abuse | zd

twelve

|a few months later|

|day of trial|

|alissa|

bryce and i had been together for almost three years. we did everything together. we went on vacations with each other's families, we took classes together, and we never went more than a day apart from each other.

he was the love of my life. i fell for him hard and fast, and he was my primary source of happiness up until our junior year.

so, while seeing him on trial for raping me should have been a good moment for me- it hurt more than i could ever explain. it hurt to know that bryce and i would never be the same. it hurt to know that i- and my body- would never be the same. i wished i could rewind time.

zach and i found our seats as we returned from adjournment, and bryce shot a glare at both of us as he returned to his seat at the front of the room.

the room fell to silence and the foreman of the jury stood, prepared to read bryce's verdict.

"guilty."

-

"ten grand? ten grand? that's fucking pocket change for bryce walker!" i screamed. i pulled at my hair, pacing back and forth in zach's bedroom.

"and community service," zach added.

"oh boo-hoo, bryce has to pick up garbage," i said in a mocking voice, clenching my fists full of hair. "meanwhile i'm left picking myself up."

"alissa, please just calm down," zach stood from his bed, putting a hand on my shoulder and stopping me in my tracks.

"it's not fair, zach. it's not fucking fair!" i yelled, choking up as a lump formed in my throat. he didn't respond, instead pulling me into him and wrapping his arms around me. "he was supposed to pay," i croaked, looking up to him.

"i know, liss," zach sighed, rubbing my back. "and he will, eventually... one way or another."

|edited 03/05/2020|