we decided to share popcorn. The movie was fine; to be honest, I wasn't paying much attention. I was thinking about how I should tell my parents that I'd be spending the summer in Chicago and couldn't actually come home to play marital counselor. My sisters would be excited for me, but mad that I'd be leaving them alone with my parents. Whatever, I had time to figure it out.

As Austin and I walked back to his car after the movie, I was vaguely aware of him explaining the symbolism of the water and the hidden references that the director had put into the script. I nodded along, letting him believe he was telling me something I didn't already know. When we were settled in his car, I decided to tell him my news.

"Austin, I wanted to tell you something." I said excitedly.

"Yeah, what's up?" He asked, reaching his hand across the seat to rest on mine.

"So... I don't think I told you, but last October I applied to be a part of something called the Reproductive Rights and Health Congress." I continued on, trying to explain the significance without bragging and trying to convey my passion for the topic without sounding crazy. I finally came to my ending. "And I found out I got in! Today! One of fifteen students." I laughed as I told him, my disbelief and joy mixing in the air.

"Wow, that sounds...cool." He said. "So you get to be in Chicago for the summer?"

"Yes! The whole Congress takes place downtown and—"

"Oh man, while you're there you have GOT to try this restaurant..." he trailed off, telling me about life-changing meatballs that I was bound to love. Apparently, he didn't know I was a vegetarian. He eventually moved on to tell me about his favorite coffee shops and bars, which was maybe, just a little bit, useful for me.

"Oh, cool, I will. Thanks." I said quietly. I was a little upset that Austin wasn't more excited for me. I mean, he didn't have to throw me a party or anything, but he could have asked a few more questions about it. He didn't even really have to try to absorb my answers; I did it all the time with him! I just blocked it out when he went on and on about the brilliance of a director or the magic of a pasta place.

"You should." He continued, looking over at me. "Anyway... my place?" He asked, moving his hand off of mine and up my thigh.

"Yeah, sure."

Austin led me into his house, back up both flights of stairs and into his Quiet Room. Before I even had time to think, he had me pinned against the wall, next to the couch. He kissed me hard, his lips locking with mine as he sucked my tongue into his mouth. I was caught off guard, and it took me a second to recover.

"Woah, woah," I mumbled, pushing him back. "We need to talk for a second." He started kissing my neck and down to my cleavage after he nodded. "Okay, so I got... a... B-Brazilian." I whispered, unsure why I suddenly felt embarrassed about it. "So we can do... more, now."

"Oh, don't worry Dot, I will. I'm going to make you come so hard, all on my face." I shivered at his words, the excitement growing. His hands wandered up under my shirt, grabbing my breasts with both hands. I learned from last time's mistakes: no bodysuits.

He continued groping me and eventually his mouth joined his hands, and I cupped my fingers along the hardness in his pants. He groaned and bit down on my nipple, eliciting a little 'yelp' from me. His hands moved to take off my pants, then my panties. I undid the buttons on his shirt as he led me to step out of my bottoms.

"Sit on the couch." He growled. I moved to rest against the back cushion, along the arm of the couch. He knelt before me and pulled my legs until my pussy was right on the edge of the seat. He looked me in the eyes and used his hands to spread me open before he tilted me back so that my knees went to my chest. I felt incredibly vulnerable in that position, but I suppose that was also a part of the appeal. I couldn't look him in the eyes, so I just let my head fall back and told myself to focus on what I felt.

He started with one long, wet lick from my asshole to my freshly waxed mons. I didn't like how I looked or felt with no hair down there. Honestly, I felt less like a 20-year-old woman and more like an 11-year-old prepubescent teen, which made sex with other 20-something-year-olds feel illegal. My focus returned to the present when Austin nipped at the bare skin, whispering something that I couldn't quite make out. Then his tongue went to find my clit, making small circles around the hood. He worked his way lower, over my lips, down to my slick entrance. Just then, he spit on me—no, he spit in me. I heard it before I felt it. His saliva felt cooler compared to my warming pussy, causing me to gasp.

"Yeah, you like that, little slut." He said in a low, sing-songy voice. Did he know that word was a sore spot with me? Probably not. I knew some women enjoyed this kind of talk, so I just closed my eyes again. The next thing I knew it, his entire tongue was inside my pussy. My eyes flew open and my legs jerked involuntarily, so he pulled his tongue out and delivered a little smack against my pussy.

"Don't pretend you don't love it; you're so wet already, Dot. Such a good slut." This time, I really didn't like hearing that word.

"P-please...don't...d-don't call me that." I whispered.

"What?" He said, punctuating his question by sticking his tongue inside of me again. "A slut?" He continued. "But you are one; I love it, I love how much of a slut you are."

I tried to close my knees in response, so he took matters into his own hands. He held both of my ankles together in one of his large hands so that my knees were together, up against my forehead. He went back to circling my clit with his tongue, eventually hitting my sensitive nub and evading the hood. He pushed two fingers up inside of me and began pumping. I moaned loudly, finally feeling my orgasm start to build. The tension started in my stomach and ran through my legs and chest, and I gasped when he added a third finger. He kept his tongue moving over me, but his fingers started pushing back and forth against my G-spot and the back wall of my vagina with incredible, painful force. Eventually his speed picked up, and my muscles were forced to surrender. I started to come and tried to tell Austin, but he bit my clit at that moment, making me scream. I felt briefly as if I had passed out; I was limp but relaxed, and I was unsure how much time had passed. Austin pulled his fingers out of me and then put them in my mouth, urging me to suck them clean.

