forum Under Seven Minutes // Private RP

Started April 08, 2019 by @blue_topaz

tune

Violeta released a slow breath, giving the older woman a small nod before pulling away from the comforting embrace. "Have a good night, Ms. Reeves."

When they left, Gray made sure to stick close to Violeta. He kept a close eye on her, hand itching to take hers. The scene kept replaying in his mind; Violeta pressed against the wall, the man’s mouth on hers, his hand reaching down—he cut that thought off. He couldn’t dwell on it more. He had already called the police. Wishing to burn that drunkard wouldn’t do him any good. Or Violeta.

Violeta had her hands pushed into her pockets, her French braid unravelling as they walked. Her eyes darted from shadow to shadow, clouded with paranoia, but she was safe. Gray was walking her home, and she was safe.

"I want to say something to you," she whispered finally, "But I don't know what to say."

“It’s okay,” Gray whispered back, not being able to look at her. “I… I’m sorry, Violeta. I shouldn’t have let you go home alone like that. I should have persisted. I should have known better.”

She gave him a sad smile. "It's not your fault I'm stubborn, Gray. Honestly, it's fine. It's not your fault."

Gray paused, looked at Violeta and before he could stop himself, he wrapped his arms around her, hugging her tightly.

“I’m still sorry,” he breathed, his voice cracking. “For even suggesting that time. I should have scheduled it for another day.”

At first, Violeta froze, her eyes going wide. Gray was…. hugging her? Embracing her? And his voice—why was it breaking when he spoke to her? But eventually, she relaxed in his hold, despite what her instincts were screaming at her. This was Gray, for god's sake. Gray. The boy who had hated her for the past four years. He was no better than any of the others who had ever pushed her down into the dirt. So… why was he acting like this?

"Stop," she told him, surprised by the softness of her own voice. "It wasn't your fault. That point isn't up for discussion. It's fine, I promise."

“It isn’t your fault, either,” he said in a much clearer voice, his heart hammering wildly when he felt her relax. “Whatever happened… it wasn’t your fault. So when you’re in your room, don’t even dare think about it.”

Violeta bit her lip, offering only her silence as an answer.

Why are you doing this? she wanted to ask, Why do you care so much all of a sudden? You aren't pretending again…. are you?
But she was too afraid of his answer….

Gray finally pulled away, muttering another apology before he tugged her along. Had he spared her a glance, he knew he would have ended up wanting her that moment. He couldn’t have that want.

“Almost there,” he told her quietly.

Violeta kept her head down for the rest of the walk, too lost in paranoia and hopeless confusion to do much more than drag her heavy bag behind her. When they finally arrived on the front steps of her dormitory building, she turned to face Gray, hesitant and unsure. "Thank you… I thought I was going to—I thought he—"

“I won’t let anyone touch you like that again,” Gray promised. “Not when I’m around.”

He hated seeing her like this. So afraid, vulnerable. Men like that deserved to die. Sexual assaulters, all of them needed to die. Touching someone without their consent…

And suddenly, it was all too much. She couldn't handle the confusion all the while trying to puzzle out each thing he said, wondering whether or not it was genuine. So she merely bowed her head, fumbling for her keys before opening the door. "Good night, Gray…"

“Goodnight, Vy…” Gray whispered as he watched her disappear. He stayed there for a few more minutes before he turned on his heel, running a hand through his hair and walked back home.

Amanda was waiting and he all but collapsed in her arms, trembling with fury and hate and guilt.

Violeta opened the door to her room, only to be met with the sight of her roommate and two of her best friends, huddled in a worried circle. When they saw her, they all broke out into relieved cries (even Lillian, who was as tough as they got) and flocked her, asking questions at a million miles per hour.

"Where were you??" Rae demanded, pulling back from a worried hug to look her up and down. "We waited for two hours, Violeta, but you never came?"

At first, she was confused. Then, it hit her. "Shit," Violeta breathed, smacking her forehead, "I'm so sorry–I completely forgot." She had recently joined a study group, one that met tonight….

"Vi? Why are you shaking?"

Thankfully, Aria had been asleep when this whole thing happened. Though he and Amanda always taught her to watch her back, Gray hadn’t want her to see just how painful it was. And Gray knew it would hurt Violeta more if Aria had seen her.

He sighed, shifting in his bed. He should have given her his number. He wanted to make sure she was okay.

[TIME SKIP:]

Gray and Violeta had barely talked after the incident, and Gray felt a little disappointed. He had hoped she would see he cared, but she was more intent in avoiding him. So he humored her and stayed away from her, too.

