“Hayden?” I hear my dad.
“They raped her, and I didn't protect her.” I look away from my family, this is my fault, I should have walked her to the restroom, I should have just waited outside the door for her. Then this wouldn’t have happened.
The best night of my life turned into the worst, all because I didn’t walk her to the restroom.
“Who?”
I tell my family everything that happened and who it was, the fight and the blood, everything.
“Oh, Hayden, you couldn't have followed her into the girl's toilet. You know, this isn't your fault.”
“I didn't protect her, Mom. I finally got my girl, and I couldn't even protect her.”
There's silence in the room, absolute silence. No one says anything, because they all know how I feel about Olivia, and no one knows how to make me feel better for letting her down.
“Hayden, sweetheart?—”
“No. How am I meant to face the girl I love when I couldn't protect her, when she needed me the most.” I shake my head, because the only words I can hear are the ones she said to me when I picked her up. ‘I wanted you to be the first.’She wanted me to be her first, but instead, something brutal happened to her.
I lean back and wipe the tears away. I let her down.
The doorbell goes, and I look over at my dad as he answers the door.
“Officers.” I hear my dad.
I stand up straight away. How did they get here quickly?
“Hayden Crawford?”
“Yes. Is Olivia okay? Do you need my statement?” I take a step closer to them.
“No. You are under arrest for the rape of Olivia Banks?—”
“What?”
“If you can turn around. You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to talk to a lawyer for advice before we ask you any questions. You have the right to have a lawyer with you during questioning. If you cannot afford a lawyer, one will be appointed for you before any questioning if you wish. If you decide to answer questions now without a lawyer present, you have the right to stop answering at any time.”
“Wait, you have this wrong.” I try to fight this, but there's no hope.
“Officers, you have this wrong. Have you spoken to Olivia?” My dad stands in front of me, so they can’t walk me out the house.
“Yes, she’s the one who told us it was your son who raped her.”
My whole body gives up on me, and I just stand there not sure what I just heard. “What?”
“You heard us, she told us what happened,” the officer replies, and I stand there frozen to the spot. I look over at my dad not being able to say anything, I have no words. This has to be wrong, there has to be a mix up.
“Don't say anything until the lawyer is there,” my dad tells me, and I’m still not able to speak, so I nod.
The officers take me to the car, and I feel like my heart has been ripped out of my chest and thrown into a pit of fire.
This has to be wrong.
Nineteen
Hayden
Present Day
