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Nick watched his brother and his retreating girlfriend for a few seconds then turned back to Michelle who was now sitting on the nearest chair crying into her hands.

He sat next to her and put his arm around her shoulders. “Elle, what’s wrong? Why did Amy upset you? And what did she mean that I’m lucky I’m not in prison?”

She jumped up and started pacing back and forth in front of him. “If I tell you you’re going to end up taking Mason’s side just like everyone else did.”

“I don’t even know who Mason is so why would I take his side?” Nick asked standing up.

“Because everyone else did. Everyone I thought was my friend turned against me. Even my own mother took his side.”

“Elle, just tell me. It can’t be that bad.”

“Oh but it is. It really is.”

“What is?”

“Okay fine. But you’re not allowed to say a word until I’m finished talking.”


“Okay.”

She started slowly. “My family lived next door to Mason’s since before I was born. Amy and I used to be best friends despite a four year age difference. Mason and I didn’t start dating until I was fifteen and a half. He’s a few months older than me. Everyone thought we were the perfect couple. And in many ways we were. Our junior year we were both prom and homecoming king and queen. We both played sports fairly well, we were in clubs, and we were on senior prom committee or were supposed to be. We were even in student council. I was in choir and was captain of the varsity cheer squad. Lots of people thought we were going to get married after we graduated. About six or seven months into our two and a half year relationship, he tried to get me to sleep with him, and I refused. He wanted to know why so I told him. I had made a promise to myself and my grandmother that before I slept with someone I’d make sure that I loved the person and he loved me. I also had to make sure he wasn’t going anywhere. So my promise was that I’d be a virgin until I got married. Mason said he understood. But every few months he’d try again and I’d keep refusing. He tried telling me that if people in our school found out about my promise they’d ridicule me but I didn’t care what other people thought of me. If they didn’t like me then screw them. I intended then to keep the promise and I still do. Everything changed two days before our senior year started. We went to a party. It was the typical end-of-summer-beginning-of-school party—no parents, tons of alcohol, loud music and lots and lots of people. The soda the Mason handed me tasted a little flat but I didn’t drink alcohol then. I drank it despite the taste because I was thirsty and thought that it might help me feel better than I had been feeling lately. About an hour after we got to the party I started to feel a little well-weird. I decided to find Mason and make him take me home. When I found him he said he wanted to talk to me. The only place you can get any privacy at these parties is upstairs in a bedroom so that’s where we went. When we got into the bedroom he shut the door and I believe he locked it. I tried to ask him what he wanted but before I could he kissed me and I kissed him back….”

At this point Nick made a face that said he’d kill anyone who tried to kiss her unless it was him.

“The next thing I know, he’s on top of me. I screamed, yelled, and pleaded with him to stop. And of course nobody except for him heard me over the music and noise downstairs. When it was over he told me to get dressed and after I did he drove me home and left me there. The first thing I did was call my dad. I’m a daddy’s girl and always have been. Then I drove myself to the hospital. I was admitted right away after I told a nurse what had happened. I was put in a private room and a doctor cane and examined me. I was told later that in addition to being rapped I had been drugged. The police came and I pressed charges after telling them the story. About three hours later my father showed up with Brandon and my grandfather in tow. They wanted to know what happened, so I had to repeat my story again. I have never seen the three of them so angry. I went home the next morning. My father wanted me to go to New York with him but I said no. I wasn’t going to let Mason chase me away. The police couldn’t find him the night it happened or the entirety of the next day. I went to school the first day too. At my high school the first day is extremely short. All you do is get your class list and go to an insane three hour-long assembly and then you can leave. Mason acted like nothing was wrong, as if it had never happened. People thought it was strange that I was avoiding him that day. After my squad preformed Mason got up to give his speech. I was still in my uniform because I had to sit onstage behind the podium behind Mason because that’s what was required of student council, if it wasn’t I would have been in the "Vocal Arts" room practicing because I was performing at the first football game the next day. I sat there trying to act normal and not attack Mason, because if I had been able to, I would have put him in the hospital I was so angry at him. Half way through his speech, the auditorium doors opened and I saw the officers that had been working on the case walk in. They marched onstage and looked at me. I nodded at the podium; at Mason. They went to him and asked if he was Mason James. He said he was and asked what they wanted. They proceeded to place him under arrest; in front of the entire school. What’s worse is that Officer MacDonald was standing in front of a working microphone when he read Mason his rights and told him the charges against him. So the entire school, including staff, faculty, and the district superintendent, heard what had happened. I had to leave with the police which was good because if looks could kill I’d of been dead in the spot. I tried to go to school the next day, I really did. But I didn’t even make it into the school building. The entire school turned on me. None of them wanted to believe Mason was capable of doing what I accused him of. The only friends I had left were those who truly knew me; the people I was in choir with. I quit going to the clubs. I quit playing sports, and dropped out of everything else. I withdrew into myself and then only thing that kept me sane was choir. Let the music heal you soul, right? I had a private tutor once I got out of the hospital. I only went into the school building for choir. My dad tried again to get me to go to New York but I refused again. Why should I have to uproot my life because of what Mason did to me? He admitted to having sex with me but claimed it was consensual. And he claimed to know nothing about how I was drugged. He pleaded not guilty, so we went to trial. He had turned eighteen about two months before it happened so he was tried as an adult. He got ten years and I lost tons of friends and the already fragile relationship I had with my mother. Honestly though I don’t care. I’m proud of what I did.”

“You should be.” Nick said grimly.

They sat in silence for a few minutes, staring out at the ocean before them until Aaron came back—sans Amy.

“What’s wrong Aaron?” Nick asked his little brother.

“Amy.” He started. “It’s over, she’s gone.”

Michelle looked out across the ocean again and said quietly near tears again, “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to cause any trouble for you.”

“Nah, you didn’t. She was more trouble than she was worth sometimes. I’m Aaron by the way.” He said introducing himself.

“Michelle.” She replied shaking the hand he held out.

“What was that all about if you don’t mind my asking?”

“Long story short, I used to date her brother Mason. We were together for two and a half years and then her drugged and rapped me. I pressed charges and it went to trial. He got ten years in prison. I lost most of my friends, and my mother. One of those friends I lost was Amy.”

“Wow.”

“Yeah I guess. It doesn’t bother me as much as it used to.” She said, smiling for the first time since seeing Amy a while ago.

A few minutes later they set off and spent the day on the water.