Obsessed with Ember

To my patient audience, thank you for hanging in there. So sorry about the long wait. Would you believe the reason this is soo late getting submitted is editing. It is really hard to find a good editor. But thanks to a really well informed editor on this website, I can finally submit chapter 2 of Obsessed with Ember. Thanks to Mr. MSayer. I hope I can work with you in the future.

Like most writers here, I ask that you please leave comments.

~~€

That night at the riverbank...

"Who are you? Why are you doing this? Please just let me go, I..." 'I know that voice...'

What the fuck was he going to do now? Vincent could kick his own ass for jumping the gun with Ember. Fuck! He quickly placed his large hand in the middle of her back and pushing and holding her down to the ground, while shoving his other hand through his hair trying to rectify his blunder. Digging his free hand into his sweats pants pocket, he pulled out his sweat stained bandana to tie her wrists behind her back.

For a moment when he realized, he hadn't disguised his voice as he spoke her name, his mind went blank. Now it seemed like his mind had raced to catch up with the current event. His mind kicked into gear that he had planned for this, instead of tying her wrists with his bandana, he reached over to the small duffle bag he had laid to the side when he had arrived to watch her bathe. Inside he found his savior... a small bottle of ether.

Still holding her down with one hand, he shook the dirty bandana loose, dropping it onto to the ground. He then he pulled out the small bottle of ether. Using his free hand, with some difficulty he opened the ether bottle and doused the bandana with it. After tossing the bottle to the ground, he kept pressure on Ember's middle back, after and picked up the bandana and held it over Ember's nose and mouth. Once he felt her body stop struggling against his. He removed the rag and checked the pulse in her neck.

Once he was satisfied her breathing was normal, he relaxed his hold on her. He rose from the ground and pulled his pants. He stooped to lean down to turn her over onto her back. Vincent stood up tall to his 6'2" height. He looked around, fearful of having an audience. He stooped down once again to pick her up. He held her in his carried her to his truck. He wrapped her in a dark blanket and laid her in his back seat. Everything had gone as planned, except for him getting carried away by saying her name in his regular voice!

Vincent had to put her under; he'd been prepared and had brought the little bottle along; knowing that when he was done... he couldn't just leave her by the bank unconscious or alone, especially not when he had barely heard her gasp.

Vincent went back to collect his duffle bag and the remainder of her things he had left for her to find. Starting up his truck, he noted the time and knew her roommate should be home, hopefully in bed. When he arrived there, before removing Ember's slumbering form, he would check on her roommate.

Once Vincent had parked his SUV around the corner from her bungalow, he then snuck around to the side of the bungalow. He saw that a TV was playing, but after looking inside of the room, it was obvious the roommate had fallen asleep waiting for Ember to show up. Luck was truly with Vincent, for Jenna was already asleep.

He quickly exited his vehicle, carrying her over his right shoulder and quickly moved up to her front porch. He used the house key that he had fished out of her pocket of her shorts by the river; he quietly entered her bungalow and made his way to her sofa.

Not wanting to risk her waking up completely or waking her roommate, he gently placed her on the sofa, and backed out the way he entered. Once outside, he closed and locked the door behind himself, and eased down her porch steps. She began to stir from the effects of the ether.

Getting her home without anyone noticing him hadn't been really difficult. Visibility was poor and none of the locals were aware of his history with Ember. He didn't need to worry about the permanent restraining order her parents had taken out against him. He was still somewhat nervous, but this was a risk he felt he could take. Damn her parents anyway for making life so difficult!

Vincent couldn't shake the feeling that he'd somehow blown it. His suspicion was proven the moment she paused in her struggles after she heard his voice. It was like on some weird level of awareness she knew that voice. All he could do was to hope that she may not recognize THAT voice, and could not connect it to him. But just to be sure he did not want to jar her memory anymore; he would be stay away for a few days.

~~€

The morning following the riverbank...

