Trust

Chapter 16- She's Dead

1 week later (Emma's POV)
Once I saw the video I panicked. I didn't want to talk to anyone, I didn't want to eat, and I especially couldn't sleep. All I could picture is Kian coming after me, and even though I know he can't, he can still get someone to come after me. I can't escape him even if I tried.

Lily's POV
I am so worried about Emma. If I would have known what happened then I would have tried to help her. But now everyone knows, and that means her ex might know, and I think that's why she's been locked up in her room all week.

Unfortunately we go back to school today because the board of health cleared the school and declared that it was safe for students to return. I don't know if she's going to come to school, if she doesn't I won't blame her, but I'm going to try to get her to come anyway.

I knocked on her door before entering, she looked dead. Her hair hadn't been brushed, there were dark circles and bags under her eyes, and it was clear that she had been crying. "Hey, Ben left early with Parker, but I wanted to see if you wanted me to drive you to school?"

"I'm not going. Not now, not ever." She shakes her head as a tear falls down her face. I sat down on her bed next to her and grabbed her hand. "I know things are bad right now. And I know that there must be a billion things going through your head right now. But don't you see that by not going you're giving everyone you're afraid of what they want? If you lay low and keep yourself locked up then they win. And I know it's hard, but you shouldn't give them that satisfaction."

"You don't get it. He will come after me-"

"Not if I have anything to do with it. There's a lot that you don't know about me, just like there are things that I don't know about you, but I have the power to protect you whether you believe me or not." I know she won't open up to me yet, but I will.

"I don't know. What if-"

"Stop it with the what if's. Live in the now, stop worrying about that bitch Kat or your dumbass ex boyfriend. You have people here who love you and are willing to fight for you no matter what, don't worry about what could happen. Please come with me to school." I hold out my hand, she sighs and grabs my hand. "Fine. But I won't enjoy it."

"Are you kidding me, who does? It's school, not a petting zoo." She laughed at my analogy. "See, There's the Emma I know and love. Now get dressed, Ben made breakfast before he left I'll heat it up." She nodded and slowly got out of bed as I made my way down to the kitchen.
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As Emma and I walked into school, I couldn't help but noticing the stares and whispers about Emma, and I knew it was making her uncomfortable. So I grabbed her hand and smiled. "We'll get through this together, remember that."

As much as I wanted to keep true to my word and remain calm, by the time lunch rolled around I was no longer able to keep my cool anymore. I went to stand on the table but was stopped by Parker. "What are you doing?"

"I'm doing what's right. Please don't be mad at me for this Em." I stood up on the table and started shouting to get everyone's attention. "As you all know by now, there's a video going around about Emma and Sam and two other guys. Those two other guys were Liam Hall and Marcus Santereli, and they are the bad guys here. Not Emma, not Sam, and not Stacey either. You all are living in this world where things like this happen and yet you're still using double standards. If a girl gets drunk and raped she's asking for it, but if the guy rapes her it's okay. Well it's not! Wake the hell up! We're graduating this year and we're about to see how big and scary this world actually is, and we have to face the fact that things like this actually happen. So instead of being complete jackasses think about how you would feel if that was your mom, or your girlfriend, or sister."