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Chapter 63

I climb into the driver's seat of his truck and put it into drive. The moment the wheels start to turn I realize that Logan is not in the truck with me. He was going to be on a plane and gone for months. He asked me to wait for him. I lost my chance to kiss him, but his words would comfort me for the months without him.

I pull the truck back into the driveway and walk over to my car. I jump in out of the cold and put the car into drive. I look over at the large black truck one last time before driving away.

As I continued to drive home I could only continue to replay his request in my head. Halfway back to my house, the cell phone in the passenger seat began to ring. Without taking my eyes off the road I leaned over and answered the phone. "Hello?"

"Hi. May I speak with Ms. Parks please?"

"Speaking."

"Hi. This is Kelsey with the Ocean Police Department. I am calling because we have an update with your case and the investigators would like to speak with you." After not responding to her news she continued. "The students that are being charged have been taken into arrest and a trial is being held soon."

"How many other girls have there been?"

"I'm sorry?" She was confused by my question.

"How many other girls have they been accused of raping?" This news came at the perfect time to ruin my giddy mood.

"Oh. I am not at liberty to say. That information will come out at the trial."

"What do I do from here?"

"Well, you will need to speak with the investigators in charge of your case and they will most likely ask that you come back down to the city for the trial where the crime happened."

"Is that going to be any time soon?"

"Since it is the winter and the crime rate is down the trial will most likely happen in the next month."

"Ok. Thank you for calling." She finished the call by emailing the phone numbers of the investigators Logan and I had met with on the night of the event. I would have to face these boys again. This time I would be alone.

Logan was away and I would have to sit in front of an entire room and give my confession. The rest of the drive back to my house was drowned out by the blaring radio. I walked into my room and sat on my bed. I grabbed the stuffed dolphin Logan had won me at the carnival and held it close as I turned on Netflix.

A few hours later Alyssa walked into my room with a smile on her face. "Theresa! Darling." She began, but stopped when she saw me lying in bed under the covers. "Is something wrong?" I had kept everything about Logan and I a secret. I wanted to spend time with Logan without the worry of drama getting in the way.

"Yeah. I'm fine." I sit up on my bed and make room for her to sit down.

"Tell me what's the matter?" She knew that Logan was leaving for basic today, but she was only under the impression that we were strictly friends. She had forgiven Anna for what she had pulled and was growing their relationship back.

If Anna were to get wind of the way I felt about Logan I would not want to be in her path. Instead of telling her about the mixed emotions I was having about Logan leaving and then getting a call from the police department, I decided to leave the Logan part out of it.

"The ocean police department called me today."

"Oh really? What did they say?"

"They said I would have to go back down there for the trial and identify them. I am still waiting to call the investigators to get more information. I am just waiting to call until tomorrow."

"Why wait?"

"I don't want this to be my reality."

"You should get those people in jail as soon as possible."

"Alyssa, they can't arrest the whole university."

"Yeah, but they can be an example of what could happen if they were to try this with other girls."

"You're right. I should call them now before it gets too late." I wanted nothing more than Logan sitting right next to me as I made this call.

"Hi. This is Theresa Parks. I received a call earlier saying that I should speak with you about the next steps moving forward in the investigation."

"Yes, good afternoon Ms. Parks. What we need from you is to come down and identify the guy. You won't have to come until the weekend because they are not allowed to leave. They are being charged by another young lady and your identification would just add to their conviction."

"Would Saturday work?"

"Yes ma'am. We will provide the room for you to stay in while you are here."

"Alright. I will be there on Saturday." With that I hung up the phone. Alyssa reached over and put her arms around me. Those arms were not the ones I desperately desired.