Chapter 20 - consequences part 1

"Where. The f*ck. Were you last night," Rebecca seethed, stepping forcefully into the room.

She slammed the door shut, sealing us into the space together, blocking my only exit with her body.

"I.... I..." was all that escaped my lips.

Her chin cocked and her features softened slightly. I saw her look me up and down. "You don't look hurt. Did something happen?"

"No," I said quickly, not wanting to give Heather away.

"Then where were you?"

"I just... I just didn't sleep last night."

"You just didn't..." she spat, her rage again building. Her voice stayed low but it had such force it could have stopped armies. "Is this a joke? What did you think? I wouldn't notice?"

"No," I backed up against the window, trying to put as much space between us as possible.

She began storming towards me. With each step she seemed to grow taller while I felt like I was shrinking.

"Then what, you thought I'd just sit around waiting for you to return at your leisure? Like I have nothing better to do but wait around for you?"

"No. I... I didn't-"

"Didn't what? Think? Care?"

"Please, I just-"

"Let's get something straight, Jessica." I shuttered as she said my name. It was like a parent chastising a child, just saying my name made me feel small and insignificant. "I have put too many hours in for you to just decide not to show up."

She was now right in front of me, way too close for comfort. I was ducking back, my belly sticking forward as I leaned my elbows onto the ledge. My head was doing its best to shrink between my shoulders as she leaned her face down just inches from mine.

I could see the fire in her eyes, feel the sharp and angry breathes. Her teeth were grinding together, her eyebrows flaring.

Her hands were suddenly on my round stomach. Her fingers dug into my flesh. There was so much fat there that she was able to lift the shelf that had formed. My limbs felt like stone, like I couldn't move them if I wanted to.

"This is mine," she hissed at me, giving my girth a jiggle. "I made this. I've spent hours, days, weeks, months to create this. Do you understand? You are mine."

I was frozen. I stood there as she caressed me, as her hands groped at my flab. My fearful eyes stared into her burning ones as my belly budged and folded beneath her touch.

"I said, Dearest," she said my nickname with such malice it made me flinch. She leaned her lithe form against my wide, soft, massive one. "You are mine. Do. You. Under. Stand."

"No."

The word popped out of me. It even surprised me as it reached out of my mouth. But I instantly knew it to be true.

My mind flashed back to yesterday morning and how I felt lying in bed for hours, utterly miserable and alone. It flashed to bawling my eyes out in the restaurant while Heather's arms rested around me. It flashed to how I felt sitting on my bed before a beautiful girl and only wishing I would disappear.

"No," I repeated. "No. I was yours when I wanted to be. I was yours when I chose to be. You may have tied me up and fed me but I chose to go along with it. I liked it. I did... For a while. But then I decided it was time to make a new choice. I chose not to come to you."

I glared defiantly at her, projecting as much confidence as I could muster, even with her arms still on my midsection, her body against mine. She stared back at me with such force I thought I might eventually break in two.

Then her head snapped back and a laugh erupted from deep within her, strong and sincere, making goosebumps rise up and down my arms.

She took her hands from me and stepped back, she began stepping to the side, pacing before me.

"Oh, it's been your *choice* this whole time then? Is that what you think?" she giggled with menace, turning on her heel to walk the other way, like a predator circling its prey. "You chose to let me slap that mask on you that first night? You chose to eat until your swollen belly burst through that corset, your eyes begging me to stop? You chose to add on pound after pound until every article of clothing you owned couldn't fit you? Tell me, Dearest, how many new pairs of pants did you *choose* to buy?"

I could say nothing, I could only shrink more into the wall.

"No. No, Dear," she continued, smirking, she was back in control though her eyes were still flaming. "No, I chose this. But I'll tell you what you did. You *loved* it. You loved how your body began to fill out. You loved it when I showered you with attention. You loved when I pushed you beyond what you could do yourself and rewarded you every step of the way. But most of all, you *loved* letting your belly fill until it couldn't hold another bite."

I swallowed. Somehow, her voice, the way she commanded her room, was making my body churn in a way I couldn't control. It was like it was calling out to her, like it desperately wanted her. Even as my mind told it to resist, it reached for her with every cell.

"So I'll tell you what." She perched her small rear on my desk, folding her arms, her chin high and her eyebrow raised. Her voice came out sweet and alluring... her eyes still burned, burned, burned. "Why don't you peal yourself away from that window and come with me. Dearest, let me take care of you. You know I can. You won't actually want to be in this stuffy old office. Come with me, we'll go have some fun."

I gulped.

"Come on, I can see those bags under your eyes. I know you're exhausted. You're tired of fighting. Just let me take care of you."

"W.... where are we going?" It came out of me light as a breath.

"Where do you think?" She grinned and my loins flared.

I shuttered, my chest beginning to heave with large breaths.

She was patient, calmly waiting for me to respond. Her body oozed confidence, she knew she was going to get her way. She always did. She just had to wait, her prey would come to her. Her prey couldn't resist.

I felt my fingers ball into fists.

Five days. Just five days.

"No," I said quietly.

"Excuse me?" I could have sworn a burst of flames leaked from her eyelids.

"No. I choose to stay here," I said louder, my confidence growing.

She snapped up from the desk and was upon me with lightning speed. Again, her face was inches from mine and she towered over me. Her wrath-crazed eyes seemed to be the only thing I could see and I felt fire burning under my skin as they bore into me.

"Oh, is that what you choose?" she hissed.

"Yes."

My head whipped to the side and my cheek burst with hot pain as her palm licked my skin. I felt my face throb as flames of hurt smoldered across its surface.

My hand instinctively raised to my jaw. My fingers felt heat and I was sure my cheek was reddening.

"Fine," she growled, turning from me, her feet pounding into the floor. "You make that choice."

She grabbed the door handle before turning her head to catch my eye, once again her features burning with thick, unquenchable rage.

"We'll see how much of a choice you really have."

With one motion the door opened, engulfed her, and slammed shut with such force the trinkets in my office shuttered and papers were blown off my desk and across the floor.