“Ah, Gray~” the brown-haired male looked down to see a teenager walk towards him, her lips pressed in a thin line. “I’ve been looking for you. You look disappointed to see me.”

She was right, Gray realized. For a second, Gray thought it had been Violeta. He immediately put on a flirty smile.

“Definitely not, Laura,” he winked at her. “Is there something you wanted from me?”

Laura shrugged, running a hand through her bubblegum pink hair.

“I need a release. So, if you would please…”

Gray’s insides churned, but he kept up that smile. He bent down and clasped their lips together, pulling her closer, biting down on her lip. Laura immediately kissed him back.

Throughout the exchange, Gray was hyper aware of one detail. This girl was not Violeta.

"Bye!" Violeta's best friends, Rae and Irene, waved to her as the group split up, the latter two headed for another class. Violeta sighed, too tired to do much more than plaster a smile to her face and keep walking. She was lost in the soaring crescendos of Through Juniper Vale's Bird Song, trying to shrug her unease off, but so far, it wasn't working. Memories of the past night slipped between the notes and coated her skin. Everywhere she turned, she saw that man, reaching out to her, running his hands down her body, pushing his tongue into her mouth.

She had barely seen Gray so far, but she was unsure whether or not she was happy about it. Whenever their eyes met, tension hung between them. He still hated her, obviously, but after last night, she couldn't quite muster the same abruptness around him as before..

It was only after a fifteen minute walk that she realized—her water bottle, it was still back in her previous class. So she sighed, turning around to jog back, hating the way her thighs wobbled with each step she took. But when she arrived, she was met with a sight that should not have bothered her as much as it did.

Gray, kissing a pink-haired girl. His arms around her body, pulling her against him. Her eyes which were closed, the curve of her smile against his.

Violeta's stomach twisted.

Laura reached up to tangle her fingers in his hair, but Gray grabbed her wrists tightly, pushing them away from him. His expression, all the while locking lips, was blank. As if he was doing the deed, but not being present in what he was doing.

Finally, he pulled back, staring down at the flushed girl, panting heavily.

“Satisfied?” He murmured, his grip on her wrists tightening.

“No,” Laura replied, standing on her toes. Gray did not bend down again.

“Too bad,” he smiled, let her go and stepped back. Just as he turned to walk away, he came face-to-face with the person he wanted but could not get

His eyes widened.

Violeta.

Violeta tore her eyes from Gray's the moment he turned around. Ignoring the frigid pain seeping through her chest, she ducked her head and moved past him, practically stumbling towards her desk. She snatched her water bottle off the top of it, breathing heavily.

Her heart—why was it pounding? Why did it hurt, as if someone had run it through with a rusty metal spike? She pressed a hand to her chest, taking a moment to steady herself.

Snap out of it, she told herself after a moment, and turned towards the door.

Pain flashed across Gray's face when he realized Violeta had seen him. She had seen him act in a shameless manner. She'd seen him kiss a girl he did not even know, all for the sake of… well, pleasure. And the way she was reacting to it as if she'd known all along what a scumbag he was… he turned to look at Laura, who kept drifting her eyes from him to the girl, furrowing her eyebrows.

"Violeta, wait," Gray shook his head, walking after her out the door. He wanted to explain, but explain what? How could he clear things up without digging a hole deeper for himself? He was screwed. She wouldn't even believe him anymore.

Violeta pressed her lips into a hard, flat line as she made her escape, gripping the stupid water bottle so hard that her knuckles turned white. Why are you so upset? She was frustrated. Frustrated at Gray, frustrated at herself for being frustrated at Gray. She had no right to—it was his life to live. Maybe that girl was his girlfriend, maybe she was some random classmate, but either way, it didn't matter. Or at least, it shouldn't….. So why did her heart still hurt so much?

"Violeta, wait!" Gray grabbed her arm, stopping her from walking away from him. He noticed her white knuckles and the way she gripped her bottle tightly, and he swallowed thickly. Was it because of the disgust she was feeling, or… he didn't let himself finish that thought. There was no way she'd feel that way. "Please. That wasn't–that wasn't what it looked like."

Violeta jerked her arm away from him on instinct, not realizing at first that there was no danger present. When he spoke, she took a step backwards. Breathe, you idiot. It's just Gray.

Forcing all emotion from her expression, she looked him right in the eyes. "Why are you explaining yourself to me? I just walked in to grab my water bottle. Why should the random girl you were making out with be any of my business?"

Gray winced, letting go of her just as she snatched her arm back. She was right. Why was it any of her business? Why was he explaining himself to her?

Because I like you. Because I don't want you to get the wrong idea.

He swallowed thickly. "I don't want you to get the wrong idea."