Page 53 of Grown

“But I didn’t do anything. I was just—”

“Shut up!” he roars. “All I asked is for you to be faithful to me, and you do me like this!”

His voice pounds against the walls and I back away, my head spinning. I don’t know what to say except, “I’m sorry.”

“I said stop with the excuses,” he screams in my face, nostrils flaring.

I yelp, falling back onto the carpet, and burst into tears.

Korey shakes his head. “You need to stay in your room. Don’t come out until I tell you.”

Is he grounding me, like a child? “What you mean? I—”

“You leave this room... I’m going to make you regret it!”

The depth of his voice stuns me to silence. He storms out, slamming the door shut.

By noon, I’m pacing, the door calling my name.

I have to go to the bathroom.

Korey told me not to leave the room.

But still... I have to go to the bathroom.

I’ve been in here for over twelve hours. My mouth is dry. The hot sun and giant windows have turned this room into a sauna.

My cell is dead, and the charger is in the living room. Mom is probably wondering where I’m at. What if she calls Jessica? What will she say?

But still... bathroom.

I pace around in a circle, wondering how long. How long he’ll keep me in here, how long he’ll be mad at me, how long I can hold my piss.

Jessica opens the door, takes one look at me, and smirks.

“Your mom called. Want to talk to her?”

I pace in place, staring past her, feeling the cool breeze from the air-conditioning sweep in.

“Is... is that OK?” I say, my voice scratchy from sobbing.

“I don’t know. Did you ask him?”

“How do I ask him?”

“How did he say to ask him?”

I pace again. “Jessica, I really need to use the bathroom. But Korey said I can’t leave.”

Jessica rolls her eyes and walks off. She returns with an empty ice bucket, placing it on the floor.

“Here you go. Have fun.”

Sixteen hours.

That’s how long I’ve been in this room. In this outfit. With no food or water. I’m sweating. Hungry. Thirsty. Dizzy. And the half-filled ice bucket in the corner makes me want to vomit.

I met another Korey last night. That’s the only explanation for it. He must turn into a different person when he drinks, like Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. I’ve heard of people blacking out while drunk. He’s going to wake up and not remember a thing that happened. He’ll be so apologetic, begging for my forgiveness...