Page 13 (1/2)

Um I heard you were raped Were you?

Was that a decent start for this conversation? No That didn’t see for social work She was nice and sensitive I should’ve dropped this on her lap to deal with It was too late for that "Okay This is--weird for oes here I don’t know if you knew that"

Her eyebrows shtly "No I didn’t know that Wait" They pulled back together "Not Gage Clarke?"

Fuck She knew e"

"We partied with hiht I had no idea he was your brother, but"--her eyes narrowed and she nodded to herself--"yeah, I can totally see it now You guys look just like each other"

And speaking of Sunday

I coughed A lot of phleg my palms over them They were suddenly sweaty "What do you reht?" Wait Did she not even know herself? Was I going to be the one to tell her?

Maybe I shouldn’t do it then If that were the case, et ht I was more co with tears, "You know, don’t you"

My throat stopped working That hadn’t been a question

Her head hung down, and her hands reached for the bottom of her shirt She balled it into her fists "I can’t believe you know"

My voice was just as soft as hers "So, it’s true"

Her head lifted, just a little bit "Yeah"

She was raped Gage told me, but a part of me hoped it wasn’t true

I had no clue what to do now

I scooted off the chair I didn’t want to assail her, but getting closer, a little below her felt like the right thing to do I looped s flat against the carpet "UhWhat happened?"

"You don’t know?" She glanced up, wiping at a tear

I shook my head "I was just told there’s a ruht note of hysteria blending with it She began rocking herself back and forth "I can’t believe this is happening"

"Hey!" Laura knocked abruptly on the door "Can I co on?"

Panic flitted over Casey’s face "No They can’t come in They don’t know"

I rose and locked the door swiftly "Uive us a second Weuh" I looked back to Casey She atchingeyes My heart broke If it’d beeninity" I backed away from the door "It’s extre, and I’d really like as much privacy as possible Thank you"

Would that work?

I added, biting my bottoht have to talk toto do it, so, yeah" I raised a finger to the door, trying to sound convincing "Don’t try to changeup Casey, can you hear me?"

Casey cleared her throat, too "Yeah I’ll be up later"

Once Laura left, Casey snorted into quiet laughter She shook her head, wiping at some of her tears "You’re the worst liar in the world"

She’d be surprised

I shrugged, takingyou later You can tell theht it"

"Thank you"

My gaze ed once more Back to the real topic "I’m sorry about what happened to you"