It’s the weekend. No rest for me, though, and no partying or fun, either. It’s time to volunteer at some random beach… guess there’s no shortage of beaches that need cleaning. Is it really volunteering, though, if I’m being forced to go? I’m lost in thought as I walk towards my car. Actually, getting to go for a drive is nice, I decide. I don’t get to drive that much since I live so close to campus. The weather is good, as well, so maybe today will be okay after all. I should cheer up a bit. I pull down the sun visor in the car to check my makeup one last time in the mirror and then I put on my sunglasses, feeling ready to go. 

As I arrive at the beach, I notice that there’s no cameras and I don’t see my parents anywhere. Maybe I’m at the wrong place? But I did copy the address directly from the message dad sent me. I decide to call my dad.

“Hi? Am I at the right place, where are you?”, I ask my dad when he picks up.

“What do you mean? I’m at the office.”, he answers, sounding tired. 

“But what about the volunteering?”, I ask.

“Oh, that. I meant you should go alone. To make it seem more genuine I was advised not to send a camera team, but you should still work as if you are being filmed. Remember to smile, Audrey.”, He says, sounding distracted and I can tell he wants to get back to more important things. 

“Okay, will do. Bye.”, I reply as I hang up with a sigh. 

As I make my way towards the other volunteers I suddenly almost stop in my tracks when I see a familiar face. A handsome, bright face, a face that I miss touching and that I subconsciously find in any crowd. Wyatt. Of course. We met volunteering, so of course he would be here. He’s the kind of person who goes volunteering…voluntarily. Today’s not so bad after all, a genuine smile creeping up on my face as I walk towards the volunteers. Of course, it could be a little awkward and sad to see him, like it is on campus, but somehow I have a feeling we might get along better here, away from everyone we know. 

Wyatt looks my way as I get closer, his eyes widening in surprise, I’m sure seeing me here without cameras or my dad really is unexpected. I get a sudden urge to show him that I’m a good person, that I’m becoming better, that I’m trying to be better. I resolve to work very hard today, so maybe next time no one will be surprised to see me here. I want to be the kind of person who would volunteer because they want to, not because they were told to. I smile at Wyatt and it’s like neither of us wants to look away from each other and I think my heart melts a little in the spring sun when Wyatt smiles back at me, his smile is a bit unsure, but it still manages to fill my whole world. The fact that he smiled back, even a little, is everything somehow. 

I keep to my resolution and work harder, picking up more trash than I have ever done before. As I work, I still catch myself grimacing at the nastier pieces of trash that I find, but instead of pasting on a fake smile, I let my face do what it wants. Screw working like I’m being filmed. I can hear my dads words in my head, ‘smile Audrey’, echoing and repeating over and over. I’ve heard him say it so many times, it made me hate smiling. Screw it all. It feels so freeing, letting the muscles in my face relax, not controlling every expression on it. But it also feels foreign and uncomfortable, trying to break a lifelong habit like this and it also makes me feel a bit guilty. It’s like I’m betraying my dad, bringing shame to our name. Not being proper or good. Who knew breaking habits could lead to such mixed feelings? Trying to break free almost makes me want to break down. 

I’m wiping the sweat from my forehead and I try to stretch my back a little before getting back to picking up trash, when I see Wyatt nearby, so of course I can’t take my eyes off him. He is talking with another volunteer. 

“Looks like both our bags are full”, the other volunteer remarks, “I’m going to go put mine away, let me take yours as well, you deserve a break”, he says and it looks like Wyatt is about to protest, but it’s like he catches himself before he can and instead smiles. 

“Sure, thank you so much”, Wyatt replies. 

“No problem”, the other guy says and leaves carrying both bags. 

It surprises me because Wyatt’s not the best at accepting help and usually I’m sure Wyatt would have rushed to be the one to carry everyone’s bags, not taking any breaks. But come to think of it…maybe he’s changing too. Just like I am trying to do. I mean, he did stand up for himself with Dalton earlier too… Somehow seeing Wyatt losing some of those people pleasing tendencies makes me feel oddly proud and happy for him. I find myself smiling softly at the interaction I just witnessed and so when Wyatt turns my way he catches my soft gaze. First he seems a bit startled to see me looking, his cheeks heating, but then he slowly smiles back gently. It makes my heart ache. 

