Chapter Text
Shaz kept a firm grip on my hand as we raced towards the closing doors of the elevator. She kept glancing over her shoulder at the two men pursuing us then towards the doors that seemed to be rapidly blocking our retreat from danger. A huge man pressed his hand against the door and allowed us to slide in. Then the doors snapped shut, leaving our sweating pursuers safely on the other side of the thick steel barrier.
Shaz turned to me and her hands started to sign to me.
" Are you OK?".
I nodded breathlessly then started to look around me. All I could see were men, some young, some older. The older ones were scary looking, big and muscled. The younger men cute but serious looking. I started to shake even more. Since the rape, I had become increasingly terrified of the world....and men in particular. Now I was trapped in an elevator with ten of them and one girl, my best friend and interpreter.
"Renny, calm down! " Shaz's hands danced through the words. "It's OK, I am here for you". Shaz moved closer to me and gave me a hug. I continued to shake and my coin belt began to rattle in response to the continuous shudders going through my body.
"Are you girls, OK?" the big man that had held the elevator for us asked. "You both looked kinda terrified there". I watched as Shaz explained that we had just finished our cabaret session and that these two men were very drunk and had kept pestering us during the entire gig and then chased us as we left. We'd got split up from the other eight girls and had had to run for it. " That explains the way you are dressed " he laughed. Everyone was staring at us, I suppose it was normal since we were wearing our Belly dancing costumes. Shaz was grinning at him.
"We are part of "Shahzad's Handmaidens". There are ten of us. I am Shaz and this is Renny...well Sharon and Serenity really...she's deaf, by the way". I saw all their eyes spin towards me as I tried to melt more into Shaz. I could feel my terror rising.
"Cool, I'd love to watch you girls dance. Can you come to give us a private show?" This came from the dark-haired, bearded young man. He had gorgeous brown eyes that seemed to shift color as he gazed at us. The blond boy that I was standing next to, looked down at me and grinned. "Wow, you are tiny. I'm not tall but you are just up to my shoulder. I feel like a giant! Yeah, come dance for us!" Shaz looked at me and her hands danced gracefully through the air as she asked me " Should we? Dance for them?" I shook my head but Shaz wasn't taking no for an answer. "We'll need our music and Renny's sound mat. They are down by Reception". One of the big, muscly men volunteered to go fetch them.
The doors slid open then and we all got out, me holding Shaz's hand in a death grip. I tried tugging her away but she just wasn't budging." Please, please come. I am scared" I signed. "We don't know these men and they may hurt us". I beyond terrified at this point and really losing it. "Calm down" Shaz signed." Don't you recognise them? It's your favorite band, OneD. You've been standing next to Louis and Niall. Didn't you even notice you were next to your two favorite men? "Please, I want to leave" I moved my hands urgently through the words. "Look, they rescued us, we should at least dance for them. They won't hurt you, they are great lads. You'll be safe" Shaz started pulling me towards the door the big man was opening. "In you go, ladies," he said as he ushered us through.
I looked around the room, well suite really. It was very luxurious but messy. Clothes were dumped all over the place and coffee cups seemed to cover every surface. I tried to find an escape route but there didn't seem to be one. Shaz was deep in conversation with the biggest man who kept glancing at me with a very serious look on his face. He then pulled out his cell phone, tapped in some numbers and started speaking. He stared at me the whole time and I could feel the panic rising. I tried to lipread what he was saying but he must have had an accent as I only picked up one or two words. Not enough to follow the conversation. Shaz walked over to we and began to "speak' to me." Paul says he's going to ask Lou, their make up girl to come down with her little girl. He thought you'd feel better with another female around. " I nodded gratefully and gave the man a tiny smile. He nodded back, still with a serious face. He then turned his back on me and I saw all the guys looking at him intently. Was he talking to them.? Were they planning something terrible? My terror began to overwhelm me and my shaking increased. I just saw the blond man, Niall, looking at me in abject horror as my world blurred and I fell into the blackness.
When I came around, I was aware of a cooling sensation on my face that wiped away that sticky sweat feeling left behind from my faint.. I opened my eyes and found myself lying on a rumpled bed, looking up into the bluest eyes I had ever seen. Looking into them seemed to go beyond the surface, like I was looking into the depths of his soul.. Niall was gently moving a cold, damp cloth across my forehead as he stared at me with concern. Harry, Zayn and Liam were grouped around the bed as they watched me. I turned my head and found Louis knelt by the bedside , holding my hand gently. "You scared us" he said slowly looking at me carefully." Paul has gone for Lou. Don't worry, you are fine. You just fainted. Never knew we were that scary" He smiled that Louis smile I was used to watching on youtube. I turned back to Niall and he looked down at me with deep concern still etched on his face. "You look better now." He gently put his arm behind my back and helped me into a sitting position and handed me the bottle of cold water Louis passed him. "Here, sip this " . I gratefully took a reviving drink, and when I finished, turned to put the bottle down. The room was empty! I turned back in alarm only to look into those blue eyes once more.
Niall was sat down on the side of the bed, and I became aware that his warm hand was right next to my bare tummy. Horrid memories started to race through my mind and I jerked away from him. He looked startled, then hurt. " I won't hurt you, please don't be scared" He mouthed the words at me slowly and carefully then looked towards the door, his lips moving too rapidly for me to follow. Shaz and a small lady with long blond hair came hurrying through the door towards me as Niall backed away from the bed. Shaz plonked down on the bed next to me. "This is Lou" Shaz signed at me. Lou handed me a mug of hot tea. "Chamomile," she said " It will soothe your nerves. Drink it while it is still hot". I looked towards where Niall had been standing but he was gone.
Shaz and Lou sat and chatted with each other as I sipped my tea. Judging by their body language and smiling faces, they seemed to be hitting it off. Lou turned to include me in the conversation. " Shaz says you can lipread?" I nodded at her. " That's cool. I bet you can have fun with that". I grinned at her, nodding and making the 'thumbs up' sign at her. " Did Niall talk to you? I've never seen him so nervous with a girl before. He always worries about fans fainting and that kind of stuff, but you really scared him. He looked so sad when we came in"
I felt tears beginning to blur my sight and even though I tried to stop them, they rolled down my cheeks. Angrily I dashed them away with my hands but Lou noticed and put her arms around me in a hug. Pulling back she studied my face " What's wrong, hun?" I shook my head at her, totally bewildered by the thoughts running through my head. " He touched me and I was scared" I signed to Shaz. She looked alarmed "Touched you? Did he try something?". "No, No!" I signed back," he just had his hand near my tummy while he was sitting next to me and I......" .I shook my head as more tears poured down my face " I pulled from him. He's been so kind and I was mean. I think his feelings hurt". Lou looked concerned but told me not to worry. "Niall will understand, I'll explain. He just isn't as confident around the ladies as the other lads and is very sensitive so takes what he sees as rejection very hard. I'll talk to him". Both girls turned as Paul the bodyguard appeared in the doorway. "If Serenity is feeling well enough, I'll get you, girls, safely home" He scooped me gently up into his arms and carried me out of the room. All the lads, except Niall, waved at us as he moved through the room and out to the elevator.
Paul tucked me carefully into the van and fastened my seatbelt gently. Shaz climbed in next to me, Paul closed the door and we were speeding off through the darkened city towards our apartment. As I looked out through the tinted windows my thoughts went back to that night I wish I could blot from my memories. The night I was raped.