A/n: This took place when Sylvia was in her first year of university. Also, note that she learned basic self-defense and other fighting skills in the second year.

Flashback

"Hey, how was the quiz? Did you pass?" Xavier asked as soon as I came out of the class.

My hand went over my heart in fright, "God, you scared me." I told, looking at him with wide eyes.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to give you a scare." He said looking sheepish.

I smiled and started walking alongside him, "I think I did good in the quiz, I'll definitely pass." I said shrugging my shoulders.

"Mm-hmm." He nodded his head absentmindedly staring in space.

I snapped my fingers in front of his face and he blinked before looking down at me.

"Where's your mind at?" I asked raising a brow.

"Nowhere." He mumbled looking straight ahead.

I followed the direction of his gaze to see him staring at Ross who was currently standing in a corner with Liam and Talia.

We had met on the very first day of the university and had spent every single second together ever since. Xavier liked Ross, who also liked him back but he was too arrogant to admit it first. It has almost been a year and none of the two had bothered to confess their feelings for one another. Liam and Talia were a couple, too, and a very adorable one might I add.

"So, when are you planning to confess your undying love to Ross?" I asked casually while looking around.

"WHAT?!" he whisper-yelled after he grabbed me by my arm to stop me.

"Come on, you don't really take us for a fool, do you?" I asked shaking my head.

"Was it that obvious?" he asked sighing dejectedly.

I chuckled and ruffled his hair, "Of course, it was!"

He huffed and shook his head, "I think I am gonna tell him tonight at the party."

"Really?" I asked in excitement.

He nodded his head shyly making me coo at him. He glared at me in return and I instantly shut up before turning to look ahead.

"Hey, Sylvia, how was your quiz?" Talia asked as soon as we came to stand beside them.

Went good. You coming over to get ready, right?" I asked raising a brow.

"Of course, I am. Is that even a question?" she replied in a 'duh' tone.

I chuckled and shook my head in amusement before saying, "Okay, let's leave then."

After saying goodbye to everyone, Talia and I left for my place which was only a fifteen minutes' drive from the campus.

"I hate not sharing this class with you guys, Augustine and his crew are so fucking creepy." I huffed.

"Ugh, those fuckers irritate me to my core." She raged.

I sigh but an unsettling feeling takes place in the pit of my stomach. I shrug it off and turn the volume of the radio, up.

---

"You ready?" I asked Talia.

"Yes, ready to rock!" she said in a sing-song voice.

I chuckled shaking my head, "You look hot." I commented pointing at her skinny jeans and red crop top.

"Thank you, but you look hotter." She complimented with a wink.

I was wearing a knee-length black sequined dress and black high heels. My dead straight locks fell on my back.

"Why thank you, kind ma'am." I mock bow.

"Oh, stop it you." She spoke in a fake British accent and swatted her hand in the air making me laugh.

"Don't do that, again." I said while she fake glared at me.

The doorbell rang and I rushed to open it. Liam, Xavier, and Ross were standing on the other side of the door dressed in casual jeans and shirts.

"Hey." I greeted them.

They greeted back and came inside.

"Just give me a minute and we'll leave." I rushed to grab my bag from my room and kept the keys inside it before we all left the house together.

"Sia will ride with us." Xavier and Ross spoke simultaneously.

I looked at Xavier with raised eyebrows and he narrowed his eyes at me. I shrugged and sat in the backseat quietly.

It took us nearly thirty minutes to reach the place. The party was held at one of our batch mate's house, Simon.

Throughout the drive, I kept experiencing this feeling of dread washing over me but I didn't pay much mind to it and engaged in conversation with Ross and Xavier occasionally.

"Hey, you alright?" Ross asked as soon as we all got out of the car.

"Yeah, I'm good." I plastered a fake smile.

He kept staring at me for a solid minute, not buying my bullshit, but did not press the matter more, thankfully. Honestly, even I had no idea what was wrong.

At the door, we were welcomed by Simon, an orange-haired boy, "Hey, y'all party heads!" he literally screamed.

My eyes widened for a bit at his enthusiasm and I gave him a small smile and said 'thank you' before entering the house.

Liam and Talia waved at us from the kitchen. I went there and grabbed a root beer before bringing the bottle to my lips.

"What's up with you?" Talia asked raising her eyebrows.

"Nothing, I don't feel too good all of a sudden." I answered truthfully.

"All good?" she asked placing her hand on my arm in concern.

"Yeah, I don't know. I'll be fine." I smiled at her convincingly and she nodded her head mumbling 'okay.'

For the next one hour, we danced like crazy on the floor and I started to feel thirsty so I excused myself and pushed past the sweaty bodies to grab myself something to drink.

