Loving His Broken Luna

“Close the door!” Jason warned. Renee’s heard that tone before. He was teetering between being in control and out of it. She kept it open, her hand on the handle defiantly. Her legs straddled the frame. “I said: close the door.” “I have practice,” Renee grumbled, pulling her bag closer to her. “I would think you’d know this routine by now.” “Don’t give me that attitude! I know you go up there to flirt,” he snarled. “Flirt?” she chortled. “Those are my teammates…” “So you say.” “You’re gross. You know that?” she huffed. “That would be like flirting with Bruce,” Renee shot back. “I won’t deny I’ve seen that either,” Jason warned. “Excuse you?” “It’s all on file, how close you are with him,” Jason smirked. “What do you mean by that?” “You know I report to the school. Almost daily at this rate,” he hummed. Renee shook her head. “What did you do?” “It’s more like, what did you do?” Her frown only deepened trying to think of what he was talking about. “You lie about everything, Rey,” he hummed. “Don’t call me that,” she hissed. “How is anyone supposed to believe a liar over someone like me?” “Who? IV’s golden boy?” she snorted. “Their football hero that’s here to save a girl he barely knows?” “I know enough,” he assured her. A brisk breeze made Renee shiver where she still held the door open. His glare told her to obey but still she ignored him. “You’re going to listen to me, Rey.” Jason ground out. “Because you know what bad girls get. Don’t you?” Renee shuddered at the use of those two words. “Bad girls” got a lot of unwanted punishment. “What are you implying?” Renee tried to sit back into her seat. The way Jason’s eyes began to turn their smokey gray made her worry. They tinted the whites of his eyes when he was mad. If fully drowned, there was no telling what he’d do. Renee’s back stiffened. Relaxing was off the table. “My family life does not belong to the school,” she grumbled. “Then you confirm it to be true!” he roared, joyously. “I don’t know what’s rolling around in your empty head—“ “Besides the image of reporting to the school that you fvck—“ “You have got to be kidding me!” “I don’t kid. Or lie for that matter,” Jason grinned. “We’ve been over this.” “It’s a straight lie that would be going on my record! For what? Obeying my family?” “Mostly for you to submit to me. Stop making my job harder.” “Your job isn’t to get involved past the agreement!” “If it keeps you in line,” Jason began. “You mean, under your control?” “For the tireless days and nights I protect you? Yes.” “You? You think you protect me?” Renee scoffed, shooting up to her feet, out of the car. “You think you protect me? You’ve been a heel on my throat since the fall!” “Keep your voice down!” Jason barked out. “Lies like that will only draw attention to you.” Renee couldn’t look at him. She’d heard this all before. Her parents did it too. They’d try to control her in any way possible. Being called a liar or a w***e was where Renee drew the line. “If you’re so worried about it, why don’t you make me,” Renee rushed out, then slammed the door in his face before he could speak. Renee darted in front of traffic to get into the building. That bloodsucking prick wouldn’t be far behind, unless he chose to be. It was a gamble to fight with him, especially in the dark of the early morning. School, sports, work… Those were supposed to be safe havens. A way to escape. Now even those places were ruined. “Thank you Iridescent Valley High School for making my life worse off!” Renee growled to herself. At the very least, Renee could remember two things about her forced “relationship”with this dickhead. The first being that she always ran from him. Second: Jason had a temper. He was nosy as fvck. Couldn’t take no for an answer. It was then when Renee realized the list only grew. If only they would listen to her at school. She had a file of her own! It wasn’t like it was easy to say “no” as it was either. Renee knew all about how to be submissive and obey, but Jason kept pulling shitty games to tear her down. With enough practice, he broke her. Shards of herself were everywhere since the fall and Renee would be damned if the ability got back to her parents. “I’m going to report you,” he snarled behind her in the gym’s lobby. Renee tongued her cheek, doing all she could to ignore her “escort”. It’s what the school called him. They sold him as some fortified champion doing volunteer work. What they forced on her was a narcissistic prick. “Good for you,” she gritted through her teeth. Renee raced toward a group of her teammates headed in through the gated locker room area. Not one without a comment. “Trouble in paradise?” Corey pointed out. “I wouldn’t call it paradise,” Davis deadpanned. “It looks more like hell…” Farrah began. “Duh,” Corey replied, dropping his lanky shoulders at his side for the full effect. Renee blew past them, hauling ass to get to the women’s locker room. “What? No gossip?” Corey pushed as if Renee would ever include him. She didn’t need this or the popular kids either. The lane, her work out, practicing before the meet with Golden Plainwin, was what she looked forward to, all to drown out her reality. Jason tugged on her nerves, shoving through the group. “What the hell is your problem, lover boy?” Davis bit out. “Rut’s not that far out, is it?” Corey rolled his eyes, shoving Jason aside. “Unless you made cuts, your ass is in the lobby.” “Thank goddess for Corey,” she murmured to herself. Not even a step further, Renee collided into a member. Her front to his hard body. His chest felt muscular and welcoming, like she was meant to be there. Renee didn’t dare look at him though. Embarrassment set in like wildfire. “Sorry, sir,” she mumbled lowly, mostly to herself before shoving her way into the women’s locker room. The ice cold air conditioning in the locker room barely combatted the flames heating her cheeks. It seemed her life was one dramatic step after another. “That guy was hot,” Brittany