Free Nuit Noire by Carol Robi

that spills from me are variations of just how great my date went.
    “Oh darling! I am so glad to hear that,” mom says, embracing me even tighter. “Hush now. Don’t cry. Don’t be sad that you had a good time, okay? Don’t feel guilty. Dad would be happy. I want you to be happy. Now rush up take a shower, and come down. I’ll twist your hair for you while you tell me about your great date. Those curls have almost flattened out, and your hair is starting to stick out. Run along, my baby!”
     

Chapter 10
    I dread meeting him again. Any attempts to get out of going to school only seems to make mom worry.
    I have attempted all communication methods to tell her or Tony of what happened, but each time, all that comes out are variations of just what a great date it had been. I tried writing a note, typing, gesturing, sending a text, an email- nothing. I am completely unable to tell the truth about my traumatizing date. He must have some form of mind control over me, that ensures I never once say anything.
    Or it was that which he said before releasing me from his mind control. Do not tell anyone about this, he’d said. Anyone asks you, you just say that we had dinner, and that it was a great date. With those words, he’d mind-controlled me one last time.
    For the first time in months, I am sleeping all night undrugged, and waking up without nightmares. At first I’d been too scared to close my eyes, not wanting to find myself lost in my nightmares again, but exhaustion had finally caught up with me, and blessed restful sleep followed.
    Back at school, I am glad for contrary to my original fears, he does stay away from me. He sits at our table every lunch. My friends never once allow me to run away and seat elsewhere, much less my brother.
    On days when I think I cannot take it anymore, I do sit elsewhere. This of course causes my brother to follow me and sit with me. Which then causes Mandy to follow him because she has a crush on him, and this leads to Dave following, because he has a crush on her. Mike then follows, as he is Dave’s best friend, and the two boys have more to talk about together than they do with Collin. Collin then follows them, with Jennifer in tow, which also means she makes sure to call Gauthier to join us the moment she sees him. So in actuality, it is impossible to avoid him. It is impossible to escape him. In school, in class.
    Worst of all are the haunted eyes he keeps directed to me. Deep haunted eyes as though begging me to save him, to liven them. Unbridled longing eyes that cause everyone in my group of friends to ask me why I won’t go out on another date with him whenever he is yet to join us at the table.
    “Poor boy is so in love with you,” Mandy starts this time. “Why don’t you just go out with him.”
    “I already did,” I tell her curtly, tired of the repeated nagging.
    “You said it went well. Why dont you go for a second date with him?” But I cannot answer her honestly, can I? Any attempts to refer to the disturbing experience I went through last time, or what I fear I might happen should I go out with him again, die unspoken in my lips.
    “Leave me alone,” I say instead, turning to my food, as the topic of conversation joins us at the table, fielding cheerful hellos from everyone but me.
    “Are you looking forward to this Saturday?” Mandy asks my brother. The same dreamy look is in her eyes, the look my friends held in my former school whenever they looked at him.
    Tony shrugs absently in answer, running his hands over his neat cornrows. Mom was in her mood yesterday, so we both have very tidy hair today. My curls are fresh, as last night mom twisted my wet hair again, and I uncoiled them this morning. Tony’s previous wild curls were also reduced to neat cornrows last night by mom, and the positive effect is obvious as so many girls have stopped by our table to make small talk with him.
    If I had any doubt before now that I am sitting on the most popular