Heaving a huge sigh of relief after I finally managed to reach the kitchen, I open the fridge and grab myself a bottle of water. After unscrewing the cap, I chugged it all down in one go and swiped a hand over my mouth before turning around only to bump into someone.

"Oh, I am sorry! I didn't know you were standing there." I apologized taking a step back and looked up to see Brian, one of my classmates who also crept me out a lot.

Taking a few steps back, I placed the empty bottle on the counter and was about to leave but he grabbed my elbow and stopped me. I froze in my tracks and snatched my elbow from his hold before turning around to give him a sharp look.

He raised his hands up in surrender and gave me a sheepish smile before opening his mouth to speak, "I'm sorry, didn't mean to scare you. I just wanted to talk."

"I was not scared, I just don't like being touched without consent." I replied curtly.

"I apologize for that. Have a drink with me?" he asked expectantly.

"I don't drink." I shook my head and told him truthfully.

"Oh, a juice then, maybe?" he raised his brows in question.

I opened my mouth to deny but then a thought crossed my mind and I simply nodded my head in agreement.

Maybe after this, he will leave me alone for good. Ever since he asked me out a few weeks ago, I have been steering clear of him because I rejected his proposal telling him that I like someone else. I really hope he does not bring it up again.

"Um, I'm going to head to the bathroom and be back real quick." I told.

"Okay, I'll be here." He answered and I excused myself from there.

I went upstairs to the bathroom and once I was done with my business, I dried my hands and walked out. A gasp left my mouth as I found Brian standing there a few feet away near the railing of the staircase.

Creepy much?

When he spotted me, he flashed me a smile and started walking in my direction. My stomach churned but I ignored the feeling and met him halfway as he handed me a red cup filled with some juice. I did not pay much attention to what flavor it was and awkwardly smiled at him.

I hope the drink finishes soon, I just want to get out of here.

"So, I just wanted to apologize for earlier that day, you know?" he spoke breaking the silence.

I looked at him in surprise, "Really?" I questioned.

"Yeah, I shouldn't have come out at you like that. It must have crept you out." He said rubbing the back of his neck.

I took a sip from my juice and shit, it was apple juice. I did not want to make him feel bad any further and decided to keep my mouth shut about it before taking another sip.

"Actually, you kinda did." I admitted sheepishly.

He chuckled in embarrassment before taking a sip of his beer and turned to face me fully, "I really liked you, you know? And I didn't wanna keep it to myself anymore but don't worry I understand."

"Thank you." I replied getting a bit awkward.

An uneasy feeling churned in my stomach, probably because of the juice, and my head suddenly started to feel a little heavy. I blinked rapidly to clear my vision and looked down at the floor to see Talia and Liam still dancing out of their heads.

I shook my head and took a step forward to walk, "Excuse me." I mumbled to Brian who stood there watching me with an unknown expression on his face.

I clutched my stomach in pain, my ulcer ugh and the cup slipped out of my hand. Black dots started dancing across my vision and I tried to get a hold of something to stabilize myself but my hand just kept slapping the air. When my body was ready to collapse, a strong pair of arms wrapped around my body jerking me forward.

"And the fish finally takes the bait." A familiar voice whispered just before darkness enveloped me.

----

*Trigger Warning: RAPE*

I stirred in my sleep when I felt hands on my body and snapped my eyes open in an unfamiliar dimly lit room. My ears registered muffled voices before I blinked rapidly to adjust my vision and saw around seven boys standing around the room.

My heartbeat picked up when I finally felt a finger trailing up my leg and I tried to sit up only to be slammed back by force. My wrists were wrapped in rough cloth and tied to the bedpost. My eyes widened as Brian's face hovered a few inches away from mine and I started to thrash my legs in order to break free of the restraints and my mouth opened to scream but he covered it quickly.

I could hear the loud music in the background indicating that the party was still in full swing and my gaze frantically roamed around the room and among the many familiar faces of Brian's friends, I spotted Augustine.

My eyes widened as he stood in a corner, his face painted in a blank emotion. My eyes pleaded for help but he gazed at me with so much coldness that it sent a shiver up my spine.

What was even happening with me? Why was I here? How long was I out? Did not my friends notice?

My racing thoughts came to a stop when I heard Brian's voice, "What a pity! You could have saved yourself from all of this had you not been a bitch to me."

I started to shake my head as tears gathered in my ears and I blinked twice before he slapped me across the cheek roughly. My head hit the headboard and a painful groan escaped my lips.

"What are you doing?" I asked but my voice came out muffled because of his hand that was once again placed at my mouth.

"I just wanted to get in your pants, really. Just needed a taste but you had to up and reject me, didn't you?" he faked concern at the end.

I gulped audibly and tried to release my hands but to no avail. The ties were too tight, I would not be able to open them.

