We walked towards the courtyard laughing hysterically at some cheesy joke Oliver said. I was happy we were spending more time together. I got to know him a little better now that we had gone out to dinner a few times.
We hadn't kissed since that night. Oh lord, just thinking about that night makes my knees buckle and I want to fall into his arms.
Once we got into the small courtyard I saw a small figure sitting in a bench staring at Oliver and I. I seemed to recognize the figure, but...it couldn't be Ella, could it?
We stoped in front of the girl and Oliver spoke up, softly "Ella?"
"Daddy" she sobbed. Oliver ran to Ella's side and hugged her tightly.
I could see Ella's head over Oliver's shoulders, sobbing, trying to catch her breath, and screaming almost through her tears. It didn't look like her at all. This was not Ella.
I didn't even know there was anyway she could look so sad, just looking at her like this made my heart beat out of my chest and my eyes watered.
I didn't know what to do, but I felt like Ella was the kind of person to want affection when she's sad, so I walked over to the bench and took a seat.
As Oliver was still hugging her and asking frantically if her ear what had happened, I rubbed her back is circular motions, hoping to cause some sort of comfort.
Oliver looked up at me, some of Ella's tears had gotten on his cheeks. His eyes seemed so sad, so broken because his daughter was feeling the way she was very obviously feeling. But breaking through the sadness of his eyes there was a 'help me!'.
I didn't really know what to do, so I just tried to come what was natural, "Ella, baby, look at me." I pulled her away from her dad and looked her in the eye, and she looked back in mine.
Her eyes were puffy and had tears threatening to spill. What the hell happened? "Please, tell us what happened."
She tried to collect herself. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath "I-I," she started, looking back between Oliver and I.
"Please." Oliver pleaded
"I don't k-know," she fumbled with her words "h-he a-asked me f-for help on homework...and-uh-" she started to sob again.
I felt like a knew where this was going. I looked to Oliver again, his sad eyes now replaced with anger, I think he knew too.
"Ella, come on, please" I asked
"He pinned me up on the wall! I couldn't get away from his grip, he was too big! But then he dropped his left hand from my wrist, and-and-and...and then I grabbed a p-pen," she started to fumble again "and he uh, but his hand under my-uh- my shirt" with every word her voice got higher and higher, trying to hold back the tears "and right before he got to uh-uhm-" she cut herself off, but we knew what she was trying to say "I-i-i-i, Oh God! What the fuck did I do?!" She screamed
I was taken back, I didn't know what to say, so Oliver did "Ella, I need to know what you did love, I swear we wont judge you."
"I stabbed him the the eye with a pen!!!" She screamed and sobbed
We looked at each other. I didn't know what to do. I was frozen. Ella was sexually assaulted. What the hell?
Oliver looked as if he was going to explode. But he kept a brave face on for Ella.
"Here," he took off his jacket and put it on Ella's shivering body. "Let's go"
He helped her up and kept a arm around her waist to help her walk. She wasn't hurt, but she was stunned and emotionally unstable. Those two things could make anybody wobbly.
I trailed behind, looking out for a dude with a pen in his eye wanting revenge. He wasn't found, but I needed to feel like I was doing something to help, I didn't just want to be a stick in the mud.
•
Once we got to the door of her dorm Oliver let go of Ella and looked her in the eye "it happened in here right? You left him in here?"
"Mhm" she nodded weakly
"Okay stay here, Elio?" I looked at him, "stay with her, I'm going to make sure he's not still in there," and just like that, he opened the door and left us in the hallway.
"Elio," Ella said quietly. This was the first time she actually addressed me this whole time.
"Yes?" I looked down at her, she was now sitting on the wall.
"Do you think I'm pathetic?" She sniffed
"What? Of course not! You stabbed a dude with a pen! I know to you that seems horrible, but honestly it's bad ass. He deserved it, and more."
"Hm" was all she said. She looked at the ceiling, sighed and closed her eyes.
This was the most serious I'd ever seen Ella. It made me uncomfortable. This type of thing wasn't supposed to happen to a girl like her. It's not supposed to happen to any girl for that matter.
It was like she had turned into another person. I know it was still raw, it had just happened a couple of hours ago. But what if we had lost Ella? This type of thing is not temporary, it doesn't go away. She will have this thing hanging over her head the rest of her life.
"It's clear" oliver poked his head out of the crack in the door then opened it for us to come in.
•
We were seated in the living area on the couches, Ella looking very uncomfortable and her tears still streamed down her face every once and a while.
"Ella," Oliver started "I need to know his name,"
"No" she whispered
"What?" Oliver asked, actually curious, I don't think he heard her. But I think Ella took it as sass, because she snapped back
"I said no! I can't say his name! I-I'll throw up! I-I...I don't know what I'm saying." She seemed to be having a battle with her emotions. But soon she gave in, "Luca-um-Luca Ricci, I think." She squirmed at his name.
"Thank you baby." Oliver kissed her forehead, "you need sleep. Come on, let's go." He picked her up and led her to her bedroom
"Wait" she stoped and looked back at me, "good night Elio," she said and then continued to walk with her father to her bed room
"Night" I squealed out awkwardly. I don't know why I was acting so weird around her. I guess I just thought she wouldn't really care to talk to me after all this.
•
Oliver came back into the living area from Ella's room and looked at me.
"What the fuck is going on Elio?" He ran a hand through his hair.
"I-I have no idea" I stuck my hands in my pockets, feeling out of place and in the way.
He sighed and walked over to the phone on the wall and dialed three numbers 113 (a.n. Pretty much the Italian 911)
"Ciao? sto segnalando un'aggressione sessuale." (Hello? I'm reporting sexual assault)
•
I love you all, please stay safe and love yourself!
<3
Xoxo
YOU ARE READING
Call me "yours" • cmbyn
Fanfiction(ON HOLD) The year is 1993. It's been ten years since they last saw, or spoke to each other. Elio was now 27 Oliver was 33 Oliver had a 15 year old daughter, that had enrolled for her first year at a elite boarding school in Italy, the same elite b...