gaped as she made her way around Renee. “Like, it’s too early to be alive. We all know this,” the girl pointed around at their teammates. Some nodded as she went. “But that guy, oof. It’s like he rolls out of bed like that. Instant hotness.” “Pretty sure they sell that as a cosmetic serum,” Marrissa pointed out. “That level would cost at least three years off of his life and six figures to own the right to consume,” Brittany stuck up for her claim. “That’s specific,” Davis chortled. “I guess we know who studies the black market here…” “You sure you swim for another team? Or are you just knockin your skills back?” Tammy entertained the group, teasing her bestie for fun. “Har-har,” Brittany rolled her eyes. “If I did, I’d be swimming as fast as Percilla’s team…” “You’re so full of yourself, it’s gross,” Tammy pushed, gaining Brittany’s pinky salute. It rivaled a human’s known middle finger in meaning, but Brittany couldn’t keep a straight face against her pack. “That guy though…” Brittany proceeded to fan herself and sip her coffee while the rest of her friends dressed beside her. Renee fought the urge to grumble as she pulled her extra large, navy blue hoodie over her head. She threw it in her bag that she managed to stuff in a locker. Being dressed already had its perks. Most of them meant hanging around a bunch of gossiping girls a whole lot less. Renee shucked off her baggy gray sweatpants when Brittany made her way beside Renee again. “Speaking of guys… What’s Jay’s deal?” she bluntly asked. “You blue balling him on purpose?” Renee frowned. “What would make you think we’re together?” Renee bit out in a warning tone. “Maybe that you are?” Britney narrowed her eyes at Renee. “He has a decent hold on you. You're in his car. I can scent him on you and you’re all over him.” “Gross,” Renee muttered. “I’d say,” Brittany began, looking Renee over. “Right. Well, we’re not a thing, so tell him to shower before you get with him. Okay?” “You’re in rare form today,” Brittany claimed as Renee grabbed her cap and goggles. The slam of her locker electrified the space between the two, forcing any type of neutral ground out of her. It wasn’t coming though. Renee had enough of Jason since day one. And if that b***h wanted him, she could have him! “You two would certainly be a match. In fact, between you and me Brittany, if I had the cash, I’d pay you to take him from me.” Renee didn’t bother waiting for Brittany’s response. She could hear the water churning already. Warmup was underway. The heavy scent of chlorine burned her eyes and nose out on the deck. Waves crested over swimmers, while the sound ricocheted off of the walls. If it weren’t for the viewing area, where she could very clearly see her escort seething, Renee would have been able to assure herself she was safe. Unfortunately, that was not the case. At least there were the overcrowded lanes. Swimming with twenty other students in their lanes took some of the edge off. There was so much to watch out for just to survive practice, that the threat of Jason being around almost vanished. Renee situated her swim cap and goggles first, then hopped up on top of the starting block. Her aqua blade meet suit from last year fit her like a second skin, which was welcome in the water. Even in her shape, drag was a drag… Renee lined herself up with an incoming swimmer, waited for him to do his flip turn, then out she went after him. She dove shallow, catching up to their pace and continued the warm up. By the time they lined the wall for the first set Renee couldn't help but double check the windows to see if her escort was still there. “Go,” the swimmer beside her urged. He held the wall, pushing against her to move. “The set starts on the sixty,” she pushed back, reclaiming her space. “I’m going,” Gavin grumbled, starting on the forty five. “Can you not listen?” Two more swimmers started before the set began. There’d be hell to pay at the end, but at least she started on the sixty as expected. Thomas and Renee began their lap at the same time, both fighting for supremacy. His wingspan out did hers in pull as he used her to propel forward. “Ow! You fvcker,” she complained as he gripped her shoulder, shoving her under. It wasn’t allowed, but still some did it. Others pulled at the lane lines to get through the workout snagging their fingers as they went. “Ugh, Renee,” Percilla surfaced from under her, “if you’re going to stand up, look first!” “Sorry, Pe,” Renee huffed. “I forgot about special teams.” Percilla gaped at her. “It’s not new. You could have killed me down there!” Not true, her brain supplied. Vampires don’t die. Her whole lane passed her through the confrontation, starting the next block. Damn it. “I’m sorry. Thomas almost drowned me,” Renee explained. “Oh? He did, did he?” Pe questioned. I’ll watch out,” Renee hopped to the shallow end to catch up but Percilla was already gone. Vampires, Renee reminded herself. Always chasing anything with a pulse. “Ow! What the fu—“ she heard Thomas yelp before racing back to the starting wall. “Gotcha!” Renee heard, clear as day underwater. Their argument passed her as they started up again. Percilla swam underneath Thomas, teasing him as he tried to get away. Pe’s long nails scraped his n****e, making him yelp, gulping water as he went. “Uh-uh-uh,” the girl tisked. “We’re under the lane doing our sets. You kick one of us and we’re allowed to bite you.” “That’s not…” “It is.” Percilla’s warning hit the rest of their lane making practice smoother. The promise of someone being fed calmed the rest of the swimmers there. For a long moment, Renee wondered if she could get the same help, relieving herself of her wannabe guard. The thought of being free from him put a little more pep in her step while they shivered by the side of the pool practicing their starts. Her mind raced while she waited. Renee knew she was burning the candle at both ends but there really was no other way to deal with his s**t or her parents’ either.