"Stop, you're not going anywhere. Not until we're done with you." He spoke coldly and smiled showing off his teeth.

I scrunched my nose because of the stench of alcohol in his breath and moved my face to the side. My heart felt as if it was going to beat out of my chest.

I badly wanted to escape from here.

"Now, now, shall we begin?" he asked and the boys cheered making me close my eyes in pure disgust.

Please, God, please send someone to help me.

The next second, he laid me flat on the bed and when I started to struggle in his hold, he sent a hard punch to my stomach knocking the breath out my lungs as the pain from earlier returned in full force.

"Please." I begged him to stop as the tears flowed freely down my cheeks.

"One taste, I promise, baby girl. Stay still and I'll be quick." he whispered in my ear and his hands started to work their way up on my dress as tore it open in the front with a sharp object.

I gasped loudly and the stench of alcohol made my face twist in disgust. It was strong to a point where I couldn't breathe because of the close proximity.

"Please, stop. Let me go." I whimpered pathetically.

He proceeded to rip my dress apart until it was nothing but small shreds scattered here and there. I cried and begged for mercy but he turned a deaf ear to all my pleas.

My hands were in restraints and my wrists were bruised from all the struggling. I was sprawled on the bed with Brian's huge form hovering above my now naked body.

"Shh, it'll soon be over." he cooed.

I looked around for help but they all seemed to be enjoying the show as he stripped me down to my underwear and opened the zip of his pants. He groped my breasts after removing my bra and panties and his hands assaulted me down there, mercilessly.

It hurt so much to have his disgusting hands and mouth in places that had never been touched before. His touch was cold, harsh, and painful. He was bruising my body as I continued to mumble in a weak voice, telling him to leave me be but nobody listened.

My whole life flashed in front of my eyes before I finally whispered one name loud enough for everyone to hear, "Adrian."

Brian's hand stopped for a while and he punched my jaw, "Is he the one you rejected me for? That little bitch." He gritted out.

As if a switch flipped inside him, he brutally dug his nails in my inner thighs making me scream in agony and pain. His cold, calloused fingers roughly pinched my nipples so harshly that I nearly passed out again before he grabbed my jaw roughly and told me to 'stay awake.'

His hands went inside his boxers and he grabbed his dick before placing it at my entrance and rubbing it there. Bile rose up my throat and my chest constricted painfully but I managed to push it back.

"No." I shook my head in protest but he ceased my movements as he entered me, breaking my hymen, and causing a loud scream to rip through my throat.

All my pleas and screams were diminished in thin air over the loud music that was blasting downstairs. Tears leaked out of my eyes as the reality finally sank it. My body moved up and down lifelessly along with his as I stared at the ceiling numbly. His grunts and moans were the only sounds that could be heard in the otherwise silent room.

The reality had finally sunk in. I was getting raped. And there was no escape.

"Baby, you're so tight. Fuck, I love it." he grunted and came down from his high.

He rolled off of me and after a few minutes left the room but not before laughing in my face and telling me what a whore I am.

I laid there for an hour before getting up and looking for spare clothes. My body protested as I walked out in a large tee shirt and out of the house where the party was still in full swing and nobody noticed me. And I did not want to be spotted either.

A hand clamped on my mouth as soon as I walked out of the house and I screamed feeling a shooting pace in my chest traveling up my heart.

"Ah, baby girl. I saw you running." his voice whispered in my ear and his hands roughly squeezed my ass.

A sob broke out of my mouth but it came out muffled since his hand was clamped on my mouth.

He dragged me to the back of the house while I tried to protest once but my body was shutting down and pushed me against the concrete wall. He opened his pant zipper and my eyes widened once again.

No.

He grabbed the tee shirt that I found inside that room and rose it up to my stomach before entering me with one strong thrust.

"Augustine." My voice was muffled due to his hand clamping down on my mouth.

Why was he doing this?

"This is what you get for rejecting my cousin, you whore. Do you think you're some kind of princess? You're just a bitch." He spat bitterly as he picked up the pace of his thrusts and my body fell limp against his.

"You aren't gonna tell this to anyone, are you baby girl? You don't want a repeat of tonight, right?" he asked as he groped my breasts and his lips came to attack my neck.

I wiggled in his grip and shook my head vigorously after he pulled out. My head was throbbing, the pain in my chest was increasing to the point that I feared it would cripple my left side.

"Good girl." he muttered and bit my neck one last time before pushing me.

I fell on the ground and he kicked me in the stomach repeatedly making me scream in pain before he dragged me to the main road and left me there on the sidewalk.

The last thing that crossed my mind was Adrian's angry face as I left for New York for the first time and the pain in my heart only increased making me writhe for a moment before I finally gave in to the inviting darkness.

TO BE CONTINUED...