The Trouble With Goodbye

Chapter Forty-Two

I can hardly stand still as I wait for Jenna to get her key in the lock and open the door already.

As soon as she does, I run in and drop my bag on the floor. Knox throws his arms around me and lifts me up into the air. I bury my head in his neck and inhale the scent of him.

Behind me, Jenna giggles and claps her hands. She disappears into the kitchen as Knox pulls me into a kiss.

"I missed you so much," I say.

"I missed you, too." He takes my hands in his. "I've been so worried about you. Some asshole pulled me away from you that day, and I couldn't get to you before they put you in that car and took you away. I have tried everything I could think of to get in to see you, but your parents have that place locked up like a jail. I'm guessing they turned your phone off, too. When I call it, all it does is give a busy signal."

"They took my phone away," I say.

"I'm going to give you two lovebirds some privacy," Jenna says. She's got a six pack of beer, a bag of chips, and a box of Hot Tamales in her hands. "I'll be back in my bedroom watching a movie if you need anything. Otherwise, mi casa es su casa. And fyi, the couch pulls out into a bed."

I laugh, but don't take my eyes off Knox.

Jenna pecks a kiss on my cheek, then rushes off toward the back room and shuts the door.

I lift up on my tiptoes and wrap my arms around Knox's neck. We press our foreheads together and just stare at each other for a minute. My heart is beating wildly and I want nothing more than to smother him in kisses.

"I'm so glad you're here," I say.

He pulls me toward the couch, and lowers me onto his lap. "How are you handling all this? Do you have any idea how the press found out?"

"Mr. Wright and my dad have been researching the trail all week," I say. "My roommate Sophy went to a sexual abuse awareness event on campus and ran into Molly. She told her she knew someone who had also been raped by Burke, but didn't give her any details. From there, Molly's attorney tracked down a nurse who worked at the university clinic when I was admitted. It's all a big mess."

He takes my hand and kisses my palm softly. "What are you going to do? Have you figured it out?"

"Have you been watching the news?" I ask.

"Some," he says. "When I'm not too angry to stomach it."

"They've been calling me a coward," I say, tears filling my eyes. I take a deep breath. For the past week and a half, I've refused to let the tears fall. I haven't wanted my parents to see me rattled by this. But with Knox, it's different. I feel freer with him than with anyone. "Some of the things they've said are true, but other things are total bullshit. Like one channel was reporting that I'd supposedly taken a million dollar payoff to keep my mouth shut. Someone online accused me of getting an abortion. It's out of control."

Knox is quiet, and I can tell he wants to say something. He keeps opening his mouth, but then changing his mind. My stomach twists.

"What?"

He takes in a deep breath. "Have you considered coming forward and just telling the truth about what happened?" he asks. "I mean, now that it's already in the news, what do you have to lose?"

I tense. "You sound like Sophy. She's been urging me to come forward ever since the beginning. Or at least, she was before my parents banned me from having any contact with her." I think about Sophy's reasons and guilt floods through me all over again. "Sophy says there's strength in numbers and now that someone else has come forward, it's much more likely the administration and the police will really listen to what we have to say."