“You better sit down, you’re getting hysterical,” the nurse said, coming over to me and grabbing me by the arms. I tried to yank myself out of her grip, but I was still so weak. I went down onto the cot with a thud and heaved again, this time only bringing up bile.
“Make sure she cleans herself up,” the principal scoffed before leaving the room.
The nurse dabbed at my lips, frowning. Her gold chain necklace swung between us, and I watched as the cross came closer and went further away as she fussed over me. “I think a sedative might be in order,” she said to herself.
“No, please. I have to talk to them. I have to tell them what happened.”
“There, there. Pastor John already told them the whole thing. You’re safe now.”
She meant to comfort me, but her words incited nothing but terror. They believedhimover me. My assailant. The man who raped me. And for what reason? Because he was a teacher and supposed man of God?
I wasn’t safe. Not as long as Pastor John roamed free, and clearly no one wanted to hear what I had to say and that fact gutted me more than what I’d been put through.
Then there was Cain, who once again was paying the price for knowing me. For being the only person to ever stick up for me.
I had to find a way to right this. I had to.
Strength, I didn’t know I possessed took hold and I shoved myself off the cot and ran.
I ran past stunned students. Past the room where I was violated. Past the front desk where I was screamed at to stop. But there was no stopping me.
My hands were pushing the doors open without a thought to the consequences as I ran out.
That’s when I saw him. Our eyes connected across the parking lot as he was being pushed into the back of the police car.
“He didn’t do it! Please. Please don’t arrest him!” I called out.
Cain thrashed and held my gaze. The same one I’d seen countless times.
“Someone shut her up. She’s hysterical,” some man in a police uniform called out with his hands on his hips and Aviator sunglasses perched low on his nose.
“Please, you have to listen to me,” I said, feeling someone grab my arms. I yanked myself away. “Don’t fucking touch me,” I seethed.
“Restrain her. I can see why she needs to be reformed. The girl is clearly troubled,” that same, smug officer commented like I wasn’t standing right here.
“Delilah!” Cain said. “I’ll come for you. I promise.”
“Get the fuck in the car or I’ll use this taser on you,” the man who was wrestling with Cain said through clenched teeth.
“I promise,” he said again. “Red light!”
“Kid’s fucking crazy,” the officer said, shoving him into the vehicle.
I nodded, letting Cain know I heard him. He’d used our code word. The one we’d established the night we broke into Pastor John’s classroom. If we saw or heard anything suspicious, we’d use the word red light, and we’d stop what we were doing. He wanted me to stop, even though all I wanted to do was run after him.
It felt like there was something more happening here, because the authorities were adamantly refusing to listen to me. They didn’t want to know the truth. Or worse. They already knew the truth but were willing to use Cain to cover it up.
He’d fought for me. He’d tried to stop it from happening and what did he get in return? A trip to the police station and an accusation of a crime he didn’t commit.
“Take me too,” I demanded. “I would like to make a statement on the record.”
“You watch too many movies, girl. Why don’t you get back inside, we have everything we need,” one of the officers said, dismissing me once again.
I realized then that nothing I did would make these people believe me. I just had to hope that somehow, Cain would find me like he promised and that someone would listen. They had to.
CHAPTER 10
CAIN
