Antagonym

Chapter 40

I had just talked about my rape for half an hour and I wasn't bawling. If anything, I felt like I was champion of the world. It was one of the more freeing things I had felt in years. All this weight that I had been carrying for seven years was finally lifted. My truth and my anger was out there and hopefully it would help or inspire someone else and let them know they weren't alone. Their trauma didn't have to stop them. I had faced my demons for the sake of making this world a better place and it felt good.

There was a glow on my face that wouldn't go away even if I wanted it to.

Back stage I guzzled a water bottle, feeling the cold water relax my throat after all of the talking I had just done. My heart rate had evened out a few minutes in, making it much easier to focus on the presentation. I just kept reminding myself to look at Beck like I was talking to him and it worked. I was calm the entire time.

Speaking of my hockey captain; he was the first person to see me after the presentation, wrapping my small frame in a tight hug while Sylvia watched from a distance with a proud and knowing smirk on her lips. I put my own arms around his shoulders, burying my face in Beck's tanned neck as he whispered in my ear, "I'm so damn proud of you. You're so brave, Danielle. You did the right thing today."

"I'm glad you didn't let me back out of this. It was worth it," I agreed aloud, taking in the slight woodsy scent of his cologne. I always loved the way Beck smelled. It was never offensively strong, but it was always present enough to remind me of him and provide the sense of a warm, comfortable cabin. "Thank you." I couldn't have done it without Beck. I would have still been in my trapped and borderline depressed state, pitying myself instead of owning it and becoming stronger.

"It was all you, Baby. You did this," he whispered in my ear, his large hand running back and forth on my back before Beck let go of me when he heard the voice of Sebastian and Axel. Everyone was smiling and hugging Sylvia and I. It felt amazing to have all of this support around me. For so long I had struggled to feel like people accepted me because of thomething I had no choice in, but all along I had all of these people. I had my brother and his wife, my brothers friends, especially Jason and Al, Axel, Beck, Sebastian and now even Ken. There were so many people in my life that loved me for who I was and it took me a stupidly absurd amount of time to realize it.

This is what family was. This is what happiness and acceptance felt like. This was love.

Everyone was ready to go out for a celebratory beer when realized that I needed to collect my backpack from Sylvia's office. My heels stopped clicking against the tile floor of the hallway, my brother stopping as his arm was around my shoulders with his other hand entertained with Sylvia's. "You okay?" He asked my quietly, raising a blonde eyebrow.

"Yeah, I'm fine. I just need to grab my things from Sylvia's office. I'll meet you guys at the bar in twenty, I'll be quick," I told everyone, letting my loving brother's strong arm drop from around my shoulders.

"How are you going to get here? I drove you here," Jason pointed out while Al hummed in agreement.

"I'll go with her," Beck volunteered casually without having to think much about it. "I parked near her office anyway."

"Okay," Finn responded airtime too easily. "We'll meet you there," he drawled with a small conniving smile on both he and his wife's lips.

I subtly rolled my eyes at both of them before Beck and I left through one of the side doors instead of the main, putting us closer to Sylvia's office and shielding is from the rain for slightly longer. The sky was covered in a dismal grey, but my brilliant mood made it seem all the more brighter.

It was drizzling as we made it onto the main sidewalk in silence before Beck spoke up quietly, his hand brushing mine. "That was hard to look at, you know."