|Damage||cth| -au- DISCONTINUED

|Twenty-Five|

Michael:

I went upstairs to check on Aria and Calum. I felt horrible for being so mean to her. I was no better than the rest of the kids who treated her like crap for all those years. I walked into Calum's room and Aria wasn't there. Neither was Calum. I noticed the bathroom door across the hall was closed, locked with the lights on.

He couldn't have been doing this to her again. I refused to believe that Calum was trying something on Aria. I didn't know whether to trust in good conscience that he wasn't doing anything to her.

But that Calum who raped Aria was still the same Calum that was alone in the bathroom with her and something came over me. I was scared. I was angry at Calum.

I knocked on the door and heard two people talking. I pushed the door open. Aria had her head in her hands. Calum looked at me with a small smile on his face. I couldn't stand to look at him.

"What the fuck are you two doing?" I asked.

I pushed Calum away and he fell back into the door. He got up with his usual frown on his face.

"You didnt think I was..." he began. "You did. Oh my god!" he yelled. "We've been friends for long enough to that I wouldn't-"

"What the fuck was I supposed to think? Last time you two were alone together, you fucking r-"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah! I get it! I raped Aria! I I'm an asshole!" Calum yelled. "Say it a hundred times, it still won't change anything."

I looked at Aria who was looking back at me and paying attention to neither of us. She looked scared. I was too.

At this point, I wasn't sure if it was at me or Calum.

Calum was tired. His eyes were heavy. He was staring at his feet. He was harmless. I knew he wasn't going to do anything to her. He was in his shorts and without a shirt. I knew he always took off his shirt if he wasn't sleeping well.

I had no clue what had happened but in that moment I knew he hadn't lay a single finger on her. That's when I instantly felt awful.

Maybe, Aria was scared of me. She seemed fearless. I guess smart people had that quality handed to them. I knelt down to her level. She was sitting on the edge of the bath tub.

"Are you o-"

"I'm fine. He was just checking that temperature to see if I had a fever. I'm sick," she mumbled.

"Are you sure?"

"I'm fine," she said in a more demanding tone.

"See, she's fine. So, you and Ashton can take her and go home."

"What the hell is your problem?" I yelled back.

"Okay...you wanna know my problem. If you guys really wanted to check on me, you guys would have come here by yourselves and left 'Ms. I got raped' over here alone. When was the last time you or Ashton came here?"

"I don't know it was like your 14th birthday," I mumbled, feeling slightly embarrassed.

"That's my problem with you two. You're selfish. How many times have I gone to your house? For fuck sake, you and Ashton live in a whole other fucking neighbourhood. Before I could drive, I walked my ass there and back. When my parents finally let me, I begged them for money everyday for the bus just to play video games with you two for half an hour. We were broke, Michael. We were going to loose this house and you know what I did. I stole money from my mum for the bus because I was tired of walking. I was tired of- I am tired of moving mountains for people who aren't even willing to touch it. I'm an asshole. I get it. But don't ever pretend like I have done anything for you and Ashton. And maybe in some fucked up twisted way, I'm glad it was Aria who was willing to help me. Because if the person I raped is willing to save me while I'm having a seizure and spitting foam my mouth; then I know where you're priorities lie. Leave!" Calum yelled.