{A Wattpad Featured Story & Wattys 2018 Long List Book}
Highest Rank // #22 in Teen Fiction
Lennon Reese has always been quiet but after being sexually assaulted she has shut herself off from the world. She finds solace in writing all of her evasi...
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"I never asked for your help!" She screamed in my face, tears streaming down her cheeks. Her chest rose and fell rapidly and her eyes were piercing mine. All I wanted to do was stop her sadness, wipe away her tears but I stopped myself. I held back, because I didn't want to upset her more.
She ran and I second guessed everything. What should I have done? What more could I have done, that would have made her stay?
"Lennon, wait!" I ran after her, but it was like she wasn't there. She just kept going. As fast as she could she ran out the front door. "Lennon!" I called again, but it was no use.
I watched as she ran down the street and and slowed when she thought she was out out sight. I slunk back up to my room, disappointed in myself. I hurt her. I betrayed her privacy. I read her private journal. "Dammit..." I shook my head. Does that make me as bad as him?
I threw my phone down on my bed, holding my hands up in surrender. There was nothing more I could do. Peering out my window I saw her, glimpses of her blonde hair in the light of the street lamp.
"Honey, how'd it go? Where's Lennon?" My Mom stood in my doorway.
"I don't want to talk about it..." I shook my head.
I didn't take my eyes away off the window. I could still see her, just barely at the top of the hill. Despite everything she said to me, for some reason I still cared and my goals were still the same. I wanted justice for her, she needed it, even if she didn't know it. I cared if made it home safely and I had to make sure of it. My fingers reached for my car keys.
"Rowan!" She called after me as my feet carried me out the door.
"I'll be back." I muttered, leaving the front door wide open.
I followed close behind her in the car and watched from the street as she walked to her front door and walked inside. She was safe.
Then I just sat there. I betrayed her, I pushed myself into her private life without asking, but with every misdeed, I found a reason to justify it. No matter how angry she was with me, I worried that she never would have told anyone, she would have gone along struggling. Her rape would have stayed her own secret. If I can help her, than it was worth it. I'm not a bad guy.
I drove home, still conflicted, but at least I sorted one thing out. I knew I could help her, I had to be the good guy and do the right thing.
"Rowan, where did you go?" My Mom ran to the front door the minute she heard me.
"I made sure she got home okay." I muttered, yawning.
"Good man..." She said under her breath and ruffled my hair. "Do you want to talk about what happened?"
I thought about it. Was there anything I needed to talk about? Was there anything I was unsure about? I shook my head, answering my own questions and hers at the same time.
