Chapter 2 Broken
CLARISSE
I rushed to Amelia’s apartment, a nervous excitement bubbling inside me. When she opened the door, it was like coming up for air after being underwater for too long.
“Clarisse!”
"I did it. I left."
We kissed, a long, desperate kiss full of relief and pent-up desire.
"We're free," she whispered, pulling me inside. The door slammed shut, and we were in each other's arms again, clothes falling away in a frenzy.
Her hands were everywhere, rough and urgent against my skin. I moaned as she bit my neck, a sharp, thrilling pain.
Amelia pushed me onto the bed. I arched my back, wanting more. Her fingers found their way inside me, teasing and demanding. I cried out, my body already on fire.
She climbed on top of me, straddling my hips. Her eyes were dark, hungry.
"Tell me what you want," she said, her voice husky.
"You," I gasped.
The pleasure was intense, almost unbearable. I wrapped my legs around her waist, pulling her closer.
We moved together, a wild, desperate dance. Her nails dug into my back as I bucked against her. The room spun, and all I could feel was her, inside and out. Finally, we both shattered, our bodies convulsing in a shared release.
We lay naked on the floor, limbs tangled, and the air still thick with the scent of sex. I traced patterns on Amelia's skin, trying to ignore the knot of anxiety tightening in my stomach.
"I have to tell you something," I said, my voice barely a whisper.
Amelia propped herself up on an elbow, her brow furrowed. "What is it?"
I took a deep breath. "Dad froze all my accounts."
Her eyes widened. "What? You mean... you have no money?"
I avoided her gaze, shame washing over me. "None," I admitted. "He made sure of it."
Amelia sat up, pulling a sheet around herself. The mood had shifted, the carefree joy replaced by a tense uncertainty. "So, what are you going to do?"
I sighed, running a hand through my hair. "I'll sell my car," I said, "and my jewelry." It felt pathetic, admitting it out loud.
"But... is that going to be enough?" Amelia asked, her voice laced with concern.
I shrugged, trying to sound more confident than I felt. "It'll have to be. I didn't even grab any clothes when I left. All I have is what I can carry."
A week. That's all it took. A week and the money was gone. Seriously? I started firing off resumes, but it was like they disappeared into thin air. Nothing.
Then came the calls.
“Sorry, Miss Thomson, we hired somebody else.”
“Sorry, we decided not to pursue your application.”
Total bull. I knew it was Dad. He was making sure I couldn't catch a break.
In a blink of an eye everything changed.
Amelia and I? We were fighting non-stop. Always about money.
Could feel her slipping away, too. Used to be all over me, but now? She was always "busy" or "out with friends." And always on her phone. Like, glued to it. Smiling and texting, but never to me.
I'd ask her what she was doing, and she'd get all defensive. She started coming home later and later, too. Said she was working extra shifts, but I didn't believe her. Something was going on. I could feel it in my gut.
The whole thing was a mess. Money problems, job problems, and now Amelia? I felt like I was drowning.
Finally, I landed a job. Not exactly my dream, but it was work. I was a waitress at a small, hidden club – the kind of place where the music was loud, the drinks were strong.
One night, after a long shift, I headed back to Amelia's apartment. I was exhausted and just wanted to collapse into bed. The door was unlocked, which was weird, but I didn't think much of it. I pushed it open and stepped inside.
The sounds hit me like a punch to the gut. Moans, gasps, the unmistakable rhythm of sex. My stomach churned. I crept closer, my heart pounding in my chest.
There they were. Amelia, naked and writhing with another woman. Amelia's face was flushed, her eyes glazed over with pleasure. The other woman was kissing her deeply, her hands exploring every inch of Amelia's body.
"Yes," Amelia moaned, "lick me more, right there. Oh god, that's good."
The other woman obliged, her tongue teasing and tantalizing. "Fuck me," Amelia gasped, "fuck me hard."
I stood there, frozen, the scene playing out before my eyes like a twisted movie. Then, Amelia opened her eyes and saw me. Her expression shifted from pleasure to anger in an instant.
"Clarisse? What the hell are you doing here?" she snapped, her voice dripping with venom.
"I... I live here," I stammered, my voice trembling.
"Not anymore," Amelia spat. "Get out. I'm done with you!"
"Done?" I repeated, my voice cracking.
"You heard me," Amelia said, her eyes narrowed. "You're a broke waitress now, Clarisse. I don't need you anymore. Get out of my apartment."
Tears welled up in my eyes as I backed away. "I thought you loved me," I whispered.
Amelia laughed, a cold, heartless sound. "Love? Please. I loved your money. Now you're useless to me. Get out!"
I turned and fled, the image of Amelia and her new lover seared into my mind. I felt cheap, used, like I'd been nothing more than a convenient ATM. She never cared about me, not really. And now, I was alone.
My life changed fast. One day, I had everything. The next, I had nothing. I started going to bars. Where nobody cared who you were. I met women there. Women who liked women. Women who liked me. We’d talk, drink, and sometimes… more.
One night, I was at Sarah's apartment with Maria and Jen. We were all naked, touching each other. It was hot. It was messy. It was good.
"You feel so good, Clarisse," Maria said, kissing my neck.
"Yeah," Jen said, "we love having you here."
"You're amazing," Sarah whispered in my ear. "Let me lick you."
I moaned. It felt good to be wanted. It felt good to forget everything, even if just for a little while.
We kept going, faster and harder. I lost myself in the feeling, in the heat, in the bodies all around me.
But then, it was over. We all lay there, sweaty and breathless. The feeling was gone.
I looked around at the other women. They were smiling, laughing, talking. But I felt alone. Even with them, I was still alone.
I got up and got dressed. "I gotta go," I said.
"Okay," Sarah said. "See you later?"
"Yeah," I said. But I didn't know if I would.
I walked out into the night, the city lights blurring through my tears. I was free, but I was also alone. And I didn't know which was worse.
