Everything We Always Were

Ten: Purgatory

(TW: Rape)

Of course, I was right, everyone knew.

I was getting stared at in the halls, whispering under their breath as they did it.

James kept his promise, walking me to every class, even if it made him late to his own. It was reassuring, because who knows what Kyler has planned.

It wasn't until 6th hour that I got called to the office, it only took a few hours to spread to teachers. And parents already know too then, including my own.

On my way to the office, my mom texts me.

Your dad and I will not be working the rest of the week. Talk when you get home from school.

Fantastic, not only do I have to tell my nearly absent parents that I got raped, have to deal with the whole school knowing, and have to talk to the cops about it; but now I have to spend the next week of hell in my own house. No staying at the barn for the night, or at James' house again, although I'm sure that wasn't going to happen anyway.

"So, Delia, I'm sure you know why you were called down." Principal Givens says once I'm sitting across from him at his desk. The guidance counselor is here too, as well as the school cop.

Really jumping the bit here, aren't we? "Yeah, I do."

"You understand that these rumors could ruin Kyler's life if you're lying about it?"

"I love how that's the first thing you ask me." I scoff. "Yes, I know, and I'm not lying. And I'm almost positive there are many other girls in this school that have similar stories to mine." I cross my arms and lean back in the uncomfortable chair.

"And what exactly is your story? This is a safe space and we will believe what you say, but again, if you lie about this and it gets taken to the sheriff, you could be in big trouble." Givens points out again and I nod.

I tell my story for what feels like the millionth time in the past week again, not skipping out on any details that I remember.

When I'm finished, our school cop, Officer Jessica Dreary, a woman, asks me. "You said there are other girls with similar stories. Do you know anyone specific?" She had been writing down my story on her notepad.

I rattle off a few names, making sure that it's known that I'm not positive if he did anything to them, I had just heard things.

I'm excused and it's right before the last bell so I just head out the front doors with the mass of other students, keeping my head down and walking fast.

James is waiting for me in his truck.

"What happened? I heard you get called to the office on the speaker," He asks before I can even close the door.

"Yeah, it was the principal, the guidance counselor, and Officer Dreary. They asked about the rumor, I told them my story, and they threatened that if I was lying I would get in big trouble. You know, typical shit. My mom texted me too, she and my dad are not going to be working the next week while we figure this out."

"Oh god, I'm so sorry."

"Yeah, I'm going to be stuck at home with them for the next week when all I will want is to be at the barn," I sigh, watching him maneuver his way through the crowded parking lot and out to the main road.

"That really sucks. If it helps, I'll still pick you up and drop you off, and we can text and call every day until they go back to work. Until this is all over." He mirrors my sigh. "You will get through this."

I'll have to text Fran and Roni later after I talk to my parents. This next week is going to be insufferable.

The talk with my parents is going as expected. At first, they were angry at me for causing so many problems that they had to call off of work. Then once they calmed down I got to tell them my story.