American Crime
S2E1: “Episode 1”
The original premise of this story is about a young man named Taylor whose pictures are posted online without his knowledge of him passed out drunk at a party thrown by the captains of the popular basketball team. After his elite private school finds out, they suspend him for a couple of weeks. When confronted about the photos by his single and hard working mom, he reveals to her that he was drugged and sexually assaulted. The following scene is from the assault itself which is never actually described in the show from a female perspective and in the 70’s.
Oh, here you go again, you say want your freedom, Stevie Nicks sleepily sang over the radio. The year was 1979 and I was in Evy’s car smoking a cigarette as we drove to the Captain’s party. The September breeze gently tousled my hair as we drove throughout the empty dark streets of our town.
“Why are we even going to this?” Evy asked, sounding annoyed. “You don’t even like dancing or any of the popular kids at school.”
Evy didn’t go to Leyland; she was still in the public school that I used to go to before my mom had the brilliant idea that I should go to Leyland so I could make it out of here. She had been my best friend for years. She was a plain looking girl because she liked herself that way. She fashioned herself to be a bit of a tomboy, wearing baggy clothes and leather jackets. She didn’t take any shit from anybody.
Evy was right; I did hate Leyland. Every day I went there I was called names like white trash or slut or whore even though we all wore the same uniform. Just because my hair fell flat and it wasn’t three million feet high girls wouldn’t want to talk to me so I walked through that school alone.
But I had been invited. I had secretly been talking to one of the boys on the basketball team and it had been a small heaven in the middle of hell. He was so soft and he talked like he understood me. I knew why that he would never tell his friends about me; it would ruin his reputation. I didn’t mind being his little secret. I wouldn’t want to be paraded around like a prize pony anyway.
“We’re here!” Evy yelled, breaking me out of my thoughts. I stared at the dimly lit house before us where disco was blasting and I could see shadows dancing in the moonlight.
I stepped out of the car in my platform shoe and adjusted my headband. I had fluffed my hair to the max like Farrah Fawcett and I went out and bought a new dress that was ended above my knee and was drenched in pink, blue, and purple swirled together. I had even covered my eyes in neon blue eyeshadow and my lips were a bright coral. I was looking decent for once, even Evy had complimented me.
I walked hesitantly in my new shoes but tried to remain confident. I was going to see my man after all. I was supposed to be here.
I knocked on the door with gusto and Kevin opened it a peep, looking confused. “Who are you?” he asked me, looking in awe.
“It’s Taylor,” I replied. “Taylor Blaine.”
He looked me up and down, biting his lip slowly. The captain of the basketball team and one of the hottest boys in school was in awe of me. After a pregnant pause, he opened the door and motioned for me to come in.
Donna Summers was moaning over the stereo, oh, I love to love you, baby…
The house was beautiful with a stunning staircase and chandelier hanging from the ceiling. Unfortunately, I could not really make out the details within the house because it was covered in a blanket of smoke. It smelled like Mary Jane, cigarettes, and beer.
Evy’s face lit up at the sight of the smoke. “Oh, great! I can smoke in here.” She pulled out a long, thick joint from her pocket with her lighter. She took a long drag and handed me my joint. “Go have fun, kid. That outfit is bitchin’.” She walked over to the other stoners who were laying on the couches in the living room, talking slow, low, and soft.
I blushed and stepped into the ballroom. There was a DJ and a large bar with a lot of different drinks on it. I lit my joint and began taking long drags it as I looked around. It seemed almost everybody at school was here. They were bumping and grinding on the dance floor, some of them with cocaine dusted on their noses and cupid’s bows. As I smoked, the lights became brighter and the music pulsed through me like I was a part of it.
“Hello beautiful,” a voice from behind me said.
I turned my head slightly because it was all I could do at this point and I saw the face of Eric smiling back at me.
“Hi baby,” I murmured back, touching his face slightly.
He was wearing a full disco suit, with his tanned chest peeking out slightly from the silky fabric and a brown jacket with the bellhop pants. He handed me a glass. “For you,” he slurred slightly.
I threw my head back and swallowed it in one gulp. I needed something to make the world go fast again. It was bitter and I gagged at the taste of it but I immediately calmed down once Eric put his arms around me.
I pulled him onto the dance floor as the DJ switched to Last Dance by Donna Summer. The song started real slow, and we simply swayed together to the music. I had been practicing my disco dancing so I couldn’t wait to surprise him.
Oh, I need you, to guide me, to hold me, to scold me…
“You look so gorgeous tonight,” he whispered in my ear, practically purring. “Why don’t you dress like this for school?”
“Because I don’t need to,” I replied, annoyed at his comment.
Because when I’m bad I’m so so, so bad…
“Doesn’t matter because you’re all mine anyway. I wouldn’t want the guys seeing you like this every day and getting the wrong idea.”
“All yours…?”
So let’s dance, let’s dance, let’s dance, let’s dance, oh, let’s dance, let’s dance, tonight…
I spun out of his arms and he broke into a huge grin. I immediately started twisting and turning like I never had before. He dipped me and soon we were in the center of the dancefloor and everybody was watching us.
Let’s dance the last dance tonight…
When the music ended the world began to blur and I suddenly realized something wasn’t right. The deafening sound of applause around me sounded distorted. The faces in the crowd were blurry and the flashing lights seem to take hours to change. My body felt sluggish and sagged onto Eric’s shoulder as he dragged me into another room, kissing my neck. He slammed and locked the door, throwing me on the bed. I wanted to get up but my body just lay there in the darkness.
Another song began to play outside, The Best of My Love by the Emotions. How fitting.
I love the way you make me feel about you, baby…
“When I saw you tonight, I just knew I had to have you…” he muttered, stroking my growingly numb body. “And I know you want this too…you told me you did with your body and the way you’re dressed…wow…”
He grabbed my breast and began kissing me sloppily. My noodles of arms tried pushing him off they just barely brushed against him and fell back down to where they originally were.
As my consciousness began to leave me, I wanted to cry. He was going to have sex with me. He’s going to take advantage of me. And I can’t do anything about it. I shouldn’t have smoked. I shouldn’t have drank.
Oh oh, you’ve got the best of my love, oh-oh, you’ve got the best of my love!
When I came to, my clothes were crumpled on the floor next to me and I felt my hair and it was in complete disarray. All I had on was my bra and my underwear and I just felt so empty and gross. I could still feel his clammy hands all over me.
I leaned over the bed and vomited on the floor, hoping that the feeling of nastiness growing inside me would leave. As I retched my guts out, I heard the door open and I froze. I didn’t want to look to see who it was.
“Look at her, the slut,” I heard a voice say. Somebody grabbed my leg and put me on the floor so I was sitting upright. My head sagged onto my chest. I could barely open my eyes.
“Say cheese, slut,” the same voice said and my eyes were blinded by the flash of what I assumed to be a Polaroid. I raised my hand slightly, attempting to shield myself.
“Stop,” I managed to spit out.
“Oh, so now she wants to stop?” another voice laughed. “That’s not what she was saying before!”
“Say cheese, foxy mama!”
“What the hell is going on here?” I heard Evy yell as the voices in the room scattered.
“Please help me, Evy,” I sputtered, trying to get up. I could still barely see and my limbs felt like jello. She picked me up, putting my weight on her shoulder.
“Get away from her, you fucking freaks!” she shouted, pushing us into the light.
Lay down the boogie and play that funky music until you die!
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