{A Wattpad Featured Story & Wattys 2018 Long List Book}
Highest Rank // #22 in Teen Fiction
Lennon Reese has always been quiet but after being sexually assaulted she has shut herself off from the world. She finds solace in writing all of her evasi...
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Lennon's hands were shaking, as she stared down at her phone. I knew something was wrong, but I didn't want to jump to conclusions.
"Who's that texting you?" I asked as I peered over her shoulder. The contact read Unknown Number. "Unknown number?"
She gulped, leaning over her phone. "Bradley..." She whispered.
I took her phone from her hands and read over the message. It better be a wrong number, I thought to myself, but I was wrong. The text was nasty and I couldn't help but feel responsible. I provoked him, I made him angry and now he was taking it out on Lennon.
I hope your going to the dance. You know what they say happens after dances. Lots of girls lose it that night but you won't be, will you, because you already lost it. Maybe you will get round 2. ;)
He was taunting her with his words, threatening he'd do it again. I couldn't get so angry as I did last time. Lennon trusted me to be there for her and I wasn't going to jeopardize her trust. I put her phone down on the table and put my anger aside. This was a lot harder for her than it was for me. Lennon had her head in her hands and a terrified look was plastered on her face.
I tried to rub her back but she flinched away. "Lennon..." I muttered, searching her eyes. I reached for her hand instead, trying my best to comfort her.
"He won't leave me alone..." She whispered, breathing heavily. "He's just going to keep harassing me, it's not going to stop. I'm never going to be able to get away from him." She shook her head quickly, her eyes were pooling with tears.
"It's going to be alright." I rubbed her back, but it wasn't looking like it was helping.
"What if he... I can't go through it again... Oh god..." She put her hand on her chest, gasping for air.
She's having a panic attack, I thought. I didn't know how to help her.
"Lennon I won't let that happen." I told her, but it was like she didn't hear me.
"I- I can't breathe." She panicked and I took hold of her shoulders.
"Just look at me, follow my breathing." I tried to show her, breathing in and out dramatically but my efforts to help her were quickly failing.
"Let- Let go of me!" She screamed at me, backing herself as far away from me on the couch as she could get.
"What? Lennon, what's wrong?" I tried again. Something was off.
"No, no Bradley, don't hurt me." She clenched her eyes shut.
"Hey, it's me." I moved towards her and wrapped my arms around her. Just hold her, make her feel better, I told myself. Her hands beated against my chest.
"Get off, get off." She squirmed in my grasp.
"It's okay, Lennon." Her foot connected with my stomach and I groaned in pain.
