by Sammy King
“Does Dylan’s angry brushstrokes have something to do with a certain boy I saw you with this morning?” Brenda asked with a slight smile.
Chelsea sighed again and nodded her head.
“Yes. I don’t know what to say to him” Chelsea said sadly.
“I didn’t know you and Mason were a couple” Brenda said leaning forward with her eyebrow raised.
Chelsea shook her head, she could read the shock on Brenda’s face, had anyone told Chelsea she would be Mason’s girlfriend weeks ago, she would have laughed in their faces.
“It’s a long story, but the short of it is that we weren’t until yesterday” Chelsea said with another sigh.
Chelsea didn’t want to regret her decision to start dating Mason, but life just seemed to get a lot harder with him on her arm.
“Well I’m happy to hear the long version, if you want to tell it” Brenda said.
Chelsea forced a smile as she looked up at Brenda who was watching Chelsea with interest.
“Maybe one day; but I don’t know if it’s going to even work. Maddison Hartley hates my guts and now I’ve lost my best friend.” she said as the tears began to well up again.
“Oh Chelsea. Maddison is jealous because she follows Mason around like a sick lost puppy and he isn’t interested. As for Dylan, I think he might have had a little crush on you, but I know that he will get over it” Brenda said as she gently tapped Chelsea on her knee.
“I hope so. If my Mum doesn’t come through for a place to stay I might have to ask Dylan, but right now I might get told where to go if I did” she said.
Brenda frowned and crossed her arms over her chest.
“Why aren’t you staying at home? Where are you staying for that matter?” Brenda asked.
Chelsea sighed shakily and fought back tears as she ran her trembling hands through her hair.
“I had an issue with my father, the short of it is that I can’t go back home, but Mason’s Dad has taken me in, I don’t want to stay there and mooch off them, I don’t feel right. My Mum said that she was going to try and get me somewhere to stay but I haven’t seen or heard from her again since she came back into my life two days ago” Chelsea explained.
Brenda shook her head and frowned again leaning forward in her chair and putting her hand in Chelsea’s.
“I knew that your Mum wasn’t in your life. So she has popped back in?”
Chelsea nodded and wiped the tear that fell down her cheek. Brenda reached for a box of tissues and put them on Chelsea’s lap. Chelsea smiled a grateful smile and took one of the tissues dabbing at her eyes, sighing a shaky breath again.
“Brenda I can trust you can’t I?” Chelsea asked.
Brenda sat back in her chair and nodded.
“Of course you can. But Chelsea I need to remind you that I’m still a teacher and I still have a duty of care, so if you tell me something I may have to report it” Brenda said with a frown.
Chelsea nodded and closed her eyes, tipping her head back.
“I know. My father got shot Saturday afternoon” Chelsea said.
Brenda sucked in a breath and sat back in her chair.
“Oh I see. Are the police involved?” Brenda asked.
Chelsea nodded her head.
“Yeah they are dealing with it. Anyway they rang my Mum and told her that I was at Mason’s house and she came over. I hadn’t seen her in twelve years and then she comes in like nothing happened.” Chelsea said feeling a surge of anger.
Chelsea knew it wasn’t her Mum’s fault that she had to leave her, but she still couldn’t help the emotions that ran through her. She didn’t know whether the anger was aimed at her Mum or her father, she was just angry about the whole situation.
“Did she tell you where she had been?” Brenda asked.
Chelsea nodded and ran her hand through her hair again.
“Yes she had been in jail” she said.
Brenda looked shocked again.
“Oh, and your father never told you?” Brenda asked sitting back in her chair as she rubbed her forehead.
Chelsea shook her head, she wasn’t about to tell Brenda what he had told her and done to her. That was too much, she felt too vulnerable as it was and felt awful for lying to Brenda about everything that was going on. But she couldn’t be that open.
“My father is an arsehole” she stated.
Brenda didn’t look as shocked the third time. After all Brenda had meet Carl, he oozed creep.
“So you’re staying with Mason?” Brenda asked.
Chelsea nodded and looked up at Brenda who was frowning and chewing on her lip.
