...
"I really appreciate y'all coming all the way down here with me, but do y'all think y'all could stay out here while I go in. It's just---I don't want a big scene," I said to them.
Yeah of course," Janelle said.
"Yeah. Whatever you need," replied
Josh.
Kevin looked at me. "That was just for them right," he interjected, "cuz I'm going in with you."
"Kevin---"
He grabbed my hand and shushed me. "Hey, hey, hey," he said softly. "We're in this together. Okay?"
I nodded my head. "Okay."
"Alright," he said standing up straight, "Let's go." He grabbed my hand and walked with me to the police station. When we got inside we immediately walked up to the front desk.
"Hi. How can I help you," the officer smiled. I spoke up. "Hi. I'm here to file a sexual assault report," I said a bit hesitantly. She fumbled through some papers. "Okay. Are you the victim or are you filing for someone else," she asked as she handed me the form to fill out. I almost didn't know what to say. I looked at her. "I---Uh. Um," I cleared my throat, "I'm the victim." It felt weird for me to say that outloud. "Okay. I need to you to fill that form out and while you do that I will get in contact with our sexual assault nurse to examine you."
"Okay. Thank you."
"No problem sweetheart," she said very sweetly.
I turned around and sat down in the nearest seat that I could find. Kevin and I sat quietly together while I filled out the form. Just as I was finishing up the nurse showed up. "Excuse me. Alyssa Davis?"
I looked up. "Yes."
"Hi I'm Bobbi. I'll be the one doing the exam. Are you ready?"
"Oh," I said a little hesitantly, "yes. I'm ready."
"Okay follow me. You can leave the form with Patricia at the front desk if you're finished."
"Okay." I made my way back over to the front desk. I handed the clipboard to Patricia before following Bobbi out of the lobby.
While in the examining room the minutes seemed to slowly roll by. I wanted nothing more than to be back at home. After nearly two hours I was free to go. I went back out into the lobby and found Kevin.
He stood up to greet me. "Hey baby. How'd it go?"
"It went alright."
He offered me a warm smile. "You ready to go," he asked nodding his head towards the door. "Everybody's been blowing up my phone." I grabbed his hand. "Yeah. Let's go."
When we got back to the car everybody looked a little anxious. "So. What happened," Janelle asked me as she adjusted her seat on the trunk of the car.
"I just had to fill out some paperwork and do a rape kit. They'll have the results back in the next couple of months. Maybe sooner."
"Okay. How you feeling," she asked me concernedly.
"Overwhelmed and a little stressed. I just wanna go home."
"I understand babe," she said grabbing ahold of my arm. She looked at Kevin and gave him a half smile. "Get her out of here," she said nodding her head. "I'll stop by later tomorrow if you want the company," she said to me. "Yeah. Me too," the guys chimed in. Everyone stood to leave.
"G'night."
"Night babe," she said to me over her shoulder.
"Aye Lys," Mark said turning back around. "If I see that lil bitch It's on sight, you heard me!" He took a pause. "You've always been like family to me and I fight for family. Get home safe okay." He looked at Kevin. "A'ight Kev. I'll holla at you later."
"Aight man. See you," Kevin said dapping him up. I went around to the passenger side and got in. A few seconds later Kevin opened the car door and slid in the driver's seat. He put his seatbelt on and then put the car in drive.
I needed to ask Kevin a question, but I was a little apprehensive about it. "Um. Kevin," I started.
"Yeah baby. What's up?" He asked as he turned out of the parking lot.
"Um. Can you...stop by the pharmacy. I uh---," I paused and put my head down.
"Baby what is it," he said looking over at me.
I was hesitant. "I need to get Plan B or something. Ya know...as a precaution."
"Oh," He said gripping the stirring wheel tightly and clenching his jaw. Kevin nodded his head slowly and kept his eyes steady on the road. "Okay. We'll go to the Walgreens up the street from us."
"Thank you," I said quietly. As we continued to ride I could tell that Kevin's mind was racing. I didn't even know what to say to comfort him.
