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She looks at my phone. “Did your mom call again?”
“Probably. I silenced it so it wouldn’t wake you up.”
“Did you at least text your mom so she wouldn’t worry?”
I smile at her concern for my mom. “Yes. I told her we’re fine.” I bring Nova back to the couch. We lay down and I close my eyes, feeling like I might be able to sleep.
“Easton?” Nova whispers.
“Yeah?” I open my eyes and see her looking at me.
“Remember earlier when I said you shouldn’t try to hide the bad stuff? How it just makes things worse?”
“Yeah?”
She pushes off me and sits on the edge of the couch. “I think I need to tell you something. It’s been bothering me not to tell you this, but I’m afraid if I do, you’ll get mad and do something you shouldn’t.”
I sit up and move beside her. “Just tell me. What is it?”
She turns to face me. “Promise you won’t do anything?”
“Not if I don’t know what it is.”
“Then I can’t tell you.”
“What do you think I’m gonna do?”
“Go punch him. Beat him up. I want you to leave him alone, but I’m worried you won’t.”
“You’re telling me some guy did something to you?” I ask, my muscles tightening, my jaw clenched.
“See? You’re already getting mad and I haven’t even told you.”
I let out a breath, trying to force myself to relax. “I’m not mad. Just tell me.”
“You have to promise to leave him alone.”
“Okay, fine, whatever. Just tell me.”
She leans back on the couch, gazing at the wall in front of her. “When I was staying with my dad, I wasn’t going to school. I was trying to get a job, but my dad didn’t give me a key to the apartment so I couldn’t go apply anywhere. After I’d been there a few days, my dad told me he knew a guy who might give me a job and that we were going to meet him for dinner. My dad told me what to wear, which should’ve been a clue, but I didn’t get it. Anyway, after dinner, the guy took me to this massage place that he owned.”
My muscles are tightening again and my pulse is speeding up. I’m already assuming the worst.
“How old was this guy?” I ask.
“I don’t know. Maybe in his fifties? The place sold lotions and oils and other massage stuff, and the guy acted like I’d be selling them. But then he took me in the back to his office and closed the door.”
“Fuck,” I mutter, knowing where this is headed.
“He forced me to my knees and, well… you can guess what he wanted.”
I get up. “I’m gonna fucking kill this guy.”
“I didn’t do it. I got out of there before anything happened. I ran back to my dad’s apartment, got my stuff, and left. That’s why I came back here. My dad wasn’t trying to help me. He was using me to make money.” She looks down. “He made a deal with that guy and… that’s what happened.”
I pull her up from the couch and into my arms. “I’m sorry.”
“I’m just glad I got out of there and that my dad didn’t try to stop me.”
