Total pages in book: 130
Estimated words: 119230 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 596(@200wpm)___ 477(@250wpm)___ 397(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 119230 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 596(@200wpm)___ 477(@250wpm)___ 397(@300wpm)
I spin on her, sending a scathing glare her way as I bring up the text I’ve read over a million times since yesterday. Clearing my throat, I recite it for her, just so we’re both clear on what the fuck is going down right now. “What the fuck, Brielle? You had your new boyfriend beat the shit out of Colby? What a low fucking blow. I told you he didn’t do it and now look at what you’ve done,” I start, meeting her stare to see nothing but guilt and anger shining back at me. “Those rich assholes are changing you. Where’s your fucking loyalty? He was just going there to talk to you because you keep skipping out on his texts. It’s one thing to humiliate him for cheating on you, but this? Really, Brielle? You’re not who I thought you were.”
“Bri—”
“No,” I cut her off, ignoring the sound of Tanner’s bike as he screeches down the road. I can’t get distracted now, this is too important. “You had absolutely no right to say any of that to me. I told you what he did, Erica. I told you how he hurt Tanner’s sister, how he drugged her, how he held her down and fucking raped her, and you have the fucking audacity to take his side on this.”
“This isn’t about what he did to that girl, it’s about what you allowed to happen to him at the stupid Bradford party with all your stupid new friends.”
“Are you hearing yourself?” I yell at her. “You weren’t even there. You have no idea how it went down, which could only mean that you’ve been talking to Colby, and he’s been feeding you bullshit lies.”
“He hasn’t.”
“Really?” I scoff. “Did he tell you how he grabbed me, how he dug his fingers in and when I tried to pull away, he told me if I wasn’t careful, he’d fucking rape me next? No, I bet he skipped over those little details, didn’t he? Look at me, Erica. Look at my arms,” I demand, pointing out the scratches and bruises that mar my skin. “All of this is from Colby. I didn’t do this to myself. That’s the asshole you’re defending right now, and honestly, I really can’t believe that you are. You’ve seen the messages he’s been sending me.”
“I know, I just … you shouldn’t have let your boyfriend hurt him. That was uncalled for.”
I gape at her, unable to believe what I’m hearing. “Colby came onto our turf. He came to a Bradford party looking to hurt me. He assaulted me in front of the whole senior class, so whether Tanner was there or not, whether he hurt Addison or not, he was going to get his ass handed to him, and rightfully so.”
She looks away from me, guilt heavy in her eyes.
“Are you serious right now?” I question. “You said in your message that I’m not who you thought I was, but honestly, Erica, you’re the stranger right now. You’re defending Colby. What if that had been me who he raped and left in a coma? Would you be defending him then? What if it was your little brother who’d been hurt? What if—” I let my sentence trail off, hating that she won’t even look at me. “Am I missing something? Is there something you’re keeping from me? This doesn’t make sense. You shouldn’t be defending him like this.”
“I’m not defending him, I’m just … you’re turning your back on everything. Colby is our star player and you let your boyfriend beat him senseless. Where’s your loyalty—”
“COLBY RAPED HIS FUCKING SISTER, ERICA,” I yell, the wild rage burning up inside of me. “He should be rotting in a fucking prison. How can you not see that? The beating Tanner gave him wasn’t even a portion of what he deserves. The asshole drugged her, held her down, and stripped her bare while she screamed through the phone for Tanner to save her. Colby fucking laughed while he raped her and then left her for fucking dead. Can’t you—”
“THAT’S NOT HOW IT HAPPENED,” she fires back at me. “THAT BITCH TOOK THOSE DRUGS HERSELF. SHE KNEW WHAT SHE WAS DOING.”
My eyes bug out of my head, my jaw dropping as I watch Erica realize what the fuck she just said. She shakes her head, her eyes widening and beginning to flick around, desperate to start backtracking. “No, no,” she rushes out, her hands flying up as if to express her innocence. “That’s not what I meant. She just—”
“You were there,” I say, bile rising in my throat. “You and Colby. You were both in on this.”
“No,” she rushes out. “I swear, I didn’t know he was going to hurt her. We just wanted to take a few pills and she was down so Colby gave her some. I … I didn’t know he—”