They were right. Recovering from a rape was a slow process. But now she could look people in the eye when she talked to them, and she know longer shrank away when approached by any male, whether he was a stranger, her boyfriend, or even her own father.
She sat in her room after her therapy session that she went to once a week. Her therapist, Laura, was really nice and helped her deal with what had happened. Now she felt that she was recovering and moving on with her life.
Just last week she had called Taylor. When he had picked up, she had asked, "Tay...you're not seeing anyone else are you?"
"Of course not. I told you I'd wait and so I did."
"I'm so glad....do you want to go out tonight?"
"Really?" Taylor was surprised. It had been quite a while since they had gone out. They had talked, but not really acted like how it was before.
"Yeah, I've missed you Tay."
"I missed you too Alex. Where do you want to go?"
"I don't care. I just want to be with you again."
"All right. How about dinner? My treat."
"That would be great Tay. Can you pick me up at 6?"
"Sure. Bye, I love you."
Alexandra was healing from the rape. But the scars remained, no matter how much she tried to forget they were there. Sometimes at night she would toss and turn, not being able to sleep, having flashbacks everytime she closed her eyes. No matter how much she wished she could have gone back and just left the party, she knew that she couldn't. The damage was done, and Ryan had been convicted of rape.
Taylor took her out that night, and he had fun with the Alexandra that he loved. But part of her had faded away, and he was hanging on to what was left. Maybe he could gain back that part that he knew was there somewhere; the part that was destroyed when she was raped. There was still a glimmer of it left, and he wanted to find it. He would take as much time as it took...
When he looked into her eyes, he knew that he wanted to spend the rest of his life with her.
And so he did.
Aurora sat in the waiting room at the abortion clinic. Zac sat by her side, squeezing her hand. They had been having sex sometimes up to 5 times a week. They usually used a condom, but Aurora had never gotten around to getting the Pill. A few weeks ago they had forgotten to use protection. A week later, Aurora found out she was pregnant.
When they called her name, she and Zac stood up and went into a room with white walls.
A doctor came in and asked her if she was absolutely sure that she wanted to do this. She said yes. Then she had Aurora sign a document. She was given a small blue pill to swallow. An hour later, she doubled over in cramps.
An hour after that, the baby was gone.
Aurora sat with Zac later that day, at her house.
Zac tried not to blink, because if he did, he knew that there was no stopping the tears from flowing out. He knew he had to be strong for her. He looked into Aurora's eyes. They were red and puffy, from crying. "It's all right."
"Zac, I just...I feel so guilty. There was a human being growing inside my body. Living in me. And many people believe what I just did was murder. But I couldn't take care of it now, and...I really believe that deciding not to keep it was the best decision I've ever made."
Zac kissed her forehead. "It was the right thing to do. We can't handle a baby now, with my music career, and you with school. We're only 14. It would ruin the child's life, and I just couldn't do that. If I'm going to have a baby, I'm going to do it right, and be able to take care of it and provide for it the way it deserves. And we just can't do that now. But maybe we should pray....."
"For the baby?"
"For the baby. A name....?"
Aurora thought for a moment. "How about Joshua?"
Zac nodded. "I like that name. Josh...Michael."
Dear God, please take our child and watch over him in heaven...
After they had both finished, they sat in silence, feeling a sinking emptiness in their hearts that would always be there.
Finally, Zac said softly, "it was the right thing to do."
Aurora leaned her head on his shoulder. "I think so too."
At the bottom of the hill at the park, it was growing dark, and Ike put his arm around Jenn after she told him she was cold.
"Is that better?"
"Yes, thank you."
They looked up at the sky and were both quiet for a few minutes, content with just being with eachother.
It was Jenn who broke the silence. "When I was little, I thought I could touch the stars. I always wondered what they felt like."
"What did you think they'd feel like?"
"I don't know...maybe sharp and cold. They're so beautiful, I couldn't help but wonder."
"They are, aren't they?"
"Yeah, they are. I know that they're so far away, and they're just big balls of gas, but they look like they're shiny and solid. I want to touch one."
"You can't touch the stars."
"I know....I just wish I could."
"Wishing never hurt anything....so go ahead....I'd like to see you sprout some wings and pet a star." Ike winked at her.
