Falling | Charles Leclerc

4.

Trigger warning.. rape..

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I sit infront of my laptop with my case study beside me ready to record my video assessment. I study uni online so I can help Henry when it is needed and I can work as well if I need to. I havent been to work in 2 weeks though, ive been needing to take Henry to hospital appointments. They have started to talk more and more about at home palliative care, which is terrifying everyone. Henry puts on a brave face and acts like dying is nothing, but it isn't nothing.

"Hi my name is Summer Simpson, student number 11785780, and this is my video submission for assessment item 2, pharmacology" I take a deep breath in and start to read out the case study and start to explain what she would do in that situation. The case study is a drug overdose. After what seems like forever I finally press end recording.

"Last assessment for the study period or do you have more?" Henry says from the lounge room "2nd last one, I still have an assessment for pathophysiology, but that's an essay on our own chosen subject. I picked hip fractures"

"Why hip fractures?" I shrug before realising Henry can't actually see me. "Not sure, just find broken bones and all that stuff interesting. Like the human body is amazing, and how things break and the abnormalities. It's cool."

"Are you sure you have chosen the right degree Sum? Sounds like you wanna take pictures of broken stuff" Adam says as he walks into the room. "What? Me do a medical radiation degree? God no. Too much physics. I'm already in my second year of my degree why change now?"

Adam shrugs as he makes his way to sit at the dining table. "Henry, can you come here mate?"

"What's going on?" I say, concern probably dropping over my face. I start to play with my long blonde hair that was once tucked behind my ear. Adam just shakes his head. "I think this is a conversation that Henry and I need to have alone Summer" 

I stand up annoyed and start to walk away. "Summer" Henry says causing me to stop in my tracks. "I love too big sis" I smile and keep walking to my room. I open the door and throw my phone onto my bed and being to put my long blonde hair into a bun. I look in the mirror and sighs. I have bags under eyes. I haven't been sleeping well during the night, I have constant nightmares about my younger brother dying. Right now I know it's not real, but one day soon it will be.  I rub my eyes and lay down on the bed and grab my phone.

1 new message

"Hey summer, can we talk please? I need to know you're okay."

I throw my phone down once again and pick up my book. After 10 minutes her phone rings.

Cameron

I groan and answer the phone

"What Cameron, I don't want to talk. There's nothing to talk about" I say without letting him have a chance to say hello. "Come on Sums don't be that way babe"

"No. You don't get to call me babe. You broke it off with me remember, after you admitted you cheated on me"

"You cheated on me first"

"I was raped Cameron. That's not cheating. Thats being taken advantage of" I hang up the phone and turn it off as quick as I can so he doesn't get the chance to call her back.

I start to think about that night, that one dreadful night over a year ago. I was drunk and at a party which is odd for me since I'm not one to drink, but it was the night I was told her brother was no longer in remission and was going to end up dying.

Summer shots another glass of vodka "another one sir" she downs another shot of vodka that is handed to her

"Hey sexy" a guy leans on the bar next to her "another shot for the sweetheart here" he says to the bartender. "Thanks but I'm okay" Summer says as she turns to walk away, the guy grabs her arm "I just brought you a shot, the least you can do is stay and tell me your name" Summer let's out a huff. "You're hurting me" she says as loud as she can, which gets the attention of the bartender "you gotta go mate" he says firmly to the guy still holding Summers arm.