And he believes me.
He believed me without hesitation. Without doubt. Without questioning.
I sob. Everything hurts: my body, my heart, my soul.
But it’s the kind of pain that means a wound is slowly healing. I hadn’t realized that deep inside, I was afraid he wouldn’t believe me.
Just like Charlotte’s parents.Nothing like that could possibly happen in our house.
She’d been drinking. Her dress was too short. She was flirting. She wanted attention.
Is this her revenge for Charlotte getting the role of Aurora?
She’s trying to create a scandal for our family because she got so drunk that she can’t remember what happened.
Nothing happened.
It doesn’t matter how long it’s been since I overheard the conversation between Charlotte’s parents and mine; I can still hear it. It’s etched in my memory, and it will probably never fade away completely.
But today, for the first time, the voices are a little quieter. A little less threatening. They have less power over me.
Something inside me relaxes. Comes to rest. The pain is still there, just like the anger and the feeling of being lost. But the storm inside me has receded a little and become less violent.
I stay under the shower until my tears are cried out and I can barely feel the heat of the water. It’s already dusk when I finally leave my little bathroom, with no makeup on and my hair still damp. Jase’s hoodie is lying on my bed. He didn’t ask for it back when I left.
I told him the truth. Almost the whole truth.
Oh, God.
I told him what happened. A tremor runs through my body, my pulse races, and for a moment, I can’t breathe. My hands trembling, I reach for my phone and text Caleb.
Zoe:
Can I come see you?
I throw the phone on my bed. It lands on Jase’s sweatshirt as I quickly get dressed. Something feels strange.Ifeel strange.
My phone vibrates just as I finish dressing.
Caleb:
Is everything okay?
Zoe:
I think so... I’m not sure. Can we talk?
Caleb:
Give me ten minutes, then I’ll be home.
Zoe:
Thanks!!
Relief floods through me. I quickly call an Uber and don’t bother to blow-dry my hair. I just braid it and go.
The drive is a blur of flickering lights in the darkness. I’m warm and cold at the same time, even though I’m still wearing a coat over my sweater and it’s hot in the elevator in Caleb’s building. It feels like an eternity until I arrive at the penthouse Caleb shares with his friends.
