Forgive

Forgive

By

Mandee Mae

This book is a work of fiction created from the author’s imagination. Any names, places, events, and occurrences in this book are coincidental.

This book is intended for entertainment purposes only. This book is recommended for 18+ due to its language and sexual content. 

This book cannot be copied in any way, shape, or form without the written consent of the author. Legal action will be taken if this is found to be true.

Copyright protected 2014 ©

All rights reserved

ISBN-13:978-1500802028

ISBN-10:1500802026

––––––––

Cover photo provided by Shutterstock.com

Cover designed by: Wicked By Design

Editor(s): Book Designs by Dee and Editing Services and Jenny Sims from Editing4indies.

Table of Contents

Title Page

Disclaimer

Forgive

Prologue

Chapter One | Ten years later

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

The End

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Acknowledgments

First and foremost, a huge shout out to my family. I couldn’t continue on this path without the love and support that you show me on a daily basis. You constantly remind me that I can do anything I want, even when I doubt myself. I am truly blessed to have my husband and two beautiful daughters support me while on this journey. I love you guys to the moon and back.

Tbird...You have been a faithful friend and Beta from practically the beginning of this journey. Your trust and honesty is something that I value more and more each and every day. There will be many more books to come in the future and I know I can count on you to be there to help me every step of the way.

To my editor(s)... Thank you for all your hard work in making this book exactly how I wanted it. I truly appreciate it.

Prologue

––––––––

If I can just stay out of sight...I can hide back here in the corner and maybe they won’t see me. I desperately wish that I could become invisible. 

If they only knew how much pain it caused me when they called me those names...but they don’t care. To them, I’m a nobody. I'm nothing. I’m worse than the dirt on the bottom of their shoes.

The only reason they do this to me is because they know how weak I am. They know that I don’t have any friends...that I don’t stand up for myself...that I don’t have any confidence...To them, I’m just an easy target.

Sadie, we see you hiding back there. Don’t you like us anymore? We’re just messing around. We don’t mean anything by it, Tom Sanders smoothly says, walking towards me, eyeing me the entire time. I turn my head and look down the wall to see if I can get out of here without any more humiliation. Tom is the one that always speaks out, but he has two followers, Matt England and Toby Miller. They don’t usually say anything, but they don’t do anything to stop Tom either.

I slowly start to make my way down the wall, away from them, hoping and praying they will just give up. The three of them are seniors here at Mt. Columbus High. I’m just a measly sophomore. I remain quiet; talking back to them would only make it worse. The last time I spoke up, people were laughing, staring and pointing their fingers at me. It wasn’t a very good feeling at all.

Where are you going, Sadie? Tom keeps walking towards me, rubbing his hands together like he’s contemplating his next move. Matt and Toby follow him. I know I shouldn’t, but I quickly glance up and meet Tom’s stare, then quickly look toward the floor.

Tom is popular with the girls. If he wasn’t such a douche, I might consider him cute too. He’s got sandy blonde hair, broad shoulders and the greenest eyes I’ve ever seen. Matt and Toby aren’t too bad either, both have brown hair, Matt’s just a shade darker than Toby’s. If you didn’t grow up around them you might think they were brothers considering how much they look alike. Matt has brown eyes whereas Toby has blue. I wish they would just grow up and stop all this bullying bullshit.

Come on...we just want to talk to you. The voice is different, and I can’t tell if it’s Matt or Toby. Talk to me, my ass. They want to torment me. I bought into their bullshit the first time they said that to me. I won’t be fooled again. I just keep moving; hopeful that they will give up soon.

I finally make it to the end of the wall, round the corner, and take off like my ass is on fire. Well, I move as fast as I can. I’m overweight, so I can’t run very fast. That’s one of the reasons they pick on me. Not only am I overweight, but I also wear glasses and have long, black, unruly hair. My hair has a mind of its own. It doesn’t matter what I do to it or put in it, it’s always frizzy as hell.

I look back over my shoulder and see they aren’t following me. This allows me to slow my pace and then I’m finally able to catch my breath. Thank God. I don’t think I could have handled them today.

I don’t wait around to see if they find me again. I don’t want to stand here and be called fat, lard-ass, whelaphant, four-eyes, or my personal favorite, fugly.

They don’t care who’s around...once they start, they don’t stop. I think they get off torturing me, or something.

Needless to say, it’s been a rough year for me. As if this wasn’t enough torment, my mom just passed away last year. I don’t know what to do without her. She was my rock. I went to my mom about everything. She always had an answer to my problems. I can’t talk to my dad about these boys bothering me. I’ve never had that kind of relationship with him. Only her. If I can just make it these last few months, I won’t have to see them anymore. They’ll be gone and I can finally finish my last couple of years in peace.

Chapter One

Ten years later

––––––––

Dammit, Mark! Where are those files I asked for yesterday? I need to contact those clients today. Is it that fucking hard for people to do their damn jobs? Shit! I just stand at my desk, tapping my foot, waiting for Mark to come in.

Mark practically runs into my office and stops directly in front of my desk. Sadie, I laid them on your desk before I left last night. Mark reaches his hand down to my desk, moves a stack of papers out of the way, and then continues. See. Right here where I left it. He lifts the folder from its hiding place, raising his eyes to meet mine. I see the little twinkle in his eyes. He just had to show me, didn’t he?

Thank you, Mark. What would I ever do without you? Smug bastard, but I love him. I really don’t know what I would do without him. Not only is he my assistant, he’s also my best friend. I’m the assistant to the VP of the corporation that I work for, and since there was so much work, my boss Scott, hired an assistant for me. I love it – An assistant to the assistant. It doesn’t get any better than that!

