Hope

Chapter Nine

I awoke to Danny carrying me into the house. When he carried me over the threshold a small flicker of excitement lit up inside me. I opened my eyes, "You can put me down now."

"What if I don't want to?" he asked with a lustful gleam in his eye. But he put me down, gently, letting his hands drift slowly to my waist before he walked into the kitchen. I followed him and he took two bottles of beer out of the fridge, handing me on, "Are you ready to tell me about that night?" I must have made a face because he quickly said, "Only if you want to, of course. You don't have to tell me anything that you don't want to."

I took a long draw of the beer, "Let's go sit in the living room." We sat on the couch, a few feet separating us, "I remembered almost everything about that night. There are some things I wish I didn't remember, but it's like you said, every memory is important even the bad ones." I took another drink, "I drove to the party with one of my friends, but all I remember about her is that she was a good friend. It was a long drive, we sang along with the songs on the radio. It was a really lengthy drive, that much I know. But it was already dark when we left to go to the party, so I can't tell you what we drove past."

I could feel his eyes on me, but I just looked straight ahead, "We got to the party and that is when I left her, I was looking for a guy. I have this feeling that I was looking for a certain guy, probably the one who...who assaulted me. Well, I found him. All I had to drink that night was one beer and a single tequila shot. He told me later that night that he had drugged the shot. To make me more 'compliant.'" I used air quotes on compliant, "He felt me up on the dance floor with everyone watching. I couldn't help it, my body responded to him. Everything he was doing to me played on almost every fantasy I've ever had, and the drug he gave me must have increased my arousal as well. Had it been under the right circumstances and with the right guy, I probably wouldn't be remembering it wanting to cry."

I stopped for a second and looked over at Danny. He was gripping the bottle in his hand so tight his knuckles were white. I scooted closer to him and took one of his hands in mine, "He didn't do much on the dance floor, at least nothing that would embarrass him. But then he took me upstairs to his room. He..." My voice broke and a lone tear ran down my cheek.

Danny's other hand came up and wiped the tear away, "You don't have to tell me anymore if you don't want to."

I kissed the palm of his hand, "No, I want to finish." Taking a deep breath, I continued, "He threw me onto the bed and ripped off my underwear, pushing the dress up to my waist. He didn't bother with any preparation and I wasn't really wet enough for him. I'm pretty sure he didn't use a condom either, so I'm going to want to get checked out soon. Anyways, he...the only way I can put this is...he fucked me hard and rough. That is where the bruise on my throat came from, he was choking me as he raped me. Again, under the right circumstances I would have enjoyed everything that he did to me. As it was, my body betrayed me and enjoyed it near the end. But it was exactly what it sounds like, and what I am treating it as, rape."

Danny tried to hide his anger, but failed miserably, "You should report him."

"Well first, I would have to remember his name. Second, it's been a few days since it happened and because my body accommodated him, there wouldn't have been any of the signs of rape. And unless Melody did a rape kit, there is no evidence making it my word against his. Then, there is the fact that his house, where the party was, is huge and opulent. So he has money, which means I would never win in court without hard evidence." The look in Danny's eyes was fierce, "Seriously, I'm okay. I'm more mad at myself for allowing him to take advantage of me like that."

Danny got angry at my last remark, "It is never okay to use a woman like that. Never. He out to be taken out back and shot for ever daring to do something like that to you."