I didn't know exactly what to expect walking into Government the next morning.

I knew Kevin would be there, and after the scene he'd made in the cafeteria the other day, I just wanted to hide under a rock until he disappeared. What I was actually greeted with was far beyond anything I could have imagined.

He sat with his head down, bandaged forehead pressed against the cold table top. Even from where I stood in the doorway, I could see blood still seeping through what I'd guess were fresh bandages. They wrapped around his forehead and to the back, where his dark brown hair appeared to be matted with what I'd assume was blood.

I was jolted back into reality by the bell sounding over my head. Hurrying to my desk, I made sure not to have an accidental run in with the injured rapist a few feet away.

I wanted to believe that his injury was from a rough game of football-or perhaps roughhousing with his friends that didn't end so well. But I knew deep down exactly where he'd gotten it from.

Landon.

Between my brother and his best friend's sudden disappearing act and obvious lies, I had no doubt in my mind they were the culprit.

"What are you staring at, Spencer?" Kevin's huff of anger was hushed by my quick intake of breath.

The boy in front of me bore no resemblance to boy who'd raped me under the pier. The piercing blue eyes that haunted me every time I closed my eyes, the full lips that continued to deflect the reality of what happened, they were both mutilated beyond recognition. He could hardly hold either eye open for longer than a few seconds.

"Damn, Marshall." A jock slapped his hand against Kevin's desk, "What happened? Did the chick fight back this time and kick your ass?"

Kevin looked ready to lunge across the desk, jaw clenching so tight it was easy to hear his teeth grinding against one another.

"Leave him alone, bro. Don't want him messing with Kel or Mary." One of the jock's friend's muttered, giving his friend a gentle shove toward the back of the classroom.

The jock wasn't the only one to make comments. As more students flooded into the room, they whispered and pointed in his direction.

I wanted to feel bad for him. I wanted to feel the pitiful pang deep in my stomach and chest, the sympathy for how much pain he was in. I wanted to feel sorry that his friends had dropped him without a second thought.

Instead I felt more at ease. For the first time in months I felt as if I could catch my breath, that I could hear everyone's quiet chatter around me.

For the first time in months I didn't feel alone.

***

I could feel the tension radiating through my house the minute I unlocked the door. Thinking it was just another one of Colton and Landon's petty fights, I readied myself to lecture them about how much trouble they could have been in if they'd been caught last night.

The words died before they had a chance to escape.

My brother sat on the arm of the couch, head down and arms crossed tightly over his chest. Across from him sat Mr. and Mrs. Marshall, both wearing entirely unreadable expressions.

None of them looked to pleased by my sudden appearance.

"What's going on?" I questioned my brother, eyeing the couple on our love seat cautiously.

My brother straightened, opening his mouth in an attempt to respond but was quickly cut off by Mr. Marshall.

"It has come to our attention that our son may have acted without consent." The soon-to-be Governor spoke so nonchalantly that I fought the urge to walk away then and there.

Mrs. Marshall, however, looked as if she'd failed at life. Her entire body was hunched over, eyes blood shot, and dyed blonde hair a complete nest of tangles in a bun. She touched her husband's arm gently, shaking her head, speaking in a silent manner.

My brother rose and crossed the room to me in the matter of seconds, hand resting on my shoulder. After a few minutes of complete and utter silence, I broke it.

"I don't know what you're talking about. Please get out of my house."

My answer even seemed to shock my older brother. He offered me a weary look as the man across the room stood and brushed non-existent dirt from his black slacks.

"I would appreciate it if this didn't escalate any further, Miss Spencer. I am very disappointed in my son's actions and cannot even begin to fathom what you must be going through. It is circulating all over social media. Please do let me know what I can do to prevent this from going to trial and having an affect on the election." Something between a choked laugh and a cry escaped me, but my brother snapped back before I could get a word in.

"What you can do is get the fuck out of my house." Landon made a gesture toward the door. "You have a lot of audacity coming in here and trying to pay off my sister so she doesn't report what your piece of shit son did to her. Now get out before I call the cops and have you escorted out, I'm sure the media would love that."

Mr. Marshall straightened his tie and started toward the door, his wife following in tow, head bowed in shame. She slowed to a stop when she reached me, lifting her head up with a quiet whisper.

"I'm so sorry." Then hurried out of the house after her husband.

Just as Landon started to shut the door, Colton jogged up the steps, white shirt clinging to him with sweat. He watched after the couple with a confused expression, finally turning the questioning to us as soon as their Mercedes sped off down the street.

"What the hell was that about?"

*

"Hey." Colton startled me out of my daze.

I looked away from the star specked dark night sky and at the boy sitting in my window sill, staring down at an unopened can of Coke in his left hand.

"What you two did was stupid." I said softly.

Confused, he cocked his head to the side. "Excuse me?"

"Don't play stupid, Colton. If Landon had gotten caught, if you had, do you know the kind of charges Mr. Marshall could have pressed against you?"

He nodded in understanding, laughing quietly to himself.

"We didn't get caught now did we?"

"What if you did?" I said through my teeth. "Did you guys even think about the fact I'd have to deal with the consequences of it? Did you guys even consider that I'd lose both of you over your stupid decisions?"

Colton set the can on my nightstand before swinging completely out on to the roof and planting himself beside me, rubbing his hand down his face with a sigh.

"I can't speak for Landon, but no I didn't think about that. I was selfish. I was in my own head and feelings. I hated knowing that you spent months in pain, a war raging inside you, and I hadn't been able to do anything. Even when I found out, Ave, I felt helpless. There was nothing I could do to take away what happened, to make it so you didn't feel the pain anymore, to make it like it never happened. So yes, the first chance I got to do something, even if it was a ridiculously stupid something, I jumped at it." Colton breathed each word softly, as if he feared raising his voice would send me into some sort of panic.

When I didn't respond, he continued.

"I know kicking his ass won't change what he did. It won't take away your pain, the memories, the emotions you have buried deep inside. But it was our way of making him feel at least a quarter of the pain you felt."

"I'm sorry." I whispered.

His head jerked toward me. "For what?"

"Not telling you guys."

"Avery, stop. This was your story to tell when you were ready. You had every right to not tell anybody. Yes, you should have. Yes, maybe we could have gotten you help a lot sooner. But you were afraid, felt trapped, helpless, and everyone understands that, Avery."

I nodded, blinking the tears from my eyes before they could blur my vision. Colton reached across the small gap between us and gently squeezed my shoulder.

"You're going to get through this, Avery. It could take months, years possibly, but I know that you'll get through it."

"How do you know?" I whispered.

He finally tore his eyes from me and looked up toward the sky with a half smile, head shaking slowly.

"Because your a fighter, Avery. You don't go down without a fight. This will just be a scar you wear, one that remains part of you for the rest of your life."

***AN***

Hope you guys enjoyed! Sorry for such a long wait for an update! I've been crazy busy preparing for my baby! There's only a few chapters left, so I hope to get them up within the next few days!

Love you guys! Thank you for being so patient and understanding!

Let me know what you think/thought!

~ChasingMadness24