Sunshine (Take Two Sequel)

Chapter 19: Joe

About a week after my run-in with Nick, the physical pain had subsided, but I still felt dirty and violated. I was also nervous about them coming for everybody else since I knew what they were capable of. They raped me, stabbed Roger and almost killed Freddie. What would they do to the rest of us? I was snapped out of my thoughts when I heard a knock on the door. I was too scared to get up and answer it until I heard Lilly's voice from the other side.

"Hi Joe," she said. "How are you feeling?" We had told the group about what happened. It was hard to hide when the saw the bruises on my neck.

"I'm ok," I said.

"No you're not," she said. She came and sat down next to me. "Have you thought about what we talked about?"

"I don't want to press charges against them," I told her. "I don't want to face them."

"But don't you want justice?" Lilly asked. "They deserve to be in prison for what they did to you! If you don't do this you'll regret it."

"How would you know?" I snapped.

"Because I sure as hell did," she said.

"What are you talking about?" I asked her. Lilly sighed.

"When I was fifteen," she started. "I was dating this guy who was two years older than me. I thought he was so cool because he had a car and my dad hated him, so it was the perfect way to rebel against him. Then one day, he decided he wanted to have sex. I was so young and I wasn't ready, so I told him no, but he didn't care. He just... did it anyway."

"You lost your virginity against your will?" I asked. She just nodded. "Lilly I'm so sorry."

"It was awful," she said. "I felt so disgusted and mortified. Sex itself scared the hell out of me because I had never had a good experience. I didn't do it again until I was nineteen."

"Nineteen?" I said. "That doesn't make sense. We met when we were eighteen and you seemed very experienced."

"I had done other stuff," she said. "But I hadn't had actual sex again until... Roger."

"Roger was the only person you ever voluntarily slept with?" I asked her. She nodded. "Does he know that?" I asked.

"No," Lilly said. "And you can't tell him. This stays between us."

"Ok," I said. "But I really don't think he would be bothered by it."

"Maybe not," she said. "But I still don't want him to know. Besides that wasn't even the point of the story. I didn't press charges against my ex and I wish I had. It sickens me to think he's still walking around out there, possibly hurting some other girl. You can't be left with that same feeling, trust me you'll hate it!" I sighed.

"Can I think about it?" I asked her.

"Of course," she said. "Christmas is in a week. Let's just enjoy the holiday and we can talk again after the New Year." I nodded in agreement. She got up to leave and I grabbed her arm.

"Where are you going?" I asked.

"I'm getting lunch with the Venus girls," she said. "Well, the Venus girls and Freddie. It was going to be just the four of us, but then he asked to come and I have a really hard time saying no to him." I laughed softly.

"Well if Freddie's already intruding," I said. "Can I come? Ben's at work and being home alone is... depressing." Lilly smiled and nodded. I stood up and we walked outside to meet everyone for lunch.