Page 42 of Only When We Fall

“You weren’t there,” I say softly.

“I knowyou,” he replies, his voice tight. “I know how you sound when you’re drunk. I know how you sound when you’reyou. You called me, Em. You tried. And when I called back, he answered.”

My head snaps up. “Heanswered?”

Kai nods. “Sounded real pleased with himself, too. Told me you were out of it. That you were with him. That you wanted him.”

A wave of nausea rises again. Not from my stomach, but deeper than that.Shame. Violation.

“I don’t know what happened,” I whisper. “But I know I didn’t want him. I didn’t wantthat.”

“You don’t have to explain it to me,” Kai says quietly. “Whatever happened, I believe you.”

And those words, simple, solid, no questions attached, undo me all over again. “I don’t want to go back to mine,” I mutter.

“Okay,” he says, slipping his hand around mine again. “Do you want to come back to mine?” I nod. “Let’s go.”

It’s quiet when he unlocks the door. “Seb probably stayed out,” he explains. The last time I was here, was for a party and I didn’t even know it was his place.

We go through into the kitchen. “It looks different when it’s empty,” I mutter, watching as he grabs two bottles of water from the fridge. He hands me one and I immediately open it and take a few large gulps.

“Me and Seb agreed no more parties.”

I almost smile. “You did?”

He nods. “I’m tired of partying, Em,” he says firmly.. “And I know that’s why most people come to Uni, but for now, I’m not interested.” He nods to my clothes. “You wanna change?” I nod. “I have something you can wear.”

I follow him upstairs, into his room. It’s a typical male room with dark walls and a random football on the side. He opens his en-suite bathroom door and rummages around in the cupboard. “I have a spare toothbrush in here somewhere,” he tells me, standing and holding it up triumphantly. His smile fades as he glances at the shower. “Look, I don’t know what happened last night, but if anything did happen and you didn’t consent, you shouldn’t,” he pauses, running his hand over the back of his neck. “Yah know, shower. Maybe we should go to the hospital and have you checked?”

I shake my head, tears filling my eyes again. “I haven’t had sex,” I mutter.

Nothing feels different down there and the last person I had sex with, was Kai. I remember the feeling the next day, and the days after. “I don’t know if anything else happened, but I haven’t had sex.”

“Raped,” he corrects stiffly. “You mean you haven’t been raped.”

The tears roll down my cheeks and he rushes to wrap me in his arms again. “Emmie, we need to call the police. You know deep down something isn’t right, otherwise you wouldn’t be so upset.”

I’m already shaking my head. “No police.”

“Landon is a predator. He could do this again.”

I know what he’s saying is right, but the thought of telling the police how stupid I’ve been, makes me feel sick all over again. “Please,” I whisper against his chest. “Can we just not talk about it right now.”

Kai

I wait until I hear the shower running before sending a text to Zara, explaining that Emmie is with me, but she’s upset and didn’t want to come home. I’m so angry, I’m practically shaking as I send my next text to Noah, telling him he was right about Landon being dangerous, along with a quick rundown of everything that’s happened. Then, I turn my mobile off. Because now, more than anything, I want to take care of Emmie.

The bathroom door clicks open, and I glance up from the floor, where I’ve been sitting with my back against the bed. My heart gives a stupid little jolt when I see her.

She’s in one of my T-shirts, even though it drowns her. Her hair’s damp, curling slightly at the ends. Her skin’s blotchy from the heat of the shower, and she’s rubbing at her eyes.

But she looks more like herself again. Just tired with an edge of fragile.

“You okay?” I ask gently.

She nods, but it’s one of those automatic ones. The kind you give when the truth is too heavy.

I push to my feet and cross the room slowly, letting her set the pace. When I reach her, I tuck a strand of wet hair behind her ear. “Come here.”

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