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Avery stopped speaking and I leaned forward. I wasn't sure how much more my heart could take.
"What is it?" I asked.
"If the victim…" She struggled to get the words out, and cleared her throat. "If the victim was pregnant…"
The silence was deafening.
Neither Avery nor I spoke for a solid minute. This must've been what Dad had meant when he threatened to press other charges against Kova if I didn’t keep my distance.
My dad went there. He really, really went there. If Dad couldn't get Kova for rape, he'd get him for something else.
"Want my theory?" Avery offered, breaking the dreary silence.
"Sock it to me."
"My theory is your dad told the police you were seventeen. He'll later say he forgot you just had a birthday because he wasn't thinking clearly. He'll put on a show and they'll buy it. They'll also drop the charges because your relationship was consensual. Plus, you're legal and you'll never press any."
I was momentarily speechless and a bit proud of Avery for coming up with that.
"Not bad. But what about the simple battery? Kova didn’t touch me, and Dad already admitted he told the police I got hurt trying to break up their fight," I said, curious to see what she'd say next.
Avery mused over the question. "Daddy doesn’t have a leg to stand on. Even if he lied to the police and told them Kova hit you and that’s how you got hurt, you can easily set the story straight. The truth is your dad’s emotions got in the way and he lost it."
A pulsing throb began in the side of my neck. I needed a moment.
I needed air.
I walked across the living room and slid open the sliding glass door. Beach air breezed around me as I stepped onto the balcony. I inhaled and closed my eyes. The ocean was the place I found comfort in many times growing up.
"I'm sorry, bestie," Avery said, her voice soft and apologetic.
I opened my eyes and kept my gaze focused straight ahead on the horizon. The sun had completely disappeared behind the ocean.
I didn't want to face the music that my dad had taken this as far as he had, but the spasm in my heart forced me to wake up. The fact he’d purposely lied about my age to keep Kova and me apart as long as he could topped everything for me.
Dad knew exactly what he was doing. If this did actually go as he hoped, Kova would miss everything we’d worked so hard for.
The Trials…
The Olympics…
A breath rolled off my parted lips.
I was sick to my stomach at the thought of Kova missing it. That's not how it was supposed to be, that wasn't the plan. Kova deserved to be there just as much as I did.
It wasn't fair.
I took a deep breath, my lungs tight as I struggled not to panic. How was I supposed to do this without him?
I shook my head. I couldn’t. I needed him. Kova was my everything.
I swallowed thickly. Tears rose to my eyes at the possibility of that being the outcome. It killed me inside.
"Are you sure there are two charges?" I asked, needing confirmation.
"From what I'm reading, if this is his first offense, they'll release him on his own recognizance." She paused. "Is this his first time?"
I shook my head, overwhelmed. "I… I don't know. I assume so, but I guess I really don't know. I'm guessing since he's still there it's not. Unless my dad said something and wants to actually go through with the other charges without speaking to me, but he can’t do that. So, the only issue really is my dad's charge. And," I continued, drawing out the word, "I'll say I don't know who hit who."
