Tiny Dancer

Shifting Foundations

The Forman house was quieter now, but it wasn't peace. It was the aftermath.
The day after the funeral, Ella didn't say much. Not when Kitty tried to bring up therapy. Not when Red asked if she wanted her eggs over easy. Not even when Eric finally brought her mail upstairs and it included a note from Connor, just saying, "I hope you're okay. I'm here if you want to talk."
She tucked it in her dresser drawer like it hurt to look at.
That night, she didn't come down for dinner. Red knocked once. Kitty knocked twice. Neither got a response.
It wasn't until later that they heard her feet come down the stairs, slow and heavy. Red looked up from the TV, beer forgotten in his hand. Kitty stood in the door of the kitchen, her hands still damp from washing the dishes.
"Hey, sweetheart," Kitty said softly.
Ella stared at them both for a long second. "I need to talk to you."
Red's heart sank. He didn't like the way her voice sounded. Too calm. Too level.
They sat in the living room, Kitty pulling Ella gently to sit beside her.
"What's going on?" Red asked, voice low.
Ella took a shaky breath. "What happened... at prom. It wasn't– its–" She looked at the floor, hands gripping her knees. "Chris and Glen. They cornered me behind the school. Said awful things. Touched me. Tried to—" Her voice cracked. "If Hyde hadn't come out when he did..."
Kitty gasped, her hand flying to her mouth.
Red stood slowly. "They what?"
"I didn't want to say anything. Not with Grandma dying and everything. I just... I didn't want to be another problem." Her voice broke again. "But I haven't slept. I keep thinking about what would've happened if he hadn't come out."
"You are not a problem, Ella," Kitty said, hugging her so tightly Ella had to remind herself to breathe.
Red paced the floor. "We're pressing charges. I don't care how long it's been."
Ella finally nodded.
But then Kitty said it—"We should keep the therapy appointments. Maybe even schedule more."
And Red turned. "Kitty, I think we've had enough—"
"No," Ella cut him off. Her voice was sharp now. "You don't get to do that. I need it. You don't know what it's like to wake up with a scream in your throat every night."
Red looked wounded, and Ella didn't care.
"I know you think I should just be okay, but I'm not. And if you can't deal with that, then maybe you're the one who needs therapy!"
Red's jaw clenched, his hands curled into fists.
"I just lost my mother," he said tightly. "My brother's breathing down my neck to sell the damn house, and now—"
"I almost got raped, Dad!" It was the first time she'd said it, let alone thought it.
The room went silent. That silence rang.
Kitty pulled Ella in tighter. Red turned his face away.
"I'm sorry," he said after a long moment. "I just... I don't want to believe that you could get hurt like that."
"I did," she whispered. "But I'm still here."
He didn't say another word, but he sat down beside her and took her hand. That was enough.
Still, it wasn't easy. Especially not at school.

Whispers followed Ella like smoke. And Pam Macy? She wasn't done.

Ella had barely made it to her locker before Pam and her clones cornered her.

"Look who crawled out of her pity party," Pam said, too loud.

Ella tried to ignore her.

"I mean, seriously. Hyde probably bailed because he realized what a freak show you are."

Ella turned, teeth clenched.

Pam smiled like a shark. "You really think he stayed with you? He left with me, remember?"

"Back. Off."

"Or, what? You gonna cry again?"

This time Ella didn't let it go, she punched her. Right in the jaw.

A crowd exploded around them as Pam tackled her. It took a teacher and two students to separate them.

By the end of the day, Ella was suspended—for fighting back.

Red had a near coronary.

"She punched her?" he yelled.

"She was taunting me!"