(7)

GABBY

My second day is perhaps even worse than the first. I couldn't keep up with any math, I got assigned a book that I've already read (and hated, mind you) in English, and Leo doesn't so much as glance at me in science.

In the meantime, I daydream about a certain Hamilton, and his first name isn't Leo. I think back to his invite for coffee. I'm meeting him in an hour. Did I dress okay? I decided on leggings and a cute top that hugged me in all the right places and was adorably billowy in all the wrong ones. I feel pretty cute, especially since I paired the outfit with some high top converse which made me an inch or two taller. My hair is down, my makeup is done (on point, I might add), and my clothes are a comfy kind of cute. I'm practically ready to explode when the final bell rings, signaling the end of study hall. I take it as my cue and zip out of the classroom and don't stop until I reach the coffee shop.

Aaron is already sitting there, looking adorably ready to study. He has on some reading glasses and is scanning a stack of papers. He must notice my movement out of the corner of his eye because he looks up and an adorable smile lights up his face.

"You're here!" He stands to greet me. My stomach flips.

"I am."

Aaron pulls me in for a side hug and I tense as soon as his skin makes contact with mine. Suddenly, I'm not in the coffee shop. I'm in the restaurant, with Christopher.

"You were great company, love." He smiles, gazing at me from across the table.

"So were you." I give him my sultriest smile.

"Do you want to come home with me?"

I freeze, blood running cold. "What?"

"I have a townhouse on the Upper East Side. It's really beautiful, all windows. I'd love to make love to you as we look down on the city."

I feel like vomiting. And then he puts the final nail in his coffin.

"I've never been with a fat girl before."

Then, the scene changes.

Christopher's face distorts, suddenly he looks anything but handsome. "Do you know how many important people were in that restaurant? My dad got a call from an investor who saw the whole thing. And you humiliated me. You rejected me. Do you know how lucky you are to have even gotten that offer? How lucky you are that someone as handsome as me even wanted a fatty like you?"

He pins me against the wall, his sour breath fanning my face. I cringe, but have no energy at all. He starts to kiss my neck. All I think about is how tired I'm getting. My eyes start to droop closed, but I'm awakened by a sharp stinging on my cheek. He slapped me! He resumes kissing me, a hand sliding up my flowy shirt. My eyes start to droop shut again and I feel pressure on my temple. And then sleep consumes me.

I let out a noise that is in between a shriek and a sob. Aaron takes a step back, holding his hands up defensively.

"Did I do something? I'm sorry, Gabby!"

My body shakes in silent sobs.

I thought I was over it.

I thought I was over it. My mind races, my heart beating nearly out of my chest. I struggle to catch my breath and slightly double over. Aaron reaches out as if to touch me again but when he sees me flinch he takes a step back, silently understanding.

In the corner of my eye, I see a group of people gathering to watch. Mothers grip their children tightly. The barista eyes me with a mean look. I have to gather my composure.

Taking big gulps of air, I straighten up. My shoulders deflate. I relax. The tears stop falling.

I'm safe.

I wipe my tears, praying my makeup hasn't been messed up. Then I look up at Aaron, his face displaying the epitome of horror. Shit. Shit, shit, shit.

He's never going to want to go out with me again now.

After the crowd returns to whatever they were doing before, Aaron takes a deep breath.

"Gabby, are you okay? What happened? Did I do something? Are you hurt?"

I contemplate what to say. Finally, I decide to own up to it. I tell the truth.

"I was almost raped." I shrug like it's no big deal, but it is. It's only just hit me. I was almost raped. I was sexually assaulted. Aaron's touch--a man's touch--made it real for me.

"Oh my God, Gabby I didn't kn--"

"Of course you didn't. Why would you?"

"Who?"

"It doesn't matter who."

"I'm sorry."

"Can we just study?"

We sit at the table and Aaron looks frazzled. He looks between me and his papers multiple times, opening and closing his mouth like he has something to say but doesn't know quite how to say it. Finally, he speaks.

"So I got together some notes..."

The bell rings, signaling that someone has entered the store. I turn out of instinct to see who it is and my stomach turns. It's Leo, and he has my little sister on his arm.

"I thought he had football practice right after school?" I recall our text conversation from the prior night to Aaron who is sporting an impish look across his features.

"I may have...embellished the truth. He does have football practice today...it's just at seven." He turns a cute shade of pink, but I'm too angry to care. I stand up abruptly, marching over to Haley.

