HIM
I had to guesstimate, all together, I had approximately two glasses, no more than that.""And how much do you approximate Mr. Adams consumed?" he questions.
"Um... he finished every glass he was given and also had his glass refilled a few times," I answer.
"So, four glasses? Six glasses? How many would you say?" he inquires.
"At least eight, but he did not seem or act drunk from what I recall," I utter.
Mr. O'Conner begins to rub his chin with his thumb and forefinger back and forth across the jawline of his chin. I take a deep breath in and exhale before I begin to continue to what took place next. I freeze and take another deep breath.
"Take your time, Ali," he whispers warmly.
I hate having to relive this day over and over. I progress forward to what took place in Brady's parent's back yard and how he kissed me. First, blaming the wine and the assumed moment he thought we were having, then somehow turning it around on me in a negative way. I explain what took place next that caused us to argue over me not wanting to kiss him, then me storming off back to his parent's house.
"Mr. Adams was mad you did not want to kiss him after he kissed you, then he apologized for being angry with you over the fact?" Mr. O'Connor asks.
I assume piecing everything I am saying together.
"Yes. Then he pinned me against the door; I slapped him when he tried kissing me again," I swallow.
"After I slapped him, he then threatened me and threw me to the ground," I say about ready to cry.
Mr. O'Conner takes a tissue from the box and hands it to me. I thank him and dab at the corner of my eyes.
"What did he threaten?" he asks.
"He said you're going to wish you never fucking did that, his exact words," I stammer.
"Then, what happened next?" he inquires.
I look down at my lap, where I am fidgeting with the tissue between my fingers. A few tears spill from my eyes, darkening the fabric on my shirt. I take another deep breath and exhale in short, stuttered spurts. Mr. O'Connor uncrosses his legs, putting both feet firmly on the floor, and leans his elbows on his knees as he rests his fist in the palm of his hand.
"He," I take a deep breath and release it.
"He carried me over his shoulder into the pool house. I tried to fight my way down, but he was way too strong for me."
I drop my head down toward my lap and begin to cry, trying to catch most of my tears with the tissue in my hand. It is so painful recalling everything again.
"Did something happen in the pool house, Ali? Something without your consent?" he asks, his voice shaky.
I nod, unable to look back up at him. I continue to cry. He places his hand over mine.
"Are these bruises on your arms from that very night?" he questions.
I nod again. My head still hung down toward my lap, tears flowing down my cheeks like a river.
"Did he—" Mr. O'Connor stops and brings his fist to his mouth.
He then breathes heavily out his nose.
"Did Brady Adams force himself on you in the pool house Thursday night?" he asks with pain and disgust behind his voice.
I slowly bring my eyes from my lap to meet his. He looks deep into my eyes, his shoulders sink, and his eyes gloss over. He stands and walks to the door. I drop my head back toward my lap. I hear him stop before he opens it; I slowly look over at him. He's looking at me and wipes a tear from his eye. He calls Ris in and asks Luke to wait a moment in the hall. She rushes over to me and holds me tight as I cry hard into her chest.
"Did she tell you about the—" Ris begins to say.
"Yes, she told me what happened at his parent's house," her father sighs, feeling quite shaken.
"Did she tell you what he did to her yesterday morning at work? I witnessed it all," she continues.
Her father sits at his desk and cups his hands to his face, right under his eyes. He closes his eyes as he sighs into his hands. Ris then tells him what she witnessed Brady do to me under the table during our morning meeting. I could hear his breathing grow heavier as she spoke about the incident.
"Something needs to be done to that disgusting piece of fucking shit, dad. Excuse my French," Ris growls.
"No!" I whimper. "Please. I don't want any more trouble!"
"Why, Ali? He needs to be punished. He needs to be stopped before he does this to someone else," she yells.
Just as her father tells her to calm down, and I begin to ask that it stay between us, Luke barges through the door. Mr. O'Connor stands from his desk, staring at Luke. Ris looks at him then at me while I stare at him like a deer caught in the headlights.
"He does what to someone else?" Luke demands.
The room goes silent, and Luke walks closer to me.
"Tell him, Ali, he needs to know," Ris says sternly.
"Larissa!" Mr. O'Connor murmurs under his breath.
Luke looks at me, then to Ris, then to her father, and back at me. His face is turning red with fear, and worry grows behind his eyes. I lose it and begin to weep uncontrollably. Ris holds onto me tightly.
"Tell me, please, Ali," Luke begs with concern and vulnerability in his voice.
"Ris? What happened?"
"Brady—"
I gasp as Ris speaks his name, about to tell Luke what happened.
"Brady raped Ali the night she came back to the city," she chokes out then begins to cry.
My tears subside for a short moment as time stands still after the words spill from Ris's lips. I slowly bring my eyes closer to Luke's. He's standing across the room from us. His body has become lifeless, and his voice completely mute. A silence overcomes