A Good Thing

15

"Hello, what can I help you with today?" The doctor asks when she finally gets to Mitch. He looks at Scott and shakes his head slightly, Scott luckily gets the idea.

"He was.. um.. raped." Her eyes widen slightly but she stays calm.

"I'm sorry, honey. I'm going to contact the authorities and we'll do a rape kit. Is there anyone I should call?"

"N-no. He already c-called them."

"Alright. How old are you?"

"16." She writes it down and tells a nurse to call the police.

"I'm going to take a rape kit after you talk to the detectives. Do you want him in the room?" Mitch nods without hesitation.

Soon, a police officer walks in. "Mitch Grassi?" Mitch nods again, "Hi, I'm Detective Amanda Rollins. I have to ask you a few questions, if that's okay."

"Yes, Ma'am."

"Okay. Do you know the name of the man who raped you?"

"Carter Williams. He's in my grade and he bullied be for a few years. He recently told me that he likes me and..."

"I understand this is hard for you, but I'm gonna need you to tell me exactly what he did."

"I walked into the bathroom after school, so nobody was there. I tried to run, but he pulled me back by my arm and locked the door. H-he asked me if Scott and I had ever had s-sex, I said no. He p-pulled me against him a-and stuck his h-hand down my pants. T-then he asked me i-if I was a virgin, and I said yes.. I was s-scared to lie. He p-pushed me to the floor and t-took my clothes off b-before he tied my hands to a p-pipe under the s-sink. He took three f-fingers and... a-and put them... put them in me. T-then he took them... h-he took them out and p-put himself inside m-me. After he finished, he s-said 'Look at you, such a pretty one. Don't act like you didn't like it. Glad I was the one to take your precious v-card'. Then he g-got dressed, untied me, and left. I called Scott a few minutes after he left."

"Mitch, you are very brave, I hope you know that. The doctor is going to take a rape kit now. Do you remember if he used a condom?"

"No, I don't think he did." Amanda nods and lets the doctor do what she needs to. Once she finishes, Amanda tells Mitch a few details on what's going to happen before she leaves.

"Are you in any pain?" Scott asks once they're alone.

"Yes."

"Where?"

"Everywhere."

"Do you want them to give you something for it?"

"No, please just... just hold me." Scott sits down so his back is against the wall behind the bed and he pulls Mitch closer to wrap his arms around him protectively. Mitch sets his head on Scott's chest and moves impossibly closer to him.

Scott runs a hand up and down Mitch's arm, causing the smaller boy to eventually fall asleep.

"Is he okay?" Connie whispers to Scott once she and Rick show up.

"Physically, there are no serious injuries, so that's good. But mentally..." They nod in understanding and sit down in the two chairs. Scott and his parents talk a little more until Scott feels Mitch jump and whimper quietly in his sleep.

"Shh, it's okay. I'm here, you're okay, baby boy." He whispers, somehow calming Mitch down without waking him up. Just then, the doctor walks in.

"Do you want to wake him?" She asks Scott.

"No, I have a feeling that he won't be getting much sleep the next few nights."

"Alright. We found that while the suspect did not use a condom, he was clean so Mitch does not have any STD's. We found some bruising down there, but that's expected for this type of circumstance, it will go away within a few days. He can go home whenever he wants, just make sure he gets as much rest as possible. I can give you the names of counselors for you if you'd like." Scott and his parents agree and they get the discharge papers to go home, Scott carrying Mitch out.

Mitch wakes up an hour later in Scott's bed with Scott sitting beside him doing homework.

"Scotty?"

Scott looks at him and smiles slightly, "Hi, baby. How you feeling?"

"It hurts.. and I feel dirty like, I can still feel his hands on me... touching me." He tears up.

"Do you wanna shower?" Mitch just nods. Scott goes to the closest and looks back at him, "My clothes or yours?"

"Yours, please." Mitch whispers, looking at the ground. Scott grabs Mitch a shirt and some of Mitch's sweatpants and underwear and puts them on the bathroom counter. He turns the water to a warm setting and goes to leave, only to have Mitch stop him.

"What's wrong?"

"Don't leave me." Scott's heart breaks at how scared and upset Mitch is. He opens his arms for a hug, knowing to not force Mitch into physical contact, and Mitch tightly hugs him.

"Never, my sweet angel. What do you want me to do?"

"W-will you just.. like sit on the counter and wait for me?"

"Of course." Scott sits on the counter and respectfully looks away when Mitch gets undressed and into the shower.

After a few minutes, they hear Rick yell at the TV, making them both laugh.

"Dad! Did the sports do good?"

"The sports did very good!"

"Did the ball go?"

"Fuck, dude, it sure did!" Scott laughs and smiles even more when he hears Mitch laughing.

"What is he even watching?" Mitch asks, still laughing a little.

"C'mon, Mitch, we already established this. He's watching the sports, you know that one where the ball goes whoosh back and forth until someone wins."

This only makes him laugh more, "You're right, how silly of me." A few minutes later, he finishes and steps out of the shower, Scott turning away again politely.

"Scott?"

"Yeah?"

"I...I need help." Scott looks back at Mitch to see him in only underwear.

"With what, baby?"

"It h-hurts to move." Scott nods, grabs the sweatpants, and kneels down to help Mitch put on the pants, Mitch holding onto Scott's shoulders as he does so. He then helps Mitch into the oversized sweatshirt and they sit down on the bed.

"I'm sorry if you hate me now." Scott hears Mitch whisper after a few minutes. His head snaps over to Mitch and he gently lifts his chin to look at him.

"Why would I hate you?"

"B-Because I'm not pure anymore. I'm dirty and gross and now I've had sex so I'm not a virgin."

"You didn't have sex, baby boy. That was against your will and you didn't want it, it wasn't sex. You're not dirty and you're not gross and I still love you as much as I did before."

"Y-You love me?"

Scott smiles, "Of course I do, I can't not love you, it's impossible."

"I love you, too."

"Oh good, that would be a bit awkward if you didn't." Scott smiles when Mitch giggles a little and hugs him.

***