I hear a rushof footsteps behind me as multiple people come into the room. My first thought is that he’s brought more people to rape me until someone scoops me up in their arms, and Lance’s woodsy scent instantly brings me peace.
The first time in hours, I fall back into tears and cry as he holds me close to his body. I can hear Mason screaming at Paul, but Leo is gone. It’s right now that I realize that this was his plan all along. He never wanted to keep me; he just wanted a little time to break me.
“We’ve got you. You’re okay,” Lance says softly as he walks with me out of the cabin. “We are going to go sit in the car, okay?”
“Okay,” I say almost inaudibly.
“Are you hurt at all?”
“No,” I shake my head. “I’m not hurt.” He gets in the car with me in his lap before having me sit up. He pulls his shirt off, leaving him in just his undershirt, and pulls it over my head. Once it’s pulled down and I am no longer exposed, I bring myself back to his chest as I nearly curl into a ball in his lap.
Eventually, Mason and Dean get into the car with us. I look up and see that our entire friend group is here, minus Leo. They are keeping their distance, including Todd. Normally, Todd would be right here with me. The fact that he isn’t means that he feels guilty.
“I need Todd,” I say, sitting slightly.
“Hey. She’s asking for you,” Lance opens the door and calls out.
“Hey, sweetie,” he says as he kneels beside the car. I’m so fucking tired, but he needs to know it’s not his fault. He didn’t know that Leo would do that. I put my arms out to get him to help me up. He and Lance help me stand before Todd wraps me in a hug and holds me tightly.
“I’m so sorry, Sadie,” he whispers.
“You didn’t know,” I say. “No one could have known he would do that.
“Wait. Who?” Lance asks, pulling away to look at me.
“Leo,” I say. I’m confused now.
“What do you mean?” Lance asks as he gets out to stand with us. Everyone else comes over, and I’m suddenly overwhelmed. Panic bubbles inside of me, and I can feel myself shaking.
“Hey, hey, hey. Look at me, Sadie. Not them. Me,” Todd says, cupping my face. I nod and focus on just him. “What about Leo?”
“He’s Paul’s cousin,” I say. “He…” I can’t even say the words before I start crying. But it’s enough.
“That son of a bitch,” Lance snarls.
“I heard him on the phone with someone,” I say as I pull away and wipe my eyes. “Where is he? Where is Paul?”
“In the cabin. He can’t get to you. You’re safe,” Todd says reassuringly. “He was on the phone?”
“When he was talking to me,” Lance says.
“I heard him say your name. I couldn’t really concentrate so I didn’t know what he was saying, but… Todd, it’s not your fault. Okay?”
“I shouldn’t have left. I knew something else was off with him showing up like that,” he says with a sigh.
“I just want to go. Can we go?” I turn to Lance and ask.
“Yeah. Come on,” he says, motioning for me to get in the car.
“We’re going to take you to the hospital, okay?” Mason says. I nod and let Lance pull me into his lap so I can curl up against his chest again.
Once the car starts moving, I fall asleep within a few minutes. It is entirely driven by exhaustion from what they did to me. They stole pieces of me that I don’t think I’ll ever get back. As I start to drift away, I easily let myself slip back into my dissociative state of mind.
“Sadie,” Lance says softly.I jolt awake but relax when I see we are still in the car. “We can’t all go in with you, so I’m going to take you in. Okay?”
“Okay,” I say softly. “This is pointless, though.”
“Why?” he asks.
