No Such Thing As A Hollywood Ending

chapter 35

Henry felt his chest tighten as he approached Lucy's house. His thoughts swirled, and every step he took seemed heavier than the last. He couldn't avoid this. He couldn't hide it. The guilt was gnawing at him, and his anxiety was threatening to consume him whole. As much as he dreaded it, he knew he had to tell her. Lucy needed to know what had happened with Amelia.

Standing outside her door, he hesitated for a moment, gathering what little courage he could muster. When Lucy opened the door, smiling as she saw him, he felt an overwhelming wave of fear, but he couldn't let that stop him. He had to tell her.

"Hey, Henry!" Lucy greeted, but her smile faded quickly as she noticed the look on his face. "What's wrong?"

Henry swallowed hard, his throat feeling dry as he stepped inside. "Lucy, I—I need to talk to you about something," he said, his voice shaky. He sat down on the couch, barely able to meet her eyes.

Lucy sat beside him, her expression growing more concerned. "What is it?"

For a moment, he didn't know how to begin. His hands trembled in his lap, and his heart pounded in his chest. Finally, he blurted it out, the words coming out in a rush. "Amelia... she... she did something to me. I'm so scared, Lucy. I was worried about how you'd feel, about what you'd think if I told you. I thought you might leave me."

Lucy's eyes widened, her concern deepening as she listened. "Henry... what happened? What did she do?"

Henry took a shaky breath, his voice breaking as he explained, "I told her no, Lucy. I told her I didn't want it, but she wouldn't stop. She locked me in the bathroom with her, and she just... did it anyway. I tried, I really did, but she didn't care. I—" His voice cracked, and he buried his face in his hands. "I was so scared. I didn't want to do anything with her, but I couldn't stop her. she had sex with me."

Lucy's heart sank, and her face softened as she reached out, placing her hand gently on his shoulder. "Henry... you can't blame yourself for what Amelia did," she said softly. "It sounds like she forced you. You said no, and she didn't listen. That's not your fault, Henry. She took advantage of you."

Henry finally looked up, his eyes filled with pain. "But I should've done more. I should've—"

"No," Lucy interrupted firmly, shaking her head. "You said no. You told her to stop, and she didn't. That's not on you. What she did to you is considered rape, Henry." Her voice trembled with anger, not at Henry but at what had happened to him. "And rape is a very illegal and hurtful thing. You didn't do anything wrong. Amelia did."

Henry's eyes widened at Lucy's words. He hadn't thought of it like that. He had been so consumed with guilt, thinking that maybe he should've done something differently, but Lucy was right. Amelia had forced him into it. That wasn't his fault.

"I'm not going to leave you because of this," Lucy continued, her voice soft but resolute. "I'm not going to walk away from you just because someone else hurt you. This wasn't your choice. You didn't want this."

Henry felt a lump form in his throat, a mix of relief and shame flooding through him. He had been so afraid that Lucy would hate him or blame him for what had happened. But she didn't. She understood. She wasn't going to abandon him.

After a long pause, Lucy spoke again, her tone shifting slightly. "Henry... there's something I need to ask you. It's been weighing on me." She hesitated, then continued, "Do you think I'm holding you back?"

Henry blinked in confusion, his mind reeling from the question. "What? No, of course not. Why would you even think that?"

Lucy sighed, biting her lip as she recalled her conversation with the principal. "The principal told me that you're one of the smartest students in the state. Colleges want you. And he... he said that if you stay with me, someone who got pregnant so young, I might ruin your future." She looked down, her voice barely above a whisper. "I don't want to hold you back, Henry. I don't want to be the reason you throw away all these opportunities."

Henry was stunned, unable to believe what he was hearing. "Lucy, no," he said quickly, grabbing her hand. "You're not holding me back. You're not ruining anything. I don't care what the principal says or what anyone thinks. You've never been a burden to me. I want to be with you, and I'm not going to let anyone make me feel differently about that."

Lucy's eyes filled with tears, but she smiled, squeezing his hand. "Thank you," she whispered, feeling a sense of relief wash over her.

Henry looked at her with determination. "We've been through so much together, Lucy. I'm not leaving you because of some idiot who doesn't understand us. You're my partner, and we'll get through this, just like we've gotten through everything else."

Lucy nodded, feeling comforted by his words. For the first time in days, she felt like things were going to be okay.