BROKEN

DENIAL

*Edited*
    
       Immediately I left Mr. Fred's school that Friday, I called my best friend, Paul.
"Paul, it has happened again," I said, amidst sobs.
Paul replied, "What has happened, Jane? Calm down and talk to me." I was breathing heavily at this time.
"Mr. Fred...he tried to rape me," I stammered.
"What! Where are you now? I hope he didn't rape you," he almost screamed over the phone.
"No, he didn't," I said.
"Go home dear and tell your mum about it. Don't try to hurt yourself," he begged.
I was reluctant to tell my parents but Paul told me everything will be alright and he would be with me through it all. His words had a soothing effect on me and put a smile on my face.
So I walked home and met my parents in the living room. They saw my wet eyes.
"What happened to you," Mum asked.
"Mr. Fred tried to rape me," I replied, sobbing and stammering.
My mum screamed and took me inside for a thorough check. She was vibrating as she was checking my body.
Dad quickly called Mr. Fred and asked him to come to the house, as he didn't want to create a scene. Mr. Fred came to our house that night with his wife. They were coming from bible study in their church.
Paul was on the phone with me throughout the time, trying to make sure I was okay and that I didn't hurt myself.
Immediately Mr. Fred came inside the house, my mum pounced on him, slapped him and did all sorts but Dad held and stopped her. Mr. Fred was surprised at my mum's action.
Our neighbour, who introduced us to Mr. Fred, was in the room that day. Our neighbour's daughter later told me that day that Mr. Fred has always been that way and that he couldn't control his sexual appetite.
"What did you do to my daughter? So you tried to rape my daughter?" Mum asked. Mr. Fred denied ever trying to rape me. Even when I said it to his face that he tried to rape me, he still denied.
Mr. Fred lied that he wanted to punish me for not doing the physics assignment he gave me (an assignment I was supposed to submit the next week) and how I refused to let him punish me. He further lied that I left the school premises without his knowledge, and that if he truly tried to rape me, he wouldn't have come to our house that night.
His wife claimed I was rude and that I don't greet her anytime our paths crossed. "Why won't someone try to rape you when you always go about dressing indecently? Don't bring your promiscuity near my husband," she concluded.
Hot tears dropped from my eyes as she spoke. I wished I could slap her for making such statements.
Mr. Fred asked for evidence of attempted rape and that he was ready to go to court. I looked into his eyes and was amused by how he brazenly lied with so much guts. I wasn't expecting him to admit it anyway.
The matter was swept under the carpet because of lame claims. Mr. Fred left our house that night, happy and thinking he had escaped. But I prayed that his sins would find him out one day. I was deeply pained.
Paul later called me to ask how it all went. All I could do was cry. I couldn't even speak to him.