Ember's first thoughts upon waking up were that last night had to be a dream, but waking up on her sofa, in a blanket not hers, and bottomless...? Like a lightning bolt, it struck her that last night was indeed real. Due to Vincent, on occasion she would a nightmare reminisce of their fateful last date.

Those dreams, those memories like so many other dreams that people have, seemed so real, so real that she would always wake-up with a gasp. Even now she could still hear that voice..."Shut up Ember." She knew that voice, but it couldn't be him. Her parents, friends, the military, and Judge Hagen's restraining order made sure it wasn't him.

Memory lane for Ember...

Vincent Sinclair was her one time boyfriend, who had forced himself on her years ago. At first Ember couldn't believe what had happened. They had been friends since her last year of junior high. He was so attentive, funny, caring... so what happened? When did he change? What happened to him... for him to do what he did? To think and say the things he said? He began pushing her back in her seat; she tried to push him away.

His words still haunted her now and then, "You belong to me... you need to remember that... you don't look or talk to any other guy," he had hissed in her face just as he pushed the release lever of her front passenger seat down in his car. He had grabbed her wrists with one hand and held them above her head as he angled his body over hers.

In the past, they had snuggled up on a date, she had even allowed him to feel her up, but their clothes had always remained on, if not necessarily in place. They had been at the local make-out place, they weren't the only teenagers parked out at the edge of the Carter Lake, which was fortunate for Ember.

At first she thought he was playing and went along with the rough housing, but when her wrists began to hurt and he began to straddle her hips and tugging her t-shirt up, from over her white lacy bra, she became frightened. This wasn't a game. He was serious.

"Vincent! What are you doing? Stop, this isn't funny! Stop..." He had covered her mouth with his. He quickly undid his jeans with his right hand and yanked his boxers down enough to angle out his hard-on, he was so turned on, and this shit was blowing his mind. He had her shirt pulled up and her bra pulled down, for skin to skin contact.

Then his hand had unsnapped her jeans and he raised his body as she attempted to buck him off. Then he began to tug her panties to the side, but wound up actually tearing them. Ember screamed, but only a muffled sound was heard outside the car. She frantically tried to dislodge him, but all that did was to help secure him between her thighs as he used his right knee to split her thighs farther apart and angle his hips further between her thighs.

With one well aimed thrust, Vincent slammed into her. Her mouth tore away from his painful kiss and finally, her scream was heard. So after finally tearing into her, he pulls back to push deeper into her, so into punishing her for trying to deny him... Vincent failed to notice others coming to Ember's aide. Her door, which she had unlocked, was snatched open and someone pulled Vincent from on top of her. The whole time she was screaming and sobbing for him to stop. Someone screamed to call the police, another stated they knew her, a third said call her parents.

This initiated many issues in their small town: it signaled the downward spiral of Vincent's decent and legitimate future. It ruined any hopes his parents had of him becoming an officer of the law; it forever cast him as a villain in the eyes of Ember and her family, it also caused a split in the senior high school.

There were those loyal to Vincent who labeled Ember a tease and flirt that got what she deserved. Then there were those on Team Ember, who cast Vincent as the golden boy jock that had to always get his way... so why not the prettiest girl on the cheerleading squad. So their school went, so followed their small town.

Not wanting to create a bigger scandal for their daughter, Mr. and Mrs. Michaels chose to drop charges of sexual assault, due mainly to the fact that Ember was adamant things did not go that far. She had refused a rape kit. Vincent was court ordered to stay away from Ember permanently, much to his mother's chagrin. She thought, 'who does this little girl think she is to defile my son's and our family's good name? He didn't do anything she wasn't asking him for, the little slut' Yeah, his parents were pissed. They were pissed for different reasons though.

Mr. Sinclair was simply disgusted by his son's behavior for two reasons: one, he'd already told him to be careful with the Michaels girl. He knew Ember's parents and knew her to be good kid. Not like the fast little girls trotting around his son and his son's friends. And two, he knew his son... he knew boys and the games they play. Vincent was a star athlete and his dad knew such star worship led boys to feel entitled. Mr. Sinclair was not disillusioned about his son as his wife was.

