AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Then you should tell them. I know it’s unbelievably hard, but their support will help. Someone told me it isn’t about telling them something bad, it’s allowing them to support you through something difficult. It’s all inherently vulnerable, but it’s so incredibly worth it.”
She nods. “I want to,” she says quietly.
“If you think it’s too much, you can always come here together and sit with one of our counselors.”
“You’re not a counselor?” she asks, surprised.
I laugh lightly. “Not yet. That’s what I’m studying in college. I’m an intern here, a part of the peer support program, and I go to the support group for sexual assault survivors as well.” I reach over and grab a pamphlet off a nearby table. “When you’re ready, think about coming. It all helps. It’s been a year and a half, and I’m still learning how to deal with and talk about this, but if there’s anything I can tell you, it’s that letting in the people you trust will help you heal.”
She takes the pamphlet and smiles softly. “Thank you.” She lets out a forceful, determined exhale. “I’m going to go home and try to talk to them.” She lets go of my hand and stands up.
I stand up and take her in. I know a lot of what she’s feeling right now. Powerless and in all sorts of pain, but opening up to the people who love you gives you some of your power back.
“Let me get our security guard to walk you out. This is a safe area of town, but still, after dark, we like to be extra careful.”
She nods and I walk back to the desk.
I grab the phone and push the button for the security office. “Hey Tim, it’s Rae. Can you walk someone out?”
“It’s three minutes to eight. Grab your stuff and I’ll walk you both out.”
“Thanks, Tim.” I walk around my desk and grab my stuff, calling to the girl, “He’ll be right out.”
When Tim comes out, we’re both waiting by the door.
As he walks us to our cars, I tell her, “You can do this.”
She thanks me and gets in her car as Tim walks me to mine. I climb in and wait until she pulls away, then head out as Tim watches from the door.
I put on some bouncy music as I drive back to the dorm and try to center myself. Her story hit close to home for me, but it felt incredibly good to help someone be able to take a step forward in healing from something so difficult and isolating.
Aaron
“Hey,” I say to Miles as he walks into the common room, looking exhausted. “How was the funeral?”
He groans. Miles’s grandfather passed away last week. His dad’s family is huge, so they had a small local service right after he passed and then a huge funeral processional and multiple family gatherings over the last few days.
He strips his jacket and shoes off and plops on the couch next to me with a sigh. “It was chaotic as shit.”
“I wish we all could’ve been there for you.”
“You were there for the one that mattered to me,” he says quietly. We went to the small service which was a true celebration of his grandfather’s life. Miles recalled going fishing with his grandfather and learning about birds. Miles never took to either thing, but he did get his business skills from his father and grandfather, and whenever they spent time together, he was always drilling him on math facts. As he got older, when they’d go to visit him, Miles’s grandfather would teach him how to balance the books at the hardware store he owned. They weren’t close like Rae is with Pete and Bea, but they still had a strong bond. I know Miles often wished he lived closer or would’ve retired near them. I guess, like Pete, his grandfather was the type to neverreallyretire.
Miles leans his head back against the couch and closes his eyes. I reach over and give his shoulder a comforting squeeze as his breath shudders. He sniffs, and a tear slides down his cheek.
Miles isn’t one to show much emotion. Joel is just like Rae—honestly, it’s a little weird how similar they are, given that they aren’t related—he wears his heart and his emotions on his sleeve. I’m somewhere in between him and Miles. Though with Rae, I tend to be more like Joel and let everything out. I haven’t seen Miles cry—outside of this week—since we were kids. The last time I saw him as intensely emotional was the night Rae was assaulted.
I slide over on the couch and wrap my arm around his shoulder. “We’re all here for you,” I say quietly.
“I know.” He sniffs again and inhales deeply, then wipes the tears from his cheeks and sits up. He lets out a loud exhale and rubs his hand over his face.
“I’m glad you’re back. I was starting to think one of us should’ve stayed with you to make sure you got back all right.”
He lets out a halfhearted chuckle. “I’m not that fucked up. Should’ve texted you guys. I was planning to be back earlier, but I wanted to help Ma tidy up the house after everyone left. She’s burned out as hell, my sisters are being bratty pre-teens, and my dad is rough around the edges right now, to say the least.”
“He was close with his dad.”
“Yeah, but…” Miles shakes his head. “I love my dad, but when he’s grieving or struggling he turns into an asshole. Snaps at everyone, doesn’t communicate. It takes a little time for him to get out of it.”
