Tutoring for Eternity

Chapter 40: I Won?

"You guys remember Connor, right?" I ask my family.

Mom, Dad, and Lucas are all seated in the couch while Rach is on the phone.

I'm standing in front of them talking.

"Yeah, you're ex." Mom says.

I nod. "He has moved back here and he was a bit condescending earlier today."

"How do you mean?"

"Freshman year, we went to a party together. On Halloween. Originally, I just thought we were gonna drink and dance. That was shot down quickly.

"While we were there, he um... he raped me. He slapped me unconscious because I wasn't 'cooperating' and when I woke up he was inside of me. He kept telling me that I was supposed to want it since I was his girlfriend. I didn't though and I kept screaming and crying but no one came.

"Seeing him at school again was so hard and I just couldn't. I don't want to do that again. I want to take him to court."

"I don't know that that's a good idea. If you lose, you're going to face very many unhealthy consequences." My mother says.

"I don't care. I want to."

"She should." Lucas says.

"Yes, she should." Dad says. Then he gets up to leave.

I'm not sure what's going on in his head.

"I am going to."

"Okay, if you think it will help, we can."

***

I'm sitting across from him in a court room.

It's a bench trial, so the judge is going to make a decision instead of a jury.

"Connor Smith, how do you plead?"

"Guilty."

My jaw drops.

What?

Everyone gasps.

"Mr. Smith. You do realize pleading guilty will put you into prison for at least ten to twenty years?"

"I do. And I plead guilty."

What. The. Fuck.

"Connor Smith is now sentenced to ten years in prison."

Oh.

My.

God.

"Danni, it's over. You won."

That sentence comes from Zak.

"I won? There... was nothing to win. He just admitted it."

I'm so confused.

I don't understand why he would do that.

"I saw. Danni, he admitted it. It's over."

"Why would he do that? It makes no sense."

"I dunno. Maybe he came to his senses."

"He came to his... senses." I repeat. "What senses are those, Zak?"

"The one's where he finally admits to doing something wrong."

"Why did he plead guilty?"

"How would I know?"

"You do know but you're lying to me. Why?"

"Why what?"

"Why did he plead guilty, Zak?"