Long Time, No See

IIIIIIII: II

*TW: Sexual Assault, Violence*
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*This chapter contains mild scenes of a sexual violence and assault. If you do not wish to read those parts I have put asterisks to mark when they start and end.*

Denise

I drop the pencil on the cold, metal table in front of me next to my piece of lined paper filled on both sides from all my writing.

I then take a deep breath before looking back up at him seated across from me with an encouraging facial expression. He looks down at his watch briefly before smiling softly back up at me.

"Are you finished?" He asks politely, and I nod my head once curtly in response, returning the pen back to him with a small push.

It glides across the table making a weird rolling sound as it stops near him.

"Alright then. Ms. Denise Greene having completed your statement, could you please recount in your own words again, what happened tonight leading up to the alleged attack on-."

I anticipate his next words and tense up again, curling my hands into fists under the table.

"I know this must be very distressing for you. It's okay. Take your time. If you feel you need a minu-"

"No!" I exclaim, shutting my eyes and taking a deep breath again to calm my nerves.

"No, I can do this," I affirm and upon opening my eyes to meet his, I begin my story.

Reliving the whole night all over again.

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God, I love this song!

My hazy vision produces a kaleidoscopic view of the people around me. Everything feels warm, fuzzy, and happy -or maybe that's just the alcohol in my system talking. The ever-present outpouring of the speaker's heavy bass reverberates through my system; like a servant to its demands I dance keeping in step to its every rhythmic wish.

What is this feeling, that causes me to feel so light yet move around so heavily? To see the world in a new Panasonic view yet remember none of it when I look away?

I'll tell you what it is. It's called getting white girl wasted!

Through the swaying and gyrating throng of people all around us, I can just about make out Ava moving her body to the beat of the music blaring from the speakers above us all. Faces flash in and out of recognition to me as my brain battles with the slight intoxication. One minute I'm standing behind Ava as she twerks in front of me, and the next I'm singing with Carina at the top of my voice to the song the DJ has chosen.

A slight jolt of my shoulder brings me back to the dance floor and I whirl around still moving my hips to the beat of the song playing to face Carina. She stands before me swaying continuously before leaning even closer to my face and shouting directly at me.

"¡Voy al baño, quédate aquí con Ava!" Then without even an answering nod, she staggers off for what I presume is the bathroom considering my drunken brain only processed the words "baño" (toilet) and "aquí con Ava" (Stay with Ava) as she tottered off through the crowd.

Nodding stupidly to myself, I turn to Ava who is drunkenly laughing and shaking her arms freely around her body whilst shimmying her chest along with some random, blonde woman who she seems to have become close to during the duration of the song.

I tap her shoulder to get her attention and she whips around and flashes me a happy smile.

"Ayeee... Heyyy girl, you ready to dance with me and Raquel?" She asks grabbing my arms and swinging them side to side with her in a weirdly coordinated dance step.