He strongly believed every word the Michaels' girl said, as well as what she didn't say. Knowing his son, he was surprised it had not occurred earlier with some other girl. It was decided that Vincent would finish high school through home study, seeing as they had nearly three months of their senior year left. There would be no prom for either student, with one student being traumatized or barely making it to school on a daily basis and the other banned from all school related functions.

After a while, it was decided (by Mr. Sinclair), seeing as how this event ruined any of Vincent's chances of entering a reputable college, perhaps the military could do what his parents couldn't do, and straighten Vincent out. His mother was even more resentful of Ember's accusations of her son.

Mr. Sinclair could not even on his best day change or alter her biased opinion of either teen. In Mrs. Sinclair's eyes, 'Ember was a flirtatious black tramp that entrapped her innocent son and thus far ruined any chance of a decent future he once had.' From then on, she hated Ember and any member of her family or race. 'That little black tramp,' would be quite commonly heard during rehashing of that hateful event.

So at the end of their senior year, an eighteen year old Vincent was a young Marine. At first Vincent was pissed. Who was his father to determine his future career? Throughout all of this, he never faulted Ember. In his mind, he knew he had forced himself on her, but also in his heart, he felt that she was his and always would be.

It was the others that had gotten in their way of their romance. He could have made her see that they belonged together... and he would, have given the time. He realized that he had to get his own shit together before he could approach her to pick up from where they had left off.

He kept tabs on her from various individuals in their hometown. His mother's voice would take on a tone of disgust whenever he inquired about Ember or her family. 'Oh, why do you even bother to ask about that little Black tramp? Honestly, I fail to see whatever attracted you to her in the first place,' which he knew was a lie, Ember's mother and his mother had been fairly good friends since the kids met in school and again at PTA events at the start of their freshman year in high school.

Ever since then, his mother would always hint at what a lovely and sweet natured girl she was. Vincent had long ago determined she was the one for him. She wasn't like the other girls that flirted shamelessly with him or his jock friends. No she was an athlete in her own right, she ran track, did volleyball, and played tennis. If she wasn't on a field then she had her head in a book.

Now, his mother would cross the street or walk in the other direction if she even caught a glimpse of Ember or any member of her immediate family. If Vincent wanted an exaggerated update of her family, his mother was his source. If he wanted a social teen update, then he could casually ask a former friend of Ember's that was now 'Team Vincent'. Of course it was somehow embellished as well, but more likely of a snarky White girl that was jealous he never gave her a try and was annoyed that he still asked about the Black girl that caused him so much trouble. And in their eyes, His asking just went to prove what a good guy he was after all.

~~€

Memory lane for Vincent...

Over the years Vincent kept abridged of Embers comings and goings. Upon learning that she was moving out of town western Oklahoma, far from home and even closer to an Army military base, Vincent worked like crazy to get himself stationed there. Within a month of a not-so-little favors, he found himself and a few of his cronies stationed at Fort Sill, Oklahoma.

He had learned that Ember was majored in photography at their local community college and had obtained a job near Lawton, OK. He thought it was cute of her. She actually went to school for a time and picked up a career. She found a position with the local newspaper and did some freelance work here and there.

She shared a bungalow with a woman that worked at a nearby florist shop. It was a simple two bedroom setting. They shared a bathroom, a living room, and dining room slash kitchen.

Ember had left for the local community college, not long after Vincent departed for boot camp. Though she had supporters, it was still very uncomfortable to live in her small town where everyone knew your business, or at least thought they did. For every one or two supporters she had, she had just as many or more accusers. It was almost common to hear former friends whisper poorly or just out right state she probably got what she deserved, that Ember thought she was better than him or others. That is probably wasn't even her first time. That she was a slut, a Man-trap. It became unbearable to attend classes seeing that eighty percent of the population that attended high school were also attending college with her.

