#... whelp

Darla doesn’t respond for a full minute, her book abandoned, fists clenching until the knuckles turn white, until a tremble is visible in her small hands. She inhales through her teeth, eyes downcast and hidden behind the curtain of her hair.

“He was handsome, I guess. And he was confident, and smart - I always liked that about him, the way he carried himself. How he smiled.” Her voice cracks, and she needs another breath to compose herself. “I didn’t know that much about his work, just what he assigned me to. But I was so proud to be working with him. With him - hah.” Her laugh is stark and sharp like the crunch of ice, bitter. 

“He treated me like a human. Like I was interesting, like I was worth listening to. That’s what did it, more than anything. The other stuff helped, but god, just that he would - would sit with me, let me talk and laugh and encourage me. Ruffle my hair, or put a hand on my back.” Her throat visibly tightens as she swallows back bile. “And he made me feel human. Let me have my little ‘quirks’, and when he touched me, or kissed me or fucked me the first time, I felt so special.” Her voice cracks again, but this time she can’t hold back. A sob escapes, forced out by wracking shoulders and accompanied by the sudden fall of tears onto the pages of her ratty textbook. “Nobody else did that. So I thought he cared - I thought he loved me, so I loved him. Fuck, I worshiped him.” Another bitter laugh, so sharp her face contorts in pain as it leaves her. 

“I was nothing but a cute little pet he could stick his dick into. He never cared, not like he would a human girl. No - I’m in control now. I’ll never be someone’s pet again. I’ll never let myself fall like that again. I - I want to be in luh-love again, someday.” Her voice grows higher-pitched, trembling. “But how will I know they aren’t just like he-him? How will I know!?”

Without warning the textbook is flung across the room and Darla is on her feet, near howling through sobs, pounding her fists against the concrete wall of her shelter, all control lost.