Confident

18- The Incident

An hour later Harry and Brooklyn definitely weren't talking. They weren't studying either.

Harry grabbed Brooklyn and pulled her close to him, crashing his lips to hers.

Brooklyn moaned softly and snaked her arms round Harry's neck. Harry tangled his fingers in Brooklyn's curls and gently lowered her onto the bed.

Brooklyn knew she should stop, but she didn't.

She knew that she was meant to be ignoring Harry, but she couldn't.

She knew that she didn't get close to guys, but Harry was different.

Her body was on fire. Every nerve was alive. Sparks were flying between her and Harry and they made her want more.

She had never felt this way before, until Harry. He did things to Brooklyn that she could not explain.

"Harry," she whispered.

"Shut up," he grumbled and kissed Brooklyn again, sliding his tongue into her mouth.

Brooklyn paused for a moment, but when Harry bit her lip she turned her attention back to him and was lost in his touch.

It wasn't long before they were interrupted. Brooklyn's phone rang and she pulled away from Harry, breathing heavily.

"It can wait," Harry said dismissively.

"No," Brooklyn said and shook her head. "It's my mum's ringtone." Brooklyn sat up on her bed and grabbed her phone, shuffling away from Harry before answering. "Mum?"

"Cheating, lying, scum!" Her mothers voice screamed down the phone and Brooklyn jumped.

"Mum?"

"You want to know why we're getting a divorce, Brooky dear? Your scumbag of a father fucked another woman when I was pregnant with you! And then he continued to do it while you were growing up! Fucking bastard!"

"Put the phone down, Grace-" Brooklyn heard her fathers voice in the background.

"You have no right to tell me what to do, you cheater! You dirty, lying-"

"Grace, you're drunk! Brooklyn doesn't need to hear this-"

"Hear what? That her father cheated on her mother? She's grown up now, she deserves to know!" Her mother screamed.

"Grace, you're acting childish!"

"You can talk! You adulterous asshole!"

"Mum?" Brooklyn said quietly.

"Not now, Brooklyn!" Her mother snapped. "God, you always get in the way! Sticking your nose in where it doesn't concern you! You were always a nuisance child! Why do you think we sent you away to live with your stupid aunt and uncle? We didn't want you!"

"Grace!" Her dad gasped. "Give me the phone, now!"

"I'm just telling her the truth! After the whore got herself into all that trouble! She brought it all on herself, getting taken and r-"

"Stop it, now! You're drunk!"

Brooklyn slowly lowered her phone. She could still hear her mother yelling, but she was glad she couldn't make out what she was saying.

Harry's hand reached out to hers and he pried the phone from her fingers, pressing end and locking it. "Brooklyn," Harry said. "None of what she said was true."

"She thought it was my fault," Brooklyn whispered. "The incident. She blamed what I wore and how 'flirty' I was. After it happened she said I deserved it."

"You didn't," Harry said immediately. "That was not your fault. It was the fault of a sick individual. You were the victim."

"She doesn't see it that way."

"Screw her."

"She drinks," Brooklyn said and looked up at Harry. "She always has. She was drinking the night it happened. So I left the house to get away from her."

"Brooklyn," Harry said firmly. "You can speak to me. Tell me about it."

Brooklyn pulled her knees up to her chest and shook her head. "No."

"You need to talk about it."

"Why should I tell you?"

"Because it's me."

"And that means something?" Brooklyn asked.

"Yes," Harry shrugged. "You know it does, babe."

Brooklyn sighed and chewed her lip nervously. "She was drinking, like I said," Brooklyn said quietly. "She got aggressive when she drank and my dad was at work so I didn't want to be home alone with her so I left the house. It was dark, but the town was safe, so I thought I'd be fine."

Brooklyn caught Harry's eye and her stomach churned. She was sharing something she had never told anyone. She didn't know why, but she trusted Harry with it. With her dark secret.

"A man grabbed me and then I was unconscious," Brooklyn said and she looked down at her nails, suddenly finding them very interesting. "And then I woke up. It was dark, I couldn't see anything, but there were chains on my wrists and ankles. They were so heavy... And so tight-" Brooklyn swallowed and closed her eyes. "I saw his face once, on the first day I was there, but I'll never forget it. He turned the lights on one time and his face will forever be engrained in my mind."

Brooklyn took a deep breath and rubbed her wrists. "I tried screaming, but I couldn't. He gagged me for the whole time I was there. He only took the gag off to give me a small amount of water. I didn't get food. I was just left there, in the dark, chained up, until he wanted me. He... He forced himself on me. It seemed like I barely got a break before it was happening again. I'd be woken up from sleep by him... By him... R-raping me. It was constant. I never thought it would end." Brooklyn took a deep breath and wiped her eyes. "I was there for a week until the police found me. And ever since then... me and boys have not happened. The thought of touching a man... It made me want to burn my skin off."

"Until me," Harry said and Brooklyn looked up at Harry with red puffy eyes.

"Yes," she whispered. "And now you know. You know the story behind the newspaper clipping you saw."

"Don't act brave," Harry said. "Don't hide your pain. You don't have to be strong, Brooklyn. Let it out."

Brooklyn shook her head. "I-I'm over it. I'm fine."

"Hey." Harry cupped Brooklyn's face and stroked her cheek. "Cry. I won't leave you until you're okay."

"If I start I won't stop," Brooklyn whispered as a tear slipped down her cheek.

"Then I won't leave," Harry murmured and pulled Brooklyn into his chest as all the tears and pain she had been bottling up came out. "I'll always be here for you."