I lay panting on the couch, my feet now resting on the ground, my legs spread wantonly. He picked me up by my shoulders, set me down on my knees, and assumed my position on the couch. His pants were off at this point, so I reached to pull down his boxers. His cock was large, certainly not the biggest I'd seen, but still bigger than average. I hadn't really had the chance to look at it the last time we fucked, but I had all the time in the world now. The first thing I noticed was that he had plenty of hair at the base of his cock. Interesting.

I leaned in and hesitantly kissed the head. I started with long, slow licks up his cock, stopping at the underside of his head on each lick to flick my tongue a few times. I circled the base with one hand and started to suck. My head bobbed up and down, up and down, taking a little bit more of him each time. I knew how to deepthroat; Rian had prepared me for that. I had actually learned to enjoy it. What I was not prepared for was my head being forced down to Austin's groin by his hands. I didn't see it coming—literally and figuratively—so I gagged quite violently. Austin held me there by my hair until I pulled it together and started swallowing around him. I expected him to let me go, or at least raise my head up to breath, but he did neither. I started to choke again, panic setting in as I struggled to breath in through my nose. I clawed at his hip with my hand and he yanked my mouth off of him. I gasped for air, trying to wipe the extra spit off my face. After I had inhaled about four times, I felt his hands push me back down. I choked even harder this time and my eyes started to water. I felt my diaphragm lurch in an attempt to remove the foreign body from my airway, and my spit started to gather around his base and drip down my chip, onto my breasts. Just when I was able to start swallowing, he pulled me up for air again. He kissed me hard this time, rubbing my spit into my breasts with his free hand. Then the process started again. I thought maybe he wanted to come in my mouth. I would have been fine with that; I just couldn't tell how close he was. Then, all of a sudden, he pulled me off, and yanked me up under my arms. He stood behind me, and I took this opportunity to grab a condom from my purse. I handed it to him silently, still catching my breath. Once it was on, he pressed me up against the arm of the couch and pushed me down until my head and chest rested on the cushions he had just been sitting on. With my ass in the air like this, my feet just barely touched the ground.

I felt him at my entrance and prepared myself for him to thrust into me all at once, like last time, but to my surprise, he moved slowly. He buried himself in me, inch by inch, until he was fully seated. He moved out just as slowly, completely withdrawing from me. He did this three, maybe four more times, until he began moving just a little faster. The position provided an interesting sensation, but I wasn't a big fan of my body being pressed into the couch, my autonomy taken in a sense. It struck me that I didn't worry about a lack of control with Charlie, or Goose, or Rian. Maybe it was just because this thing with Austin was so new.

I heard Austin grunting as his movements became more desperate. I knew he was close by the tension in his body and tried to focus on coming again. Before it could happen, I felt a warm splash inside of me, followed by two more thrusts. Then Austin stilled, bent over, and kissed my shoulder. I turned my head slightly as he pulled out, and I started to wonder what was leaking down the inside of me leg. I chocked it up to just being a little extra wet.

I started to raise myself up, and once my body was vertical, I felt even more fluid leak from me. Austin had moved to put his boxers back on, and when he moved to find his shirt, I saw it.

The condom.

There is was, on the ground, unused. I reached between my legs and scooped up some of the fluid to inspect it. Definitely semen. I stood stiff, my body falling into shock. I felt all the blood drain from my head, and I suddenly thought I was going to pass out. I had given him a condom, right? We definitely used one last time. Did he ask me if he could take it off?

Austin noticed how pale I was and pulled me to sit on the couch. I summoned all the courage I could and turned to him.

"Did... did you come in me?" I asked as my voice broke.

His eyes narrowed. "What do you mean?" He asked.

"Did you... did you come inside of me? Without a condom?" I asked, just a little louder this time.

"I mean..." he looked around, seeming confused. "Yeah?"

Tears welled up in my eyes and threatened to spill over. He continued on in that perplexed tone. "What's the big deal?"

"I... I a-asked you to use a condom. You... I s-saw you put it on." He nodded back at me. "Did you... take... it off?" I finished quietly, already knowing what the answer was.

"Yeah, it's not a big deal. I figured you'd felt it. Stop freaking out."

My body started shaking and I couldn't move. He kept talking, his words incredibly condescending. "What, are you worried about diseases? I'm clean." I still didn't move. "You said you're on the pill." I nodded my head very, very slowly. "Then what's the big deal? I'll pay for a Plan B if you're that worried about it." He stood to find his shirt, effectively ending our conversation.

I moved robotically, re-dressing myself as far from Austin as possible.

"Jesus, Dot." He muttered, "Stop overreacting. You have sex with so many guys, they probably all do the same thing. I'm sure your many fuck buddies hate condoms just as much as I do."

No, they don't. Goose would never do that. Charlie would never do that. Rian would never do that. I suddenly longed to be in Isaiah and Rian's apartment, with two men who made me feel safe. I needed to leave Austin's house. Now.