To Learn to Let Go | ✔

Chapter 17

CW: The beginning of this chapter involves police questioning a sexual assault victim, it is not the most sensitive of questionings and may be triggering to some. I will put another authors note when it ends. 

I stared at the officers for what felt like an eternity, trying to muster up the courage to recount the story. The detectives stared back, expectantly, growing irritated as the minutes passed and I still hadn't spoken. "Young man, do we need to repeat the question?" Detective Lin asked. I shook my head.

"I c-came home from school, T-Trent dropped me off. Only Adam was h-home because my p-parents were at work."

"Adam is Mr. Baker, correct?" I nodded. "And why was he at your home?" Detective Andrews asked.

"He's my parents b-best friend. He was visiting for the w-week." Detective Andrews nodded and continued to jot my words down in his notebook. "I l-locked myself in my room."

"Why?" Detective Lin interrupted.

"I-I was s-scared."

"Of Mr. Baker?"

"Yes."

"Can you stop stuttering?" Detective Andrews asked. I shook my head no.

"Why were you scared of Mr. Baker?" Detective Lin asked and again I hesitated to answer. "Mr. Daniels, has Mr. Baker ever harmed you before?" I nodded. "I'm going to need a verbal answer on this one," Detective Lin said.

"Y-yes," I stuttered.

"When?"

"W-when I was t-ten," I cried. Mom gasped, Dad punched the wall, I didn't dare look at them.

"What happened then?"

"He... r-raped... me," I choked out between sobs. I looked up at the officers, they were busy taking notes, not even looking at me. They could tell I was growing more upset as the interview went on, but they were unphased by it.

"Was this the only time?"

"No."

"How many other times has he done this?"

"U-until I was... 13,"

"And did he always rape you?"

"Yes."

"When you say he raped you can you define that? Was there anal or oral penetration?" Detective Andrews asked.

A/N: Questioning is over, from this point on there is a slight mention of police brutality and discussions of self harm.

"Oh my fucking God can't you see the poor kid is having a panic attack over here!" Trent shouted, his face red with anger as he rose from his chair.

"Son, please sit down. These questions are standard protocol," Detective Andrews replied calmly.

"Yeah well it's shit protocol. How fucking insensitive can you be, the poor kid has a concussion and was just sexually assaulted. I walked in on the bastard in the act what more do you need? Proof? The proof is in the way the paramedics found him!"

"Son, I'm going to-"

"Call me son one more time!" Trent shouted.

"Young man, please leave, before I am forced to escort you out myself," Detective Andrews warned, standing up slightly, hand hovering over his gun. Trent glared at both officers before walking out of my hospital room, slamming the door behind him. I let out a breath I didn't realize I had been holding as Detective Andrews settled back into his seat, silently thanking the powers that be that Trent decided to leave the room. I couldn't help but think of cases like Andrés Guardado, I couldn't help but imagine Trent becoming a statistic. What would have happened had the police been first on the scene to my assault? The possibilities haunted me, and I tried to push those thoughts out of my mind.