𝐃𝐄𝐏𝐑𝐀𝐕𝐄𝐃

44

HER PREY

I pulled up to Naryna's, noticing the usual cars that would be at the house and a few other new ones. I parked near the home and got out, walking slowly up to the front door as I timidly knocked.

I felt like I was here to pick Naryna up for prom or some shit, and I had to talk to her lumberjack of a father over a beer and a dead moose head between us in a garage workshop.

Okay, I watch too many movies.

"Casei...thank you," her mother told me quietly, opening the door and giving me a gentle hug. After a quick rub to my back, she directed me to the kitchen where Channin and Naryna were.

I passed by some of the family's guests, or maybe family members as well, in the living room and gave them polite smiles until I made my way to my friends.

"Baby," I sighed, wrapping my arms around Naryna's small frame. She looked like an injured bird under all this harsh lighting, waiting to be operated on. Her eyes were glassy, like how they got when she was high, or too drunk. Her hair was all stale, like she hadn't washed it since the day before, and she was wearing clothes that seemed too formal for an...event, if you'd call it that, like this.

"I can't believe this happens," Channin shook her head, accepting a hug from me too. "I mean, we were just talkin' about..."

"Yeah, I know," Naryna said softly, her vocal cords sounding dry and broken. She had clearly been crying a lot, and rightfully so. "The virginity shit and all that. I guess...I'm all damaged now, huh?" More tears sprung in her eyes and Channin sighed, pulling her cousin for an embrace.

"Is Lowen coming, Casei?" Naryna asked me, laying against Channin's chest.

I blinked. "Oh, uh, no. Does she need to?" I asked.

"No. I was just askin' 'cause if nobody else I really know," her eyes darted towards the living room, "is comin' then we can go up to my room and I can feel free a little bit."

As we walked up the stairs, we talked:

"Have you talked to the police at all?" I asked her.

"My mom doesn't want to get them involved. Think's that it's my fault for what happened to me. That I lured him. That...I shouldn't have been out. I mean, that's true, but I didn't ask the man to touch my body, Casei. Did I?" her voice shook. A hand covered her mouth as her body shook, "I mean, I was drunk. Did I ask him to fuck me, Channin?" She looked over at her cousin, breaking down in front of us.

We helped her up the rest of the way, settling her down onto her bed as she collapsed into tears. "I feel like I caused this. And I know I didn't."

"You didn't. He was a jerk. I could tell that from the beginnin', we both could, but I didn't think he was too much of a jerk that he couldn't take us to a cool party. I guess, he was so much of a jerk that he couldn't, literally," Channin stated.

"Naryna," I held her hand, staring deep into her eyes, "I get it. I get it, okay?"

She only nodded, holding my gaze. She broke down into tears again and I held her face, keeping her eyes on me, "I'm here, okay? I get it."

"You want me to get something from downstairs?" Channin interrupted, standing up. I had almost forgotten she was there as she spoke. Naryna looked up, wiping her face with a tissue I reached over to grab from besides her bed. "Some water, please."

"What about orange juice?" Channin suggested, "I know you love it."

"I wanna beat that man to a pulp, Casei," Naryna stated, she then asked, "Lowen could help with that, right?"