Mirrors

Chapter Thirteen

Just then the cops arrived.  Someone rushed over to Edie while someone else rushed over to Niall, to check on them both.

The two guys backed off, gave their statements and left.  "Lock him up, officers!  Pervert!" One said, spitting at Niall as they walked away. 

During all of this, Edie lost track of Niall who had been taken aside to speak to the cops while she was put into the back of an ambulance to get looked at.  Her fear had subsided enough but she was still unable to speak.  She saw the members of her support group gather outside.  She saw that Charlie was speaking to an officer.

Edie grimaced as the EMT cleaned up her forehead.  As they finished, the police came over to her.  "Ma'am, can you tell us what happened?"

"I,I,I, don't really know, to be honest.  We were standing outside when we both heard a noise."

"What was the noise?"

Edie shook her head.  "I don't know.  I just know he grabbed me and pushed me into the alley and put his body on me."

"Was he attacking you?"

"What? No, I don't think so.  We're in the same support group.  He's my trust partner."

"Trust partner?"

"Yeah, someone we're supposed to trust.  I don't know.  We don't really know each other."

"Ma'am, you were reported to have been screaming 'Get off me' and 'Help' when the two men arrived to help you."

"I was?" Edie couldn't remember.  She certainly felt fear but it had come more from the rushing memories of her assault.  "He didn't know," she whispered.

"Who didn't know what?"

"He, uh, Niall didn't know.  I don't think he was trying to hurt me.  I don't think he meant to hurt me."

Edie looked around her but her vision was still a little hazy.  She saw her brother rushing up to her but she was still being looked at so he couldn't get to her.  She then saw as he ran over to a cop car and attempted to pull someone out of it.

"Ma'am, are you sure?"

"Sure of what?'

"Of what happened?"

"I don't think he was trying to hurt me," Edie whispered.

"Do you want to press charges?"

"Hell yes she does!" She heard Benny say as he walked back over to her.

"Benny, no!"

"Edie, he just tried to hurt you?  Why wouldn't you?"

"Because he wasn't.  I don't believe he was."

"Then why did you scream, ma'am?"

Edie turned back to the officer, "I, uh, uh—"  She looked back at Benny, her eyes pleading with him.  "I was just scared, I guess."

"Of him?"

"No.  I don't think I was.  Look, can I see him?  Is he okay?"

"He's on his a way to the station."

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With all the shuffle, Niall didn't know what had happened to Edie.  He gave his statement to the police and then was placed inside the back of their car, while they waited on Edie who he had just seen be taken into an ambulance to be looked at.

He watched as the members of his support group stood on the steps of the building.  He felt they were judging him but he did see Charlie talking with the police and pointing over at him.

All he cared about though, was Edie.  He looked out the other window, where he could see her sitting as the EMTs took her vitals and bandaged her forehead.  He saw her brother pull up and barely park the car as he saw her.

"Edie, what happened?" He shouted running up to her but he wasn't allowed to go near her yet.  He stepped back, ran his hands through his hair and turned to see him in the car.  "Hey!  What the fuck did you do to my sister?!" He screamed as he made his way over to the car.  He pulled open the door and reached in for him but a cop grabbed him before he could do anything.  "What the fuck did you do to her?!"

Niall was about to say something but the cops pushed him back into the car and slammed the door shut.  Edie watched the entire scene and said nothing.  She seemed a little dazed.  He hoped he hadn't seriously hurt her although, the more he thought about it, the more concerned he became over her reaction to him trying to protect her.  Did she see it that way?

A few minutes later, a cop got into the car, started it up and started to slowly drive away.  He saw Edie saying something to the police, but she stopped as he rode past her.  She looked frightened and concerned.  He laid the back of his head on the headrest and closed his eyes.  This night had somehow managed to turn into a complete disaster.