"You know the prick is spreading rumors that you slept together, right?" My frown deepens. "And didn't Camille and Emily warn you not to hang around senior boys? I mean, Haley, you're not really this stupid, are you?"

Haley looks me up and down, disgust written on her features. "They're not rumors, FYI. We're in love, and people in love have sex."

Now I stare at Leo, who looks absolutely dubious. "Are you fucking kidding me, Leo? She's still a kid! She's my sister! What gives you the right?"

"She's a grade below us, smart ass; she's as much of a kid as you are. And don't you think it's a little hypocritical of you to chastise me for seeing your sister when you're over there hooking up with my cousin?"

"He's helping me with the project! Unlike you!"

"I didn't even know we were supposed to meet!"

"You didn't ask!"

"Can you, like, leave us alone?" Haley rolls her eyes at me. For a brief second, I remember the events in the days before school started...the reason why she hates me. She did that eye roll thing then, too.

"Sleep with whoever you want, then." I frown at my little sister. "When Camille and Emily hear about this and tear you limb from limb, don't expect me to rush to your aid."

I turn back to Aaron and begin to walk to him when Haley just has to go and run her mouth.

"You have a knack for that, don't you? Rushing to people's aid? Even when they don't want you to."

I flip. "You mean when I caught you having sex with our step brother? And told dad and Janice because it's, you know, wrong? Yeah, you obviously didn't need any aid, Haley."

Leo's eyes widen and he takes a few steps away from my sister. She turns bright red, tears welling up in her eyes. She runs out of the coffee shop, the door closing swiftly behind her, but I can still hear the sob she lets out as she races away. My heart clenches. Leo gives me a disappointed look.

I turn back to Aaron, but he's gone.

"That wasn't your secret to tell, Gabby." Leo shakes his head.

For once in Leo Hamilton's life, he's right.

/

"Haley?" My voice echoes down the hallway. Our house is vast, ever expanding. It would take too much time to search every room. "Come on! I thought we were going to the mall? I have to be back by five! Haley!"

I hear giggles from Kurt's room and roll my eyes. He has another girl over? The boy is a stoner and a deadbeat, but he has somehow always been lucky with the ladies. I speed walk to his room and let myself in without knocking, ready to tell him and whoever he's entertaining off...and if I'm lucky, humiliate him a little.

I walk into the room and their backs are facing me. Kurt is laying down and the girl is riding him. I let out an ahem. I'd be disgusted if this wasn't the first time I'd witnessed Kurt entertaining a female guest. Sometimes in the past he's done it out in the open, where anyone could walk by. I feel no remorse in invading his privacy, not if he's making so much noise.

But once they know of my presence and turn around, a deer in headlights look on both their faces, I'm the one that freezes.

I drop my phone and it's like a scene out of a movie where everything is in slow motion. My eyes widen, but slowly. They recognize me, but slowly. They rush to cover their naked bodies, but slowly. I let out a scream, but slowly.

My stepbrother and my sister are in bed. Naked. Having sex.

Kurt and Haley. Haley and Kurt. My brother and my sister are sleeping together.

I have to tell. I turn to leave the room and make it halfway down the stairs before I hear feet padding on the carpet behind me. Haley engulfs me in a hug, a sheet wrapped around her tiny body. She sobs into my back.

"Please, please don't tell." She begs. "Kurt and I...we're in love. I know it wasn't supposed to happen, I know it seems wrong. But I've loved him from the first day I met him. Remember when he still had the long hair and was as pale as snow? I looked at him and I just loved him. But it wasn't in a brother-sister kind of way. It never was. Please, Gabby, if you love me...you won't tell."

Slowly, I peel away from my sister's tight grip and turn to face her. I'm still numb. Kurt and Haley? Had this been going on the whole time right under my nose? How was I so oblivious? I'd seen signs...how did I not really ever put it together?

"You're not in love." I choose my words carefully and deliberately. "You're horny teenagers. You haven't known each other for your whole lives so you don't see one another as brother and sister. That's fine, be friends then. But you don't sleep with your stepbrother, Haley. You just don't."

Haley lets out another sob.

"I'm sorry." She cries. "I'm so sorry. I won't do it again."

I look at her, study her features, with a heavy sadness in my heart.

"But I know when you're lying to me, Haley. And the thing is even though you're saying you won't do it again, you will."

And then I rush to my room, lock the doors, and call my dad.

Kurt was gone by the morning.

He still hasn't come back.