What Happened That Night (Wattpad Books Edition)

Author's note

There are a limitless number of topics and subjects someone can write about. A world of possibilities is waiting to be typed, and it can range from something as fantastical as warrior princesses storming the castle to something as real as young adults struggling with the aftermath of their sexual assaults. The latter is one of the topics of this book. It's about how wounds still throb even when they've closed over. It's about the reluctance some might feel to tell the truth because of the scary unknown of what happens next. It's something many, many people experience, and I truly believe that it's a story that needs to be told. Literature has such power to evoke feelings, responses, passions. It gives others the opportunity to see something from another perspective and to realize that this is important. It's important not to shame. It's important to know when to listen. It's important to know when to speak up.

But reading about this topic can be understandably triggering for those who have personally experienced it. When this book was still being posted weekly on Wattpad, I remember a few readers saying it was too hard to read, and I told them the same thing I'm about to say (type) now: that's okay. If you need to put this book down because of the feelings it stirs up, I want you to do that. I want you to find the story that brings you into a world you want to be a part of, and I hope you find it soon.

If any of you reading this have experienced something similar to what happens in this book, there are resources out there available to you. RAINN is an organization dedicated to 24/7 help for victims of sexual assault, with a hotline number you can reach through dialing 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) to speak with a trained staff member. You can also get help through visiting their web- site online at www.rainn.org. The Office on Women's Health is also available through calling their hotline at 1-800-994-9662 on Mondays through Fridays. RAINN, as mentioned above, has resources to help male victims of sexual assault as well.