Impractical Jokers, Practically

Chapter Twelve

"Are you sure he didn't hurt you at all?" Sal asked gently. 

We were back at our apartment, all six of us sitting in the living room, and they were acting like I was made of glass. I had already taken a long shower and changed my clothes. Now the guys kept taking turns asking me all sort of questions while Madison was combing my hair. 

"Only mentally I guess." I know that I can be shy and insecure, but I feel like I've changed. I spent days sitting on that bed in that room alone. And I've spent hours with Calvin, waiting for him to take advantage of me. Because of that text message, I thought I could only rely on myself. And being in that environment and in that situation,  it made me stronger. Tougher. 

"Listen guys, I appreciate your concern, but I'm not some fragile snowflake. I even threw away the dress already." I think about the dress that I was wearing since the night I was kidnapped, a disgusted look on my face. 

"Wait...He didn't--I mean, did he---did he touch you? In any way?" Sal looked like he was about to be sick. 

"Not that I know of. He obviously put his hands on me in that bar, dragging me out, knocking me out, and then placing me in that room, but I don't think he...you know." I give a grim smile. "I just want to move past this. How long have I been gone?" 

Murr replies, "For about four days, I think. It's hard to tell. We were all on edge, waiting for the police to find you, waiting for you to come home. We couldn't really sleep." Murr stops, looking at Sal. Sal remains silent, looking down. Murr continues, "Sal was the worst one out of all us though. He would be up all hours of the night driving around, searching for you. Then, he would yell at the police to work faster. I've never seen him the way he was before. He obviously took it the hardest." 

Sal jumps in, "Alexa, I'm so sorry about that message. I had no idea---I didn't send it. I don't even know who took my phone. And I should have checked my messages a lot sooner because then I would have seen that picture of you...lying there..." His voice cracks. "Well, we could have saved you a lot faster." 

"Well, I'm glad I checked my phone and got that message from her right away." Q puffs out his chest. "I was the real hero." He looks around to see his friends silent and a couple of glares from Sal and Joe. "What, too soon?" 

"I'm glad that we saved you.  And I'm relieved to know that Calvin didn't---uh, didn't rape you." Joe says. 

Sal clenches his fists then, after a moment, relaxes them.

"How come you're not in shock or crying or shaking? How come you look so calm? This is a different side to you." Murr questions me. 

"It's weird to say, but after Calvin kidnapped me, I have a lot more confidence. I don't know, it's like this ordeal molded me to be not as weak." I try to explain.

"Well if it was me, I would have been a wreak. I can't even imagine what you've been through." Madison pats my head, getting up. "I'm hungry. I'm going to go see what you guys have to eat." 

Before she's able to go in the kitchen, I call out, "Wait. Madison? Where were you? After I came out of the bathroom at the party, you disappeared. I couldn't find you. Where did you go? You didn't notice Calvin?" 

Madison has this weird look on her face, pauses, then says, "I was---I was looking for you. I got jostled around a little bit, it was way too crowded by the bathrooms, and I remembered I needed some air. I came back and couldn't find you. You were gone." 

"Hold up." Sal looks at Madison astonished. "You told us that you saw Calvin take Alexa away and that there was nothing you could do. You ran to our table, flustered, telling us. Then we all searched for her, in the bar, outside the bar, around town. Wait a minute, now that I think about it, how did you even know what Calvin looked like? You never met him...he hassled Alexa before you were around...I'm so confused, what is going on? What really happened?"