“And you feel safe there?” Brenda asked.
Chelsea stared at Brenda and frowned, unsure what she meant, but she nodded. She felt safe when she was with Mason, she didn’t trust Duggar, but had planned to make sure she was never far from Mason.
“Alright. Well you have a right situation on your hands at the moment don’t you?” Brenda said with a cluck of her tongue. “But you know that I’m here whenever you need me?”
Chelsea nodded she appreciated that she could trust Brenda.
“Thank you” Chelsea said.
Brenda smiled and stood, reaching out her hand for Chelsea. She took Brenda’s hand and stood. Chelsea was shocked when Brenda wrapped her arms around Chelsea and pulled her into a hug, but it felt genuine.
“Be safe girl” Brenda murmured into Chelsea’s hair.
The tears that Chelsea had been successfully holding back surfaced again this time flooding her cheeks. Chelsea reached for the tissues and wiped at her face. When she could see again she saw Dylan watching her through the window of the office. His face was filled with concern, when she caught his eye he quickly frowned and looked away. Chelsea sighed and ran her hands up through her hair.
When the bell for recess rang she was glad to see Mason standing at her locker waiting for her. His face lit up as she came towards him and she couldn’t help but return his smile. He pulled her into his arms and kissed her gently on the lips a long lingering kiss. She could have stood there forever.
“How did art go?” he asked holding onto her still.
Chelsea shrugged her shoulders.
“It was alright, Dylan is refusing to speak to me” she said with a sigh.
Mason stiffened at the sound of Dylan’s name, but forced a smile.
“He will come around” he said coldly.
Chelsea sighed again. She didn’t need him hating on Dylan as well. It was bad enough that Dylan hated on her boyfriend, she just wanted her worlds to collide and become favourable. It didn’t seem like that was going to happen though. Chelsea pushed herself out of Mason’s arms and pushed him aside so she could get into her locker. As she opened the door a piece of paper fell out. She bent and picked it up on the inside of the paper it contained a crudely drawn stick figure in a noose. Underneath read the words ‘when I’m done with you, you’ll be cutting up the river’. Chelsea knew the note came from Maddison and felt her heart begin to pound. Mason looked down at the note and snatched it out of Chelsea’s hand cursing. Chelsea shut her locker and rested her head on the cold metal as she closed her eyes, forcing the tears to leave.
“Come on get your bag we are going to get out of here for a bit” Mason said to her.
Chelsea was so grateful. She had never skipped school before, mainly because she had nowhere else go. At that moment, however, she couldn’t wait to blow off school and be free, to feel that freedom she had all weekend with Mason. She grabbed her bag and he took her hand, they made a quick stop at his locker before heading out the school gates and heading for the forest that surrounded the school. Chelsea knew the forest well, she had spent many hours after school with her sketch pad drawing the various animals and flora that grew there. Mason took Chelsea’s hand and they ran through the forest, leaping over the logs, dodging past trees, feeling the wind gush through their hair. Mason’s long hair bounced around his shoulders, Chelsea reached up and took the band out letting her
dark hair fall down over her back. The sun speckled through the forest touching her skin. This was what freedom felt like, she thought.
Mason stopped at a small pond that Chelsea knew well. He stooped down and picked up a rock skimming it across the ponds surface. Chelsea found a fallen tree and sat on the log, drawing her knees up to her chest, watching as Mason skimmed rock after rock. She breathed in a deep breath feeling good, and quickly forgetting Maddison’s wrath and Dylan’s fury. At that moment her and Mason were the only two people alive in the world.
She smiled and waved as he turned to see what she was doing. Mason continued to skim rocks, while Chelsea pulled her sketch pad from her bag and began to draw, the pond, the tree’s and Mason. She was lost in her drawing when Mason’s shadow fell over her. Chelsea looked up to see his approving smile.
“Do you draw nudes?” he asked.
Chelsea snorted out a chuckle.
“I have done some. Brenda organised some models to come so we could draw” she said.
Mason grinned.
“Was their dicks as big as mine?” he asked with a twinkle in his eye.