"Don't mock me....there's nothing wrong with wanting to.....just fly up and touch them." Jenn lifted her head off his shoulder and hugged her knees to her chest.
Ike moved his head next to hers and pointed. "Look...there's the Big Dipper."
"Where?"
He tried to line his eyesight up with hers and pointed again. "There....by that big star....to the right."
"I still don't see it....I'm so bad at finding constellations!"
Ike stretched out on his back and motioned for her to do the same. "You can see the whole sky better if you lie down."
Jenn fell back onto the grass beside him. "When I look up, it feels like I'm in a snow globe, because the sky looks like one big dome." She let her eyes wander over the sprawl of shimmering black. "Where's the Big Dipper? You'd think I was blind....I suck at finding these stupid stars!" Ike pointed again. Her eyes moved to the tip of his finger. "Oh," she said, "I see it now!"
Ike turned his head and watched her face lit up in the moonlight. She was grinning and staring up at her newfound constellation. She was so beautiful.....
Ike leaned over to kiss her. Just as their lips met, they heard a gasp that caused them to sit up and turn their heads towards the sound.
There stood a teenage girl with an angry face, her hands on her hips, and the phrase 'Ike Lovers Club' across her white T-shirt. "I knew you had a girlfriend!"
Ike didn't know what to say. "I....I--"
The girl shook her head at them and muttered before running away, "you won't hear the last of this."
Jenn looked at Ike. "Did you hear what she said?"
"Yes."
"What do you think she meant?"
"I don't know...."
"I want to go home Ike."
"Alright." The fan had killed the mood anyway.
Ike walked her home, and before she went inside, he kissed her tenderly, wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her against his body. When they parted, she gazed into his eyes, enjoying the safe feeling that washed over her whenever she was in his arms. "I think I'd better go inside now. My dad might be worried."
Ike kissed her once more before slowly taking a step back and looking into her eyes, still clutching her hand. "I love you Jenn..." he said as he dropped her hand and turned back to the sidewalk. "Sweet dreams," he called over his shoulder.
"G'night Ike, I love you too." She smiled at him before going inside, closing the door softly behind her.
Ike hummed the chorus of the song he had written last night as he walked over to Jenn's house. Just as her house came into view, he haulted and his jaw dropped.
The front window of her house was shattered, and the white brick walls had been vandalized with black spray paint. In huge letters, it said "IKE - HERE'S THE LOVE." On the left side of the house, the top portion was gone. It looked like it had been set on fire.
Ike didn't waste another second before he ran to the front door. It was unlocked, so he burst in, shouting her name. The house was empty.
The hospital....
"Are you sure she's not here?" Ike asked the woman at the desk.
"Yes sir, I'm sure. She was released a few hours ago. A few minor injuries."
"Injuries?"
"Just a cut on her forehead that needed 3 stitches, minor burns, and a sprained ankle. She was released with pain medication."
"So she went home?"
"I believe so."
Ike turned and left the hospital, walking slowly to his car, still in a state of disbelief. The fans did it.....
He knew it was them. It was only a matter of time before they would have found out anyway. He couldn't even remember why he had lied in the first place...it was all so long ago. The managers...they were the ones who insisted that they remain single to the public, for financial reasons. Once they had claimed to be too busy for girlfriends, they stuck to that lie and couldn't go back on their word. The weren't permitted to tell the truth. They might lose fans; therefore, lose money. In the business, it's always about the money.
He had decided on the way back from the hospital that he and his two brothers would have a press conference, and make the fans feel really guilty about what happened. He's say that if they were true fans, they'd want him to be happy, and accept any girlfriends that he or his brothers might have. That would make Alexandra and Aurora safe. They'd still have to be careful, but at least they wouldn't have to sneak around.
When he got home, he went upstairs to his room. A white envelope taped to the outside of his window caught his eye. He opened the window and pulled it off. Ike was written on the outside.
He knew instantly who it was from. Before he opened the envelope, he had a feeling that this had scared Jenn....and he wasn't sure if he wanted to know her reaction to it.
His fingers shook as he carefully tore open the envelope, and pulled out the letter inside.
All The Way To Albertane
Please sign the guestbook
E-mail me at Freckles28@aol.com
You Are My Hope
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