Sex and Radio (Book 2)Completed||

18

The cool night air surrounded our bodies as we walked side by side in silence. Tension filled the fall air, but it only poured from me. Tall trees danced in the tiny spurts of wind, rustling the dried out, orange leaves. The full moon beamed down at us, highlighting our journey down the concrete path like a spotlight. Jade wrapped an arm around my shoulders and pulled me into her side. Her body heat penetrated through my thick sweater and I sighed contentedly. 

“You ready for this?” Jade asked, raising a suspicious eyebrow in my direction. I’m sure she knew the answer to her stupid question as soon as it left her mouth. But I decided not to complain this time. Her deep brown eyes studied every aspect of my face, making my nerves push out a deep sigh.

“As ready as I’ll ever be,” I muttered. My eyes studied the not so interesting cracks on the ground, avoiding Jade’s eyes like the plague. 

Jade squeezed my shoulders in an attempted side hug, trying to assure me as much as she could. My best friend had never let me down before unless you counted the time she lost my sparkly gel pens in 5th grade. Then she had let me down, then and only then. But lucky for me, we had worked through that rough patch pretty quickly. I truly appreciated everything she had done for me leading up to this one big moment. She and I had discussed this time and time again. Finally, after weeks of planning for it, the time had come. And I was about to tell the world my hidden secrets.

“You’ve got this girl, seriously! You’re the strongest girl I know.” I smiled as butterflies fluttered through my belly. If I bent over even an inch, I’d spew the contents of my stomach in seconds. So I pressed on. I tried not to think about the looks I’d get after. Or the rumors people would start. Or any other awful thing that could come after. Everyone who listened would know…. The truth. My truth.

“You really think?” I asked with uncertainty, scrunching up my face.

My recovery over the past few weeks has helped me heal. My therapist and I discussed many options on how I could not only help myself heal, but bring awareness to others as well. Since my incident at 17, I felt alone. I felt like I was the only person on the planet who had been assaulted. Through recovery and group meetings, I’ve come a long way in my thinking. It took me five years to tell a soul and now I was about to tell the world. 

I twisted my fingers together as another arm snaked around my waist. “You’re an idiot if you think you’re not brave. You’re the bravest---no!!! The most beautiful. No--the most magnificent woman I have ever met!” Dex smirked as he talked with his free hand like he was presenting me the world on a silver platter. 

“Nice of you to join us, lover boy.” Jade teased, untangling herself from me. She reached for her ceremonial flask and took a quick shot. 

“Wouldn’t miss it for the world.” Dex said leaning his head on mine and kissed my hair. “Besides the last time I was in the studio…” His grin widened and Jade’s eyes bugged out of her head. 

“Don’t even finish that sentence!” She shrieked, reaching around me to slap him in the back of the head. 

“Yeah—  don’t finish that sentence, bro.” Bodhi grimaced as he walked beside Jade now. Forcefully taking the flask from her hands and drowning the conversation away. 

“I guess you just had to be there,” Dex said with a mischievous grin and shrugged. 

“I enjoyed it.” I snickered while grinning like a lovesick puppy, leaning into my giant comfort of a man.

“God no!!” Jade hissed again, covering her ears, frantically shaking her head back and forth. 

“Brother alert! Seriously, we’ve talked about this! No sex talk if we are going to remain friends, bro!” Bodhi said, mimicking Jade by covering his ears. Together they sang la-la-la, trying to tune out the aired noises of our studio tryst permanently etched into their memories.