"You don't have to go in," I said to Kevin as he parked. "Nah it's cool," he said as he unbuckled his seatbelt. "I'm not gon' let you go in there by yourself." I looked at him relieved. "Thank you."
We got out of the car and made our way over to the Walgreens entrance. When we got to the contraception isle there were quite a few options to choose from. "Babe. Is this what you're looking for," Kevin asked as he handed me a box. "Yeah," I said taking it from him. "Thanks. How much is it?" He looked at the price sticker where the rest of them were. "Uh. It's fifty."
"Damn," I mumbled. "Okay."
"Don't worry about it. I'll pay for it."
"Babe. No. You don't have to do that. I can afford it."
"And so can I," he said with his hand outstretched. I handed the box to him.
"Thank you."
He kissed my cheek. "Don't mention it."
We walked over to the front counter and waited in line behind the two people ahead of us. When it was our turn to be rung up the cashier looked at the Plan B and then back at me. She saw the embarrassed look on my face. "Mm," she said under her breath. "One day y'all young girls gon' learn," she mumbled. My eyes started to well up. I looked away from her.
Kevin sucked his teeth. "Aye! You need to mind your business," he snapped. "You don't know what the hell you're talking about!" He snatched up the bag. I could tell he wanted to say more. I put my hand on the back of his shoulder. "Baby don't worry about it. Let's just go," I coaxed.
He sucked his teeth and walked out. "I can't stand ignorant people man," he said as we got to the car. He got in and handed the bag over to me. Kevin was fuming and doing the best he could to keep his composure.
"Do you---want to talk about it? I know you're upset," I said looking over at him. He shook his head. "I don't even know what to say. I'm just---" he struggled to find the words, "angry! I'm so damn angry that he did this to you. My heart can't take this shit, man! I'm really hurt. I can only imagine how you feel right now."
I sat quietly and wiped under my eyes. "Yeah."
..
When Kevin and I got home I headed straight to the kitchen to take the pill. I grabbed a bottle of water out of the fridge before opening up the package. I stared at the little pill that now sat in the palm of my hand. "I can't believe I'm really doing this," I thought to myself. "Well, Better safe than sorry," I said as I put it in my mouth and swallowed it down with a swig of water. When I was finished I headed back to the bathroom.
"I'm gonna go take a shower," I said over my shoulder to Kevin.
"Okay baby," he said from the couch.
I walked into the bathroom and shut the door behind me. I turned on the hot water and quickly stripped out of my clothes. For the past two hours or so I felt competely gross. I was relieved to get out of them. I stepped in the shower and just stood there aimlessly for what felt like a long time.
"Baby you okay," Kevin said after about ten minutes. He peeped his head into the bathroom.
I snapped out of my daze and grabbed the soap. "Yeah," I said as I began to lather myself up. "I'll be out in a minute."
"Okay. Let me know if you need me," he said shutting the door behind him. "Alright," I said from the shower.
I stood under the warm water and scrubbed. and faught back tears. and scrubbed. and faught back tears. and cried. and cried. and cried until I felt there was no trace of him left.
When I left out of the bathroom Kevin was in the room waiting for me. He could tell I had been crying. He looked at me and was immediately stricken with grief. "Alyssa," he started, "I'm sure that I can't even begin to understand what you're going through right now, but I want you to know that I'm here for you. Whatever you need just say the word." I was quiet as I continued to get dressed. "Okay," he questioned.
I looked at him and sat down on the bed, my back facing him. "Okay, " I replied. I wiped away the tears that now trickled down my face. I sat back in the bed and sniveled. "Kevin. I think it would be best if---we didn't---sleep together tonight." I swear I could almost hear his heart break in two as soon as the words left my mouth. "I---I'm sorry. I'll sleep in the den and you can have the bed."
He sat there for a moment saying nothing. Tears stood in his eyes. He cleared his throat. "No. I'll um---I'll sleep in the den. You stay," he said standing up. He grabbed his pillow off the bed and headed for the door. I wiped away my tears as quickly as they came. "Goodnight," he said shutting the door behind me.
"Goodnight."