So she opted to take courses that led to a fast degree that would grant her some independence and a ways of affording her move from her hometown to somewhere far where no one knew her past. A new start is what she wanted, and Lawton would be it for her.

He'd also learned that she had a roommate named Jenna; she met her by answering an ad on Craigslist looking for a roommate. Ember had already secured the job at the newspaper, and the bungalow was not to far a walk and a quick drive if she chose. Lawton was at heart a small town. Jenna and Ember clicked right away, and it was nice for Ember to meet someone new that had no knowledge of her and Vincent.

Even 'Team Ember' was getting annoying. Back home she just wished people would let it go, but when people have nothing better else to talk or gossip about... well, it seemed to never get old. People either still blamed her for Vincent's absence or people still pitied and tsked her, like her parents and friends. She was stronger than that and wanted them to move on or at least, let her move on.

~~€

Current tabs on Ember...

Ember had lived in the town for over a month and was soon accepted into Jenna's little clique. And not long after introduced Ember to their little nightly routine of night bathing, swimming, or just fooling around. It had started off as a dare amongst the friends when they attended their local high school, but it quickly became their sinful weekly misdemeanor... sneaking off to small nearby lake on Ft. Sill, but up on higher ground to a calm shallow river, that flowed from a small waterfall.

It was picturesque. Not one of them could resist it, it now being midsummer. It was agreed upon by the group that after a hard long week of work, the girls would meet up at a set time to enjoy the tranquility and beauty of the waterfall and the river.

Unknown to the girls, their little getaway spot had been discovered by young troops training nearby. The girls laughter, conversations, or splashing caught the attention of the unit. For awhile the men couldn't believe their good fortune, too bad it was short lived.

After awhile the men began to brag of the hot girls that swam in their undies up beyond hill by the waterfall. For awhile, units would barter as to who would train in said area on certain nights. After a few weeks of various units trying to spot the girls, it became apparent Friday and or Saturdays were the girls days of choice.

Not long after, word of their romp reached Vincent. His curiosity got the better of him, especially after he heard the description of one of the girls. Knowing that Ember was now working and living in the town, he had become very interested as to her comings and goings.

This was mostly to make sure he had no competition for her time or affections. He had made it quite clear she was hands off. Though he had established no reputation locally, Vincent did keep a girl or two on hand just for an occasional fuck, nothing serious since Ember was never far from his thoughts. To get off he always had to picture in place of the woman he had been rutting into.

Vincent was 6'2" height and seemed to have a permanent scowl accompanied with a no nonsense personality. He had an impressive physique, which made him a very intimidating figure.

After finally spotting Ember amongst her friends, Vincent instantly became pissed for so many reasons. These fools had been gawking at her for weeks. She was walking and swimming in her damn panties and bra for all to see, and she was out with these idiot girls flaunting his shit, unprotected, and he had just found out these horny ass mother fuckers were ogling what was his.

This shit was going to end now. He quietly withdrew himself from the onlookers, and headed steadily over toward the corporal leading this group and informed him it was his duty to protect these women and allowing or even encouraging his men to ogle these women without their knowledge or permission was conduct unbecoming; this was grounds for action under military laws, and he would initiate the charges.

The corporal grudgingly quietly indicated to his men that they were to cease and desist from watching the women without their permission and to return to base.

This was only part of Vincent's solution. Next, he had to prevent the girls, namely Ember from returning to swim, bathe, or whatever she did in the river. He wasn't going to have his woman and her attributes going public.

After speaking with the post's Judge Advocate and the City Attorney, it was agreed that a sign would be posted banning swimmers, and bathers, of any type from the area. And not just the river and the waterfall, but the surrounding land also. It was to be posted in the town's newspaper as well, informing any and all that that part of the land was military access only.

This caused a little stir, as it was not only popular with Ember's group, but was considered a family gathering where small children could wade in the water without the fear of strong currents overtaking them, and where kids could gather in the summer days to cool off from high temperatures of the day.