Beautiful Ruin

Chapter 10.

Emani

" I need to leave."

I scrambled out of the bed and ran into the bathroom locking the door behind me. Pulling on my shorts, I decided to leave the shirt on and just pull my Jordan's on and bolt. Soon as I opened the door I made an attempt to escape but Jordan was already blocking the door as if he knew what I was up to.

"Look okay Mani, you know you can talk to me so what are you hiding? More importantly, why?"

"You left okay Jordan,"

Looking at him I could see the hurt in his eyes evoked by those four words.

"I feel bad everyday for that,"

"A lot of things has changed since you left and I'm not the same Emani you left 4 years ago."

"I'm sorry I chose to leave with my mom but she needed me E. You the one that stopped texting and e-mailing me. Almost felt like you forgot about me and that shit hurt, cause you were my best friend. Somehow I feel responsible for whatever downward spiral you had when I left. I might not be able to make it right but I can help you move forward and heal just like I always did."

"You can't fix this one Jordan," tears were streaming down my face now uncontrollably. "This goes deeper than you leaving me."

"Then explain it to me, what did Tyson do to you?"

I walked over to the bed and sat down and he came over and joined me, cupping my face and wiping my tears he looked me deep in my eyes waiting for a response. Taking a deep breath I answered him.

"Tyson raped me at Spring Fling sophomore year."

Jordan

Every bone in my body was set ablaze with anger from what I just heard. I couldn't believe Mani had to go through that shit. If I was still around none of that shit would've happen cause I was always the one to protect her.

"This is all my fault, I should've been there to protect you like I always did," I hung my head in shame. "I'm so sorry Emani."

" It's not your fault Jordan."

"Yes it is! Can't you see Mani, if I never left we would've gone to Spring Fling together and none of this shit would've happen."

"You can't turn back time Jordan so stop beating yourself up about it."

She took my hand and we looked at each other as we were forgiving each other for the past and finally letting it go.

" Did you tell your parents about what happened? Did they even find out about what happened?"

"Yh they did, then they called me a whore an threw me out cause Tyson said I came on to him. My dad said I was a huge disappointment to my family, so I live with my grandmother ever since. She was the reason I'm here she practically begged them to pay my tuition."

"Damn E. I don't know what to say or how to begin to make u feel better."

"Just forget it ever happened, that's what I do everyday. Keep moving forward."

"Amma make it right by you E, I promise to be there for you no matter what only this time it's a promise I intend to keep."

"I hope so."

"So do I," I thought as we both sat on the bed muddling through our thoughts.

"Come on let's get some breakfast."