Chelsea laughed again and shook her head.
“No Mason yours is the biggest” she said with a laugh.
He puffed his chest out with pride and grinned at her.
“That’s what I like to hear”.
Mason sat down behind Chelsea on the tree and straddled his legs on either side of her hips. Chelsea leant back into his chest and closed her eyes, taking in the sounds of nature that surrounded them. Her mind started to wander to her Mum. Chelsea hadn’t heard from Maggie since that first night, she didn’t know whether she was purposely giving Chelsea space or whether she just didn’t care. Chelsea sighed and opened her eyes.
“What was the sigh about?” Mason asked as he nuzzled his face into her neck.
“I was thinking about my Mum” Chelsea said.
Mason lifted his head and kissed the top of her head.
“Do you want to live with her?” he asked.
Chelsea shook her head.
“I don’t even really know her.” she said turning to face Mason, hooking her legs around the tree.
Mason reached out and took Chelsea’s hands in his.
“Then stay with me” he said.
Chelsea smiled.
“I want to, but I don’t want to take advantage. I don’t want to be a burden” she said.
Mason frowned and shook his head.
“You’re not a burden. I like having you there” he said
Chelsea smiled.
“Of course you do” she laughed “but what about your Dad?”
Mason grinned at her and shook his head.
“Na my Dad’s cool, he said to me that he wanted you to stay as long as you needed”
Mason leant forward and kissed Chelsea lightly on the lips, savouring the taste of her mouth, before gently kissing his way along her jaw and down her neck. Chelsea closed her eyes enjoying the kisses.
“It’s kinda hard to kiss you properly on this log” he said with laugh, swinging his legs off and taking Chelsea by the waist.
Mason lifted her off the log and put her on the ground, taking her hand and leading her to a grassy patch that was just near the pond. Mason sat on the grass and patted the patch beside him. Chelsea glanced around to make sure no one could see them, before she sat down beside Mason who promptly pulled her into his chest. He leaned forward and engulfed her mouth in his. The familiar throbbing began in between her legs again. Mason pulled her down so they were lying. He carried on his onslaught of erotic kisses over her mouth, her cheeks, her neck, working his way to the top of the zip of her uniform dress.
“Chelsea can I undo your zip so I can see more of you?” he asked lifting his head to look at her.
Chelsea nodded gingerly, hoping that no one was walking through the forest and going to happen upon them. Slowly Mason unzipped her dress so it sat open just above her breasts, the top of her lacy bra poking its head out. Mason groaned with pleasure as he lightly feathered kisses over her chest, slightly edging the zip a little lower to expose her bra clad breasts. Chelsea instinctively began to run her fingers through Mason’s hair, which brought more moans of pleasure. Mason continued to kiss all over her breasts, and she could feel her nipples hardening painfully under the restraints of the bra. Mason reached up and ran his finger along the stiffened nipple, which caused Chelsea to gasp and arch her back. He looked up at her and gave her a wicked smile.
Chelsea raised her eyebrow, unsure of what he was planning, but putting her trust in that it was going to bring her great pleasure. Again Mason lowered his head into her chest and wrapped his lips across her nipple, biting gently. A throaty groan escaped Chelsea’s lips as the pleasure caused waves of electricity to roll through her body and centre on the pulsing that was quickly turning into a pounding. Gently Mason reached up and lowered the bra cup and as her nipple bounced out, the cool air caused it to ache. Chelsea instantly wanted to cover herself up again, feeling vulnerable and exposed, but the sweet kisses and the way that Mason looked at her calmed her fears.
He continued to kiss, nibble and suck her nipple as he slowly edged his hand up the inside of Chelsea’s thigh, resting on her panties, feeling the moisture that was pooling between her legs. He groaned again as he slowly ran his finger along the edge of her panties.