-

My whole body is tired, but strangely it feels good, as I make my way towards my car. Not quite sure how I’ll have the energy to drive home from this (now) clean beach, but somehow I don’t have it in me to worry too much. Today was good, a satisfied smile plays on my face, as I fix my hair that’s come a bit undone. As I reach my car, I see a piece of paper stuck to my windshield. What? A parking ticket? But I didn’t see anything indicating you had to pay when parking here… I reach for the paper and as I turn it over, I freeze in place, it’s not a parking ticket. The smile is long gone from my face. The note reads: “Last chance, Audrey.” in what looks like blood. Whoever put it on my car, must be around here, probably watching me read it. I’m completely frozen in place. What do I do? My hand holding the note trembles and as I slowly force my eyes off it. My breath hitches as I see a figure reflected in my car window, someone’s standing behind me. I’m about to turn around, scream or run away, do something, but it’s too late. He grabs me from the back, a palm over my mouth, muffling my weak yelp. He leads me away to a secluded place behind a nearby building, I try to resist, but it’s no use, my legs are almost giving out from fear and exhaustion and I know I’m shorter than average, which puts me at a disadvantage anyway. I don’t know if I could run even if I got away at this point. Oh, god. I’m going to die. I’m going to get murdered behind some random building and…and…I feel tears running down from my eyes and my whole body is shaking. 

“Please, let me go”, I try to say, but my words are muffled. 

As he turns me around and I get a look at his face, I’m at once flooded with relief and dread at the same time. It’s Henry. Relief from knowing who my assailant is and the hope that I could reason with him. But also dread, from seeing how far Henry apparently is willing to go…all his threatening words flooding back to me now. 

“Henry, what are you doing? Why are you doing this to me?”, I cry as he backs me up against the wall. 

“I’ve been telling you, but you haven’t been listening, baby”, Henry looks almost manic as he spits out the words, “you haven’t been picking up my calls.”

“Wh- what?”, I whimper out.

“So, I had to leave comments…and notes.. You’ve been avoiding me, blocking me, ignoring me! You think I would let you go that easily!”, Henry growls out through gritted teeth. “But don’t worry, I’ll forgive you, I love you”. 

“Please, Henry, stop… don’t do this”, I plead, cowering as I see his anger rising at my words. 

“I’ve been so fucking patient, Audrey! So. Fucking. Patient. And this is how you act? Unbelievable, you ungrateful bitch!”, Henry screams in my face, making me flinch, but what’s making it even scarier is him completely switching up right after, “Audrey, Audrey, my Audrey”, he sighs and caresses my face, which makes me shudder. My breath is ragged and my nose is running, the tears won’t stop either. And I’m scared. So scared. I feel so small and alone.

“Last chance, Audrey. It’s your last chance or it’s going to be your last words. What do you say?”, Henry’s eyes are cold and hard, his words chill me to the bone. He’s really going to kill me. My mouth moves, but there’s no sound, I’m trying to form words, but I don’t know what to say. What can I say? I have to say yes to him if I want to live, right? Apparently, I’m taking too long.

“What’s it going to be, bitch!”, Henry slaps me hard in the face. I fall to my knees, my hands automatically going to my cheek, he knocked the air out of me and my ears are ringing. 

“Get up, bitch, and answer me!”, Henry shouts in my face as he drags me to my feet by the collar of my shirt. 

“Help!”, I try to shout, but I don’t know if anyone can hear me and it just earns me another hit from Henry. 

“Shut up, you stupid whore”, Henry hisses at me, “I guess, you chose the last words option”. He puts his hands around my neck, squeezing until I can’t breath. I try to claw at his hands, to break his grip. He’s too strong. He’s seeing red and nothing can stop him, meanwhile I’m starting to see black. Just as my hands are about to fall away, stilling their futile fight against his, something moves behind Henry. Suddenly, Henry is wrenched away from me, his hands loosening their grip around my throat. I’m struggling to catch my breath, falling to the ground. Scraping my hands and knees. 

“What the fuck?”, I hear Henry scream as he struggles on the ground with someone.

“Leave her the fuck alone! You piece of shit!”, through my hazy vision and ragged breaths I recognize that voice, it’s Wyatt. I’ve never heard him so angry. Wyatt is here. He’s here for me. 

Everything is a blur. Wyatt somehow manages to restrain Henry and apparently he called the police when he found Henry’s note by my car and couldn’t find me. The last things I remember are fragments of the police arriving, taking Henry away, saying something about restraining orders, and about knowing my father.