I met Mark almost eight years ago when I moved to Florida. I had to get out of that hellhole, so I moved as far away from Iowa as I could possibly get. So, shortly after I graduated, I packed my bags and left, leaving my Dad and zero friends behind. I went to college, earned my degree, and then found this job shortly thereafter.

While I still keep in touch with my Dad, I rarely go back to visit. Okay, that’s a lie. I haven’t been back since I moved. It’s easier to send him a plane ticket to come visit me. I’m trying my best to get him to move down here with me where it’s warmer. Since mom died and he has no other family left in Iowa, there is absolutely no reason he can’t move. He just won’t. Not yet anyway.

Sadie, did you R.S.V.P. for the costume party next week? Hearing Mark brings me back to reality.

Ah, yes. I had almost forgotten about the annual costume party. Not yet, but I will. I promise. I seriously hate going to that damn party, but it’s for a good cause. All the money raised from the party is donated to charity. This year all the money is going to a Women’s Crisis Center. Like I said, it’s a good cause.

That’s what you said last year and I had to practically drag you there. Do you know what you’re going to dress up as? He’s looking rather questionably at me, rocking back and forth with his arms crossed, waiting for my answer.

I mimic his pose and cross my arms as well. No, I don’t, but I suppose you already have your costume picked out. Mark always dresses in outlandish costumes. One year he came as a dick. I mean he was literally a walking penis. There are no rules as to what can or can’t be worn; all is fair when it comes to this party. You just never know what you’re going to see.

A very wide, very mischievous grin takes over his face. As a matter of fact, I do. And before you even ask, the answer is no. You will have to just wait to find out. Do you want me to come by and pick you up on my way to the party?

I still have a week to find something to wear. Yeah, sure. Why not. I try and sound joyful answering him, but I just don’t feel like going this year. I’d rather just write a check and be done with it.

"Great. The party starts at 7, so I’ll be by around 6:30. I’ll warn you now though, even after you see what I’m going as, you still have to go with me." He gives an evil laugh and then turns to go back to his desk. He leaves me standing there, pondering what the hell he is going to dress up as. He never gives me a warning like that. This has got to be one hell of a costume.

I sit back down at my desk, run my hands over my skirt and try to calm myself before I dig into this file. We have a new client and I’m supposed to contact them today to set up a meeting. I’ve only looked over the information briefly, so I need to refresh my memory before I pick up the phone.

I take a quick sip of my coffee, carefully placing it back on my desk, and then open the folder in front of me. As soon as I see the name, I feel all of the blood drain from my face. Surely not. Please tell me this is not happening. This has got to be a mistake. Matt England. It’s probably nothing to get upset about. There have got to be hundreds of Matt England’s in the world. There’s no way in hell that this can be the same guy from high school.

I reach for the phone and with trembling fingers I dial the number that’s listed. Someone picks up after the second ring.

Hello. Matt England’s office. Can I help you? a young woman’s voice asks.

I take a quick breath and compose myself. Hello. This is Sadie with Scott Mills’ office. I’m calling to set up a meeting for Mr. Mills and Mr. England.

The young lady giggles. That’s right. She giggles again. Mr. England said you would be calling. Giggle. "He would like to meet on Thursday of next week if Mr. Mills is available."

I can’t get over how much this woman is giggling during this conversation. I look at Scott’s schedule for Thursday on my computer. Sure, Thursday is fine. Was there any particular time Mr. England had in mind? Mr. Mills is open for most of the day.

One o’clock? the giggly girl says.

Sure, I’ll put Mr. England in the schedule, I politely respond.

Okee-dokie then, she says, and then the line quickly goes dead. Okee-dokie? Who the hell says that on a business call? Left feeling a bit stunned, I finally send Scott a message, letting him know what time the meeting is next week.

Me: Your meeting is scheduled for 1 p.m. next Thursday with Mr. England.

Scott: Great. Thanks, Sadie. I appreciate you dealing with his secretary.

Me: Oh. Why would you say that?

Scott: You know exactly what I’m talking about.

That comment makes me laugh. I don’t respond to his last message. It speaks for itself. He’s clearly had to deal with her too. I push a button on my phone, buzzing Mark, asking him to come in here for a moment. As soon as he steps into my office, I tell him all about the call and Miss Giggles. We get a good laugh out of it at least.

The rest of the week flies by and I go to dinner with Mark on Saturday night. Afterwards, we go back to his house to watch a movie. It’s nice having a friend to hang out with. I don’t have anyone special in my life and neither does he, so we just enjoy each other’s company without the pressure of a relationship. And, because he is gay, I don’t have to worry about anything happening with Mark, which has always put me at ease.

I’ve never had a friend like that before. After high school, I moved here and started college, and started transforming myself into someone I was happy being. I started eating healthier and started exercising. I even had eye surgery so I wouldn’t have to wear glasses anymore. I kept my long hair, which is now tamed. If you knew me then and saw me now, you wouldn’t recognize me. For that, I’m thankful. I’m more outgoing than I used to be too. I’m proud of how I look. I’m happy in my skin. I might not have as much confidence as I probably should, but I have a hell of a lot more than what I did in high school.

*****

On Sunday, I don’t do much, just the usual laundry and cleaning the house. I make one trip out to the grocery store and then come back home. I still need to come up with an outfit for this damn costume party, so I grab my laptop and plop myself down on the couch and start searching to see if anything catches my eye. Last year I felt frumpy, so I went as a nun. The year before that I went as little orphan Annie. That was a fun year. I will admit, even though I never feel like going, I always end up having a great time.

Chapter Two

––––––––

Monday arrives and because I’ve been dreading this meeting, I’m a little more than nervous today. I’ll soon find out if this is the Matt England who used to stand idly by and watch me being tormented.

I’m wearing a