Chelsea was lost in the pleasure that Mason was bringing her when suddenly there was a crunch of leaves behind them. Mason lifted his head and Chelsea spun, slamming her legs shut and covering her chest. They saw the blur of a body running back through the forest and before Chelsea knew what was going on Mason was running after the spy who had interrupted them. Chelsea stood zipping her dress back up and gathering up their bags, looking around for her sketchpad which wasn’t anywhere to be seen. Chelsea frantically began to search around the fallen log and along the pond. However, the book wasn’t anywhere. She felt panic rise in her chest at the thought that the person who had been spying on them may have taken her book. She suddenly felt open and exposed even more so than having her breast open to the world. In that book held some of her deepest feelings drawn out. It wasn’t there for the world to see, it was for her and only those she chose to let into that world.
She head Mason coming back through the forest and he stopped short when he saw the tears that streamed down Chelsea’s cheeks.
“What’s wrong?” he asked taking her into his arms.
“My book, it’s gone. It’s nowhere here. I think the person who was watching us might have taken it Mason” she said through tears.
Mason looked at her with a frown on his face.
“Have you checked everywhere, your bag, the log, the pond?” he asked.
Chelsea nodded and started to chew on her nail.
“Mason that has pictures in there that I don’t want just anyone to see” she said quietly.
Mason nodded, he had seen the pictures that morning, he recognised the pictures of her cutting, herself hanging and he knew that they were sensitive pictures. And he knew how vulnerable and scared it would make Chelsea.
“Do you know who it was?” she asked.
Mason frowned again and shook his head.
“No it’s like they just vanished into thin air. I’m fast but fuck they were like a bullet” he said running his hands through his hair.
Mason pulled his phone out of his pocket and looked at the time, before looking around them.
“This place is giving me the creeps, let’s get out of here, it’s nearly lunch, we will go grab something to eat hey?” he said, taking Chelsea’s hand and leading her out of the forest.
Chelsea’s heart was heavy. She couldn’t stop the churning in her stomach about the loss of her book, she didn’t really feel hungry, but there was nothing else she could do. Chelsea sighed and followed Mason heading towards the centre of town.
Chapter Eleven
Whilst Mason ate lunch and Chelsea pushed hers around on the plate, he
tried to make her laugh and pull her out of the funk she had going on, but Chelsea’s mind was consumed with her missing book. Mason reached over the table and clasped her hand. She had hardly touched her food and she couldn’t think of anything else other than her book.
“Chelsea we will find the book” he said looking her in the eye.
Chelsea blinked back tears and nodded. She knew it was stupid to be so consumed by a book, but it had some of her darkest feelings, those times where she didn’t think she could take it anymore instead of killing herself she drew it out. It was in those pictures that she was most vulnerable. She had been so proud of herself sharing them with Mason, Knox and Kelly that morning. However, now someone had the pictures and that caused nothing but ice cold fear to run through her veins.
Mason gave up on trying to make her smile and let her sit and stew. When they got back to Mason’s house she locked herself in the bathroom and ran the shower. Chelsea sat on the bottom of the shower and sobbed, allowing the water to wash her tears and grief down the drain. When she finally emerged resembling a red eyed drown rat, Mason was sitting on the edge of the bed wringing his hands. She stopped in the door way and looked at him, he looked up at her with sad eyes.
“Chels, I’m sorry. If I hadn’t insisted on taking us into the forest today, you wouldn’t have lost your book.” he said sadly.
Chelsea shook her head and stepped toward Mason, edging in beside him on the corner of the bed. She rest her damp head on his shoulder.
“It’s not your fault. I’m sorry I’ve been in such a funk over it. It’s stupid really. I just am afraid at who is looking at those pictures. They were my most vulnerable drawings” she said.
Mason looked up at her and frowned.
“I saw the pictures of you in there, they weren’t nice pictures Chels, you hanging, you cutting yourself” he said shaking his head.
Chelsea nodded and put her arm around him as she turned to him.
“I want to show you something, it is going to shock you, but it will help you to understand why I drew those pictures” she said.
Mason frowned again but nodded his head. Chelsea stood from the bed and opened the towel she had wrapped around her. Trying to control her hands from shaking as she stood naked in front of Mason, his eyes widened as he saw the scars that dotted her body, lines that crossed across her stomach and the raised red scars that ran down the length of her thighs. Mason looked up at her with his mouth ajar.
