I Only Know How To Love

20: Ben

Slam! The bathroom door went. Someone must've been angry. This is a public bathroom, so anyone could just walk in there unannounced. I never went in there, I didn't want to. I don't think anyone wants to have someone walk in there while you're on the can. It's super annoying and just wrong. I walked by, and I heard some moaning noises. The guy's not alone. Putting my ear against the door, I had heard some very interesting stuff that happens when you have sex. Bodies slamming into each other, but this seemed rather harsh. I had heard another slam of the bodies, and the woman in there had tried to yell out for help. Well, she probably was, because I could tell just from hearing the man cover her mouth while she tried screaming out for help. I thought of going in there and stopping the guy, but he was probably naked by now and had probably gotten the woman naked as well. If she was a friend, that would just be too awkward for me to handle. Staying out there, I heard a final slam, and the guy left the bathroom, noticing me there. I checked to see who was in there, and when I checked, I noticed the woman on the floor, unconscious, with her clothes on. I'd recognize her anywhere. "Cashmere," I whispered to myself before I went off to get Alex.

"ALEX! ALEX!" I yell out down the hall. Alex would know what to do, not me. "What is it?" He asked as he came by. "It's Cashmere," I tell him, still shocked from finding my girlfriend on the floor. "You go get Mr. Hudson. I'll stay here with her," Alex told me as he kneeled down to her. "You're not scared?" I ask Alex in a concerned tone. "This isn't the first time that Cashmere has scared me. Go!" Alex tells me before I run back to the room I was in before. Mr. Hudson was there checking in on the percussion.

"Mr. Hudson?" I ask while he's in the middle of a conversation. "I'm busy here Ben. Make it quick," he tells me. "It's important," I started. "How important?" Mr. Hudson asks. "It's important enough that someone's life could be in danger," I tell him. "Who is it?" Mr. Hudson asks, putting the folder of sheet music down on the timpani. "It's Cashmere." I told him. "Where is she?" Mr. Hudson asks. "She's in the public bathroom. Lying on the ground," I tell him. "Please tell me that Alex is there," he tells me. "He is," I tell him. Why would he expect Alex to be there?

Mr. Hudson came with me to the bathroom where Cashmere was. She was still on the ground, not moving, being held by Alex. She was creeping me out. "Ben? Go to the foyer and see if you can find any wheelchairs," Mr. Hudson tells me. "Okay," I tell him. Allison had walked by with Alexa, and I went up to her. "Hi. Do you know if there are any wheelchairs in the foyer by any chance?" I asked her. "No sorry I don't think so," she tells me. It was worth a try. I don't even remember seeing any when I came in. "Thanks anyway," I tell her before heading off. "Asked around, there aren't any," I told Mr. Hudson when I headed back to him. "Alex, how strong are you?" Mr. Hudson asked him. "I'm pretty good. Why do you ask?" Alex asks him. "For when Cashmere wakes up. Ben, can you be on the lookout?" Mr. Hudson asked me. I felt like I should be the one to carry Cashmere, but I have to respect Mr. Hudson's decision.

"Sure," I tell him. A minute went by, and I heard "What happened?" Coming from Cashmere. She woke up and sat up really fast. Alex had put his arm around her as I went to her. "Alex?" Cashmere asks. He's the first person she sees. "I'm here. I got you," Alex tells her, wrapping his arm around her, ready to carry her. "We're going to get you help," I tell her, kneeling down. "Just stay with us," Mr. Hudson tells Cashmere, kneeling down to her side. "Don't worry. I got you," Alex tells her, putting his other arm on Cashmere's legs. "Where's your dance teacher?" Mr. Hudson asks her. "I believe she was in the same room you were just in," Cashmere tells us. "Do you have her Alex?" Mr. Hudson asks as Alex picks up Cashmere, with one arm behind her back and the other underneath her legs. She wrapped her arm around his neck.

"Get out of the way!" Mr. Hudson and I tell others as we head down the hall, trying to get through all the students. On the way back to the room, Bobby and Lana had followed along, curious as to what was going on. "What happened?" Bobby asked as soon as we got to the room and Alex had put Cashmere in a chair. He was sitting beside her. "I'm not quite sure. Ben is the one who got me to the scene," Alex told them. "What happened?" Mr. Hudson asks me. "I remember I was walking by and I had heard sounds of forced moaning," I told Mr. Hudson. "Cashmere, who did this to you?" Mr. Hudson asked her. She didn't say anything out loud, but had whispered into Alex's ear. "She says it was the same person who got her pregnant," Alex tells us. I had told Bobby and Lana that Cashmere was pregnant with Jack's kid because he raped her.

"Jack," Bobby and Lana had told, looking at each other. Jack was in the same room along with the rest of the dancers at the same time. "Did someone call me?" Jack had asked, hearing his name being called. "Yeah, my fist," Bobby said, going in to punch him. "Bobby! We don't fight back. It's not the answer," I tell him, holding him back. "How else will he learn his lesson?" Bobby asked, freeing his arms from my grasp. "He will, just not by fighting," I tell him. "Thanks Ben. You'd make a good teacher," Mr. Hudson had told me. "Thanks," I replied. "Can someone tell me the entire story here?" Lana had asked. "Cashmere?'' Mr. Hudson asked her. "Jack here torments me, makes me think that suicide is the answer. He raped me, causing me to get pregnant. And now tonight, he thought that he would try to finish the job. He already tried killing me, he's the reason that Jason is dead," Cashmere tells while trying to stand and walking towards Jack. So that's why we had a lockdown that one time in the fourth block. It was Jack's doing. Well, Jack is a dick for doing that.

"You know that's not true," Jack had told her, getting up in her face. "Jason is dead because of you! When will you ever learn your lesson?" Cashmere yells in his face, going in and pummelling him. "Cashmere, please don't. It's not the answer," I tell her while pulling her away from Jack. "I want out of the dance class. It's either Jack or me. Not both of us," Cashmere had told Mrs. Dan. "Jack you have to leave dance," Mrs. Dan tells him. "I agree. He's the one who killed Anika," Allison had told the rest of those in the room. "That was just because I wanted to know who else knew about the assault," Jack had told, trying to use it as an excuse. "I'm sorry Jack. We don't tolerate this kind of behaviour," Mrs. Dan tells him. "Please, just let me explain. Nadia? Hayley? Sophie?" Jack asked around. I don't think anyone's going to listen to him. "I'm sorry, I have to side with Cashmere on this one," Nadia had told. "Same," Hayley had told. Looks like all of Jack's friendships that he had are falling apart. "Sorry Jack," Sophie told him. "Come on, somebody? Jocelyn?" Jack had asked. He looked like he was about to cry. "Not going to happen," Jocelyn told with her voice breaking. "No one's siding with me? Eleanor?" Jack had asked, with the tears coming now. "Nope," Eleanor had told him. "Please leave," Mrs. Dan tells him. "Okay. I'll grab my stuff and I'll leave the dance clothes in the dance studio tomorrow morning," Jack had told them.

"Thank you. Grade 11s, can you do something with the closing? Just make something up. Janis, can you make sure that Jack actually leaves?" Mrs. Dan asks. "Sure," I hear Janis reply. "I'm going to take Cashmere to the hospital," Mrs. Dan tells. Alex wanted to go, but I kept him back and comforted him.