Over the Edge

Ch.19-Of Bedside Chats that Reveal the Truth

"Um . . . Yeah, I guess."

"Okay." You can do this. I sat up slowly, reaching underneath and retrieving the article. Without another word I handed it over to him. His eyes scanned it over.

"Yeah, I heard about this in the news. So what?"

I closed my eyes, licking my lips. "Read it."

"Emma I don't-"

"Just read it, please."

He sighed, dragging the chair closer. "Okay." He brought the article nearer to his face, frowning. "This isn't even recent. It's from two years ago."

"I know," I quipped, becoming impatient. "Will you just read it?"

He shook his head. "Fine, fine. Mike Packer, eighteen, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania was arrested today outside his Broadside High School this afternoon." He snorted. "This guy looks like a douche."

"He is," I whispered quietly.

He flicked the article onto my lap. "Did you know him?"

"Sort of." I chewed on my lip. "Before I came here I went to Broadside."

His eyebrows shot up. "Yeah? Like to stick to the past, much?"

He wasn't getting it. I shoved the article at him. "Keep reading," I muttered. "Near the bottom."

Snatching the clip from me, he resumed reading. "Um . . . Okay, here. Packer was taken in on harassment charges and providing for a minor. The victim pled to prosecutors for a longer sentence, stating he-Christ-stating that he raped her . . . Emma, what the hell is this?"

Tears filled my eyes. "Don't you get it?"

He set the paper aside. "Get what? I don't understand what you're saying-are you crying?"

I wiped at my eyes. "Mr. Matthews wants us to get to know each other, so here is me trying, Rhys."

"I still don't-"

"I knew Mike Packer," I interjected. "And he knew me. We went to the same school. There was a reason I moved."

His eyes widened. "Emma . . ."

"I still have nightmares," I stated more quietly. "About him."

Rhys was just staring now, at me, like I had two heads. I hoped I hadn't made a mistake in telling him. I just figured with everything going on, he had a right to know. If something happened, he had the right to know why.

"That girl was me," I continued. I met his gaze with my watery one. "They couldn't gain enough evidence to charge him because they couldn't find the original tapes with him in them, but it happened. Mike Packer, he . . . ."

Raped me.

Humiliated me.

Stole everything from me.

Rhys was frozen, staring blankely at me, like he didn't quite believe my claim. I sat up straighter, angling myself toward him. "Please believe me, Rhys," I begged, because nobody did. Nobody believed the poor girl who they thought just wanted attention and money. "It's why I take the pills," I was quick to explain, hoping maybe that would get a response out of him. "I had to be taken off of them because whenever I'm on one I become addicted and I spiral. It's because of what he did to me." The tears slipped faster down my cheeks.

His eyes searched mine. "Emma . . ."

I gave him my back, ashamed at the truth. Humiliated that such a thing could happen to me and I had been ignorant to their real intentions. "It was so awful, Rhys," I sobbed into my hands, wishing the tears would stop but knowing the wish was futile. "How can somebody do that to another person?"