"So..." Connor began slowly, glancing at Evan who looked so damn cute in his sweatshirt, "You're at my house. I'm not complaining or anything, but, like, why?"
"I n-needed a ride home, and your sister owed me a favor, 'cause I picked you up that night when you got a flat tire, but I f-forgot my keys in my dar's car." Evan left out as many details as he could, "Zoe didn't want to leave me outside my house, so she brought me here."
"Why didn't your dad give you a ride home, though?"
"I, uh, wasn't with him this morning." He felt tears forming in his eyes as he recounted the events of his assault.
"Evan?" Connor noticed his tears and changed attitude as he rushed to Evan's side to console him, "What's wrong?"
Evan couldn't bring himself to say anything. He just cried into Connor's shoulder, confused by all the emotions he felt at once when he was so numb earlier. His body shook with disgust, fear, guilt, sadness, anger, disbelief, and so much more.
"I d-didn't even s-say no," Evan realized out loud, the thought leaving his mouth in choked sobs that Connor could barely understand.
"What?" Connor asked, not fully understanding, "Didn't say no to what?"
Evan just shook his head and continued crying, praying Connor didn't understand. As he made eye contact with him, though, he saw realization cross Connor's face, along with a string of other expressions.
Connor's going to think you're disgusting. He's right, I am. Connor's going to think you're stupid. He's right, I am. Connor's never going to talk to you again. I wouldn't either. Thoughts buzzed around Evan's head as he continued to break down, mind flooded with anxiety and panic.
"Shit, Evan, okay. Take deep breaths. You know what to do, you know how to get through this. Breathe in, hold it... a little longer... okay, breathe out. Breathe in, hold, breathe out. Keep doing that, okay? You'll be okay. You're safe."
Connor coached him through his anxiety attack, cautious rubbing circles on his back as he did so. He watched as Evan's breathing slowed and he regained control of himself, relief flooding Connor's body, "Please, tell me what happened."
"My d-dad found out that I'm... not totally s-straight," Evan began slowly, playing with the oversized sleeves, "So he t-took me to a... place, to try to make me s-straight, I guess? I'm n-not sure what his plan w-was, but–"
"Where did he take you?"
"I don't even want to s-say it. It feels w-wrong."
Connor thought for a few moments before he realized where Evan had been taken, face turning bright red. He quickly nodded for Evan to continue.
"So, anyway, this woman t-took me to a room, and I d-didn't want to go with her, Connor, I didn't," Evan began to shake, but calmed himself down a little with deep breaths, "She started to d-do, stuff, and I didn't stop her. I didn't even try."
Evan held his breath as he waited for Connor's response. Connor just sat there, not blinking, eyebrows furrowed in emotion that Evan could not read. Suddenly, he clenched his jaw and formed a white-knuckled fist, "She raped you?"
Evan's eyes widened in shock. "No!" he cried, "I didn't s-say no."
"That doesn't matter! You didn't say yes."
"But-"
"There's not 'but' about it. Did your dad know?"
"I don't know," Evan lied as he stood there, defeated with new tears forming in his eyes. Connor watched as Evan broke, sending a dagger through his heart, twisting with every tear that fell from Evan's eyes.
"Come here, Ev." Connor reached out and hugged Evan, lightly running his fingers through his hair in an attempt to calm him. He could feel Evan's tears soaking through his shirt and onto his shoulder, but that was the last thing he cared about. Evan's world was shattering around him and there was nothing he could do to fix what had been done to him.
