Linda's Story

"It's All In Your Head"

Linda stumbled into the house, hugging herself. She was glad they didn't have intercourse with her, but they had done everything without any form of consent.

"There you are, Linda!" Brie grabbed her hand, "let's get out of here. I was wrong to take us here. These guys are nothing but jerks!" She shouted 'jerks' and pulled Linda to the car.

Linda got in, wrapping her arms around her body after she buckled her seatbelt. She felt like she was going to faint or violently throw up.... or both. "How much did you drink?" She questioned her friend quietly.

"Oh I didn't have much. I knew we'd be driving home." She started the car, "sorry I dragged you to this party. I thought it'd be more fun. Who knew those guys would be assholes?"

"What happened?"

"Eh, one of them tried to pick me up, then got all mad and offended that I said no." Brie rolled her eyes, "this is why I like older guys."

Linda didn't say anything; she stared out the window, trying to get the feeling of being held down at knife point out of her mind. She was never going to trust another male again... except Danny, Joe, and Jamie. Those three were trustworthy and respectful, and they actually respected her.

The ride was unusually quiet; the friends almost always had the radio on, or they talked about their classes and their lives.

*************

"No," Linda begged, struggling to get away. "No, please!"

"Linda."

"Let go of me!"

"Linda!"

She jolted, her heart loudly thumping in her ears. Where was she?

"Linda," Brie said her name, switching on the bedside lamp.

She looked at her, thoroughly confused as she pushed herself up in a sitting position.

"That must've been some nightmare. I could hear you from the other side of the apartment."

She blushed, clearing her throat. "Sorry..."

"I don't mind.... what were you dreaming about anyways?"

She shook her head, "Nothing. It was stupid. Sorry I woke you."

"Was it something to do with the party? I saw you go outside with Jack and LaRue. Did they do something to you?"

Linda's lip quivered as the held back tears finally came. She didn't know how long Brie hugged her while she cried. She pulled back, wiped her nose with her sleeve. "Sorry."

"Don't be... what happened?"

She took a deep breath before telling the whole story. "Jack and LaRue cornered me at the party. They said they couldn't hear me, and that we should talk outside.... So I followed them... they grabbed me, and- and led me to the shed.... They held me down, showed me a knife, and..."

"They raped you?" Brie guessed, rubbing her best friend's upper arm.

"Technically? They fingered me and went down on me, but they didn't..."

"You're telling the dean and the head-wigs first thing tomorrow morning." Brie was surprised when Linda didn't say anything. "Linda, you have to tell them. Or else they'll just do it again. Maybe even to you."

She nodded, took a deep breath. "You're right..... We can't let them do this again."

**********

The secretary looked up from her desk, "may I help you?"

"Yes. I'm here to see Dean Wade," Linda responded. So far, she was calm- she wondered how long that would last.

"Just one moment... your name please?" She asked as she pressed a button on the phone.

"Linda O'Shea." She tapped her foot on the ground nervously as the secretary called the dean.

"Yes... yes. Okay, thank you, sir. Bye bye." She hung up and smiled at Linda.

"You can see him now."

"Thank you," Linda smiled politely at her before walking back to the dean's office. She had never been in there before, and now she was going to report two students for sexual assault.

"Miss O'Shea, come in." Dean Wade said after she knocked on the door. "Have a seat."

She did so, smiling a little awkwardly as she waited for him to speak again.

"You requested to speak to me."

"Yes, I did." Her heart was going to pound out of her chest. "Last night, I went to a party. And two students Bobby LaRue and Jack Boyle s.... sexually assaulted me."

"He doesn't even go here."

"Yes, I know, but that's not the point."

"So I don't see why you're reporting him."

She was stunned, "did you not hear what I said? They assaulted me- at knife point!"

"This party you were at... was there alcohol?"

"W-well, yes," she stammered, wondering how any of that was relevant.

"And were you drinking?"

"No! I maybe had two sips of wine, just to be polite, but-"

"Are you sure then... that you didn't just dream it all?"

"Excuse me?" She couldn't believe him!

"You had some cheap wine, two young men were being polite to you, you just dreamed it all in your foggy brain."

"Dean Wade, I can assure you I did not dream it all!"

"Do you have any proof of what these young men did?"

"No, but-"

Dean Wade stood up, "Miss O'Shea, you are one of our best students. It wouldn't look good on your record if you got two upstanding one men kicked out of college because you drank a little too much."

Linda's mouth dropped in anger, her eyes stung with outraged tears. "I did not make all of this up! What would I gain from it?"

"People do crazy things. Maybe you had a fun night with those young men, and had some pictures taken. It'd be a terrible thing if those pictures circulated."

"Dean Wade, I'm engaged!" Linda held up her left hand, showing off her sparkling engagement ring. "I would never, ever, ever cheat on my fiancé!"

He walked to the door and opened it. "I'll let you off this time, Miss O'Shea, but next time you want to ruin a student's academic career.... make sure you have evidence and are not hungover from a night of drinking."

To say she was stunned would be the understatement of the century. She blinked back the tears as she walked out with her head hung low. She shuffled her feet all the way to where Brie was waiting with the car.

"So? How did it go?"

"He didn't believe me," she choked, the hot angry tears flowing quickly.

"What?! Why?"

"I apparently drank to much and had a threesome!" She managed to get out around the tears.

"What? You would never! First of all, you're too young to drink, and second, you'd never cheat on Danny like that!"

Linda yelled, "I know!" Then whispered, "I know."

Brie scoffed in disgust, "how did the dean even become the dean? I can't believe he doesn't believe you! You, the Saint Virgin Mary of the whole damn college!"

Linda only sobbed harder, wishing her fiancé was here. But maybe it wouldn't be such a good thing if he was here after all...

She shook her head, "I'm taking you out for whatever you want. You deserve it, after being mistreated by assholes!"