Fallen Idols

"No one will believe you" Chad smirked, "and even if they believe you -- they will think it was your fault. Everyone knows how you practically live here these days. How many girls have you talked to about me? Don't you see I’m a man of the church, with a family? I’ve been through so much these last few weeks. I come home and you're practically naked in the pool -- you invite me in -- we play with Emily -- she'll tell everyone -- I mean you are a gorgeous girl. Every man will look at you and say in his mind he wished it had been him instead of me. They won't say it out loud but that's what they will think -- and the wives -- oh, what they will say about you has never been said." All of a sudden -- I knew he was telling the truth. How did it look? How had it looked for a long time? How stupid I had been – why had my parents let me be here this much? He fixed us a cold drink, while I sat speechless. What happens now, I wondered? What had he done to my life? Was it ruined forever? He pulled out pictures of me in my swimsuit, others of me sleeping in the guest room. I was so stunned he finally reached over and slapped my face to bring me back to the present. He told me to get my stuff together. "You don't have to worry about me ever touching you again. You are now damaged goods." I couldn't believe this was the man I had admired all these years. Emily awoke and came in laughing and talking about the great time she had in the pool with us. Chad looked at me slyly and winked.