“Like how I had to go to that party? Where I ended up in the pool?”
“Yeah, honestly. They sort of made it sound like you forced your way into it.”
“Do you seriously think I would force my way into that party? Nobody even wanted me there. You know me better than that.”
“I do. I sort of thought they were full of shit.”
“And that so-called job at the gym. I bet they made it seem like I was just tagging along with them, following them around.” Her head bobs up and down. “Does that make any sense, either?”
“No, I thought it was really weird.”
“What if I told you they’ve been setting me up all this time? They wanted to make it look like I was obsessed with them. Do you want to see what else they did? Honestly, this might be the most disgustingly brilliant part about the whole thing.” I stand up and lower my pants just enough for her to see the tattoo. “Now you tell me. Would I ever, ever get anything like this on my own?”
“What? No way!” She leans in, eyes going wide, her nose wrinkling. “You’re saying they gave you this? How?”
“They drugged me. Put it in my food and told me it was because they were having a party and didn’t want me getting in the way. But I got this, too. To make it look like I was totally obsessed with them.”
“I don’t get it, though. Why? Why go to all that trouble?”
This is it. This is where she either believes me or calls me a liar, and I know this was all a waste of time. I have to tell myself I can trust her. I need to.
“Remember, you don’t tell anybody about this.”
She gulps but nods, looking me straight in the eye.
So I tell her. I tell her all of it, even the parts I’m too ashamed to admit. All about James, all the awful things he made me do. From the hand around my throat in the hallway to that last night when he turned everything around on me.
And by the time I’m finished, we’re both crying. “I haven’t left this room except to get something to eat since I got here. You are the first person I’ve spoken to since that night. I can’t sleep. I don’t know what I’m going to do. I keep thinking they’re going to come back for me. I can’t believe it’s all over, even though I want it to be, so much. I want to go to the police, but I’m so fucking scared that no one will believe me.”
She doesn’t say anything for a long time, blowing her nose and wiping her eyes. Eventually, curiosity made it impossible for me not to blurt it out. “Do you believe me?”
“Yes, yes, of course, I do.” She throws her arms around me, and I stiffen in surprise at first. “I’m sorry. But I just feel like I have to hug you. I can’t believe you went through all of this alone. I am so, so sorry. You are the last person in the world to ever deserve something like what happened to you.”
I hardly hear most of what she says. The only thing that matters is she believes me. Finally, at last, somebody believes me.
But it isn’t long before the truth comes rushing back. I can’t avoid it. “You’re the only one who believes me.”
She pulls away, wiping her eyes again. “I know. They’ve done a really good job of making it look like you’re super obsessed. That tattoo is just, like, diabolical.”
“I know. And it’s not even the worst thing they’ve done.”
“But they can’t get away with it.”
“I know. I don’t want them to.”
“Do you have any proof at all? Anything?”
“I wish I did. James was really smart about making sure I didn’t have any, but he has things on me.” Even whispering his name makes me shudder in disgust. “At least I don’t have to see him anymore.”
“But god, we have to do something. Not that I’m trying to push you or anything like that,” she insists, “but it just doesn’t seem right for him to get away with this.”
“I know. I don’t want him to. He doesn’t deserve to.”
“Whatever you need, I’m here. I’ll help with whatever I can. You’re the best friend I ever had, and it’s my fault I forgot about that—but I’m going to make it right.”
I believe she means it. And for the first time in weeks, I have a little bit of hope to cling to.
CHAPTER36