"I did that to Mike because he deserved it after what he did to me." The coolness in my voice catches everyone's attention. Luke's eyes break from my glare almost immediately. "No further questions your honor," he says as he walks back to his desk. I look at Mike and the color has drained from his face. I'm guessing he told his attorney what happened, so he decided not to push me. However, my attorney was not going to let that happen.
                          
"I would like to redirect your honor." Judge Hendrix allows Jacob to question me again. "Cahlia, this wasn't your first altercation with Mr. John, was it?" I shake my head "no". "Would you mind telling us about your first exchange." I stop trying to wipe my clammy hands on my dress. Instead, I prepare for the shock in the court after what I'm about to say.
                          
The hallways of the house are packed with people. This is the first party of the sophomore year. I'm a little nervous that I'm here by myself. Reid had to work, Coco had a movie night with her family, and Nova had a date. I walk to the kitchen and hope to find Mike. He invited me to his party today at school. I jump when a pair of hands grab my waist. "Surprise, Cahlia!" I push him away before laughing. "You're an ass." His friendly smile and kind remarks started breaking down my tough exterior. "Let's get you a drink." I watch Mike make me some sort of mixed drink with vodka and punch. 
                          
I sip my drink slowly as Mike and I sit on his couch. The subject of school never comes up. Instead, we talk about what we like to do. "You're so hot. I have no idea how you've never had a boyfriend." I just nod my head and finish off my drink. "Well, you get around a lot, Mr. Playboy." My girlish giggle is a sign that the alcohol is starting to take effect. Yet, I'm surprised that it's making me feel drunker than usual. I don't even sense Mike's fingers touching my arm. I shift my body over to make him stop. He slides closer to me than before. He moves my hair to the side and fondles with my neck. 
                          
"Umm, Mike..." I'm not able to complete a full sentence. My mind has the words, but my mouth can't make them out. Mike's advances soon become aggressive. He forcefully pulls my neck forward, towards his face. "You can't say anything, can you?" His smug smile gives away his actions earlier tonight. I move my eyes to the side and no one is paying attention to us. I watch Mike sit his drink down. He easily picks up my limp body off the couch. I feel helpless as I'm carried up the stairs to an empty bedroom.
                          
I lay there, with my arms by my side and legs hanging on the edge. A solo tear slides down my face when I hear the door lock. "Mi—Mike, please..." My pleading voice only makes him laugh. I can't move, but I'm completely aware of what's going on. He stands over my body, slowly unbuttoning his shirt. "Shh, you'll like it."
                          
"That's the last thing he said. I woke up the next morning feeling like a stranger in my own body. I don't remember everything, but some stuff I can't forget. I try to forget how it felt to have him unbutton my jeans." My voice begins to break. I take a sharp breath in and continue. "The sensation of his hands on a place no one has ever touched. That will never go away." I wipe away the many tears that fell during my story.
                          
"No further questions your honor." When Jacob looks at me, his eyes are a little watery. "Does the defense have any questions for the witness?" Judge Hendrix asked. Mike's lawyers shake their heads "no". I start to make my way down from the stand. I cannot look at my friends and family, so I walk with my head down back to my seat. "Well, I will look over the evidence and witness's testimony. We will reconvene when I've reached a verdict." Judge Hendrix hits her gavel, dismissing the court.
                          
I hesitantly turn around and see Coco storming out of the courtroom. "Co, wait!" I run past my family. "What the hell was that, Cahlia!" I walk closer to her, but she only backs up. "You let me date a guy who assaulted you. Why didn't you tell me?" There are tears coming down from her eyes and I wish I could make them stop. "I don't know, Coco. I told you to be careful with him." She sarcastically laughs. "Sure, warning me was the right thing to do. Screw you, Lia." She walks away from me and I don't follow. I start hitting myself in the head.
                          
"Hold on, Lia," Reid and Nova quickly wrap me in their grace. "I'm a terrible person. She hates me." They both try to calm me down, but it's useless. "Just give her time to calm down. We'll talk to her." I know Coco and she is not going to forgive me so easily. I lyingly nod my head at my friends and they eventually walk away from me. My breathing speeds up and I feel the walls closing in on me.
                          
I need to get out of here, so I run.
                          
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I throw my worn-out shoes in the hallway. I walked most of the way to my apartment until I decided to catch a cab. I texted my family to tell them that I was okay. However, we will be having a family meeting very soon. The walk home allowed me to not only think, but cry. My dress feels wetter from tears than sweat. Bryce texted me and asked if I was okay after he called 10 times. I told him I was fine. I wanted desperately for Tyler to call me, but he didn't.
                          
I open my text messages and click on Tyler's name. My fingers shake from the idea of what he would say. I type a sentence, then delete it. I finally decided to press send on a message before I second guessed myself.
                          
🌼 Me 🌼: I need you.
                          
Seconds after I've sent the message, there is a soft knock on my door. I open the door and a brown-eyed Tyler is staring back at me. He doesn't wait for me to say anything. He simply rushes in, embracing me in his strong arms.
                          
The tears become harder as his grip grows tighter.
                          
❂❂❂❂❂❂❂❂❂❂❂❂
                          
"Why didn't you tell me?"
                          
I lay on Tyler's chest in my bed. He runs his finger gently through my hair. We've been in this position for about an hour. He didn't ask me any questions. Instead,  he comforted me till I calmed down.
                          
"I don't know. I guess I felt like it was my fault." Tyler's body tenses under me, but he doesn't move. I immediately know he doesn't think it was my fault. "Lia, he drugged you. How can you think it's your fault?" I wrap my arms around his waist. "Because I went there by myself. I didn't second guess him making me a drink." I feel the warmth of Tyler's fingers skimming over my t-shirt. "Cahila, excuse my language, but something is fucking wrong with him. No one thinks someone would do what Mike did. God, if I was at that party." Tyler's hand suddenly stops. I've learned to tell when he's getting upset about something. His body tenses up, his voice grows stern, and he starts saying less.
                          
I lean up and place my hand under Tyler's chin. "Don't think about it. It's over." His light brown eyes are now a darker shade of brown. I can make out a grumbled "yeah" as he looks down at me. I lose my thoughts in his eyes. His focus never leaves me, nor does mine migrate from him. Tyler's hand makes its way to my waist, where he grips it.
                          
"Stay."
                          
One of Tyler's arms wraps tightly around my side, pulling me closer to his body. "All you had to do was ask." I rub my hand up and down his dress shirt. I soon start drifting off to sleep, securely in Tyler's grip.