ie's

pped out of the Mustang

king about," he replied just as

limbing from his own car. "Doe

d Ayden broke into laughter. Those two always kne

eck and tossed my

. For a while now, Sophie had been behaving

k's

bbed my attention; I found myself

girl with green eyes. Since those two kids hadn

etter. There was nothing flirtatious about the way she look

m, I just wasn'

ion shifted to a young man stepping out of the alley, glancing

I had bumped into earlier, the one who had bee

out among the crowd of teenagers celebrating like they always did at t

mething inside me urged me to walk in, but I felt pulled i

, and only a few paces later, I notice

dumpster, which was never discreet. Everyone passed this

I looked over, and my bl

the bare body of the gi

x's

nd I crumpled to the ground. I had no strength left

released me while getting dressed aga

nd my tears began to fal

woman could imagine. My body had been violated

round, thinking of nothing ex

ving after what had

dress myself. My body felt so batter

oment, I told myself as I clos

miserable life, a noise came from beside the trash can. I opened

d, clutching his head

him. I was half‑naked in front of him, unable to

he would leave as quickly as possible

can, my shaking grew worse. I

eard nothing except la

er, still unable to

k's

saw the state she was in, and I v

ould not touch her or comfort her

tting it several more times, just as a

and realized I could not leave her there,

in their direction. "Can

ng an issue?" he asked me,

e girl behind the trash bin, although I su

, and well, you know, she's young and it wouldn't be r

go somewhere else," he

said to them as I

It had been a close call, bu

eed Br

rprised as the guy

ff the sweater tied around his waist. "She won'

I'll pay you b

n is already a gift for me!

t could cover her a little when she walked throug

x's

nd underwear while he was talking, but I c

ng softly. "I have a sweater here, I could give it to y

to me. She would call my mom, and they would be so traumatized by what ha

ould I ever be able

ant me to, say so. I promise I won't do anything to you. I'm ju

o him. My god, let me die! Why did it have to

oing to take my eyes off you for a sing

hree, I heard him move toward me slowly

t's not easy given the circumstances, but I want to see y

that I feel like my bon

ently said, and I could se

you," he insisted. "I

for a moment, and I timidly opened my eyes, fully sinki

stepped a bit closer. "I'll help you put on the swe

entence. By that, he meant

d I could die

yes and look at me,

wanted to stay in the dark, I felt his gaze

, never breaking eye contact, and pulled the

ighten the sleeve, but I

s like this," he told me, clear

eye contact, an

up; it'll be easier fo

have to be him helping me get dressed a

r eyes. Look at

the sweater's sleeve

how to s

nd the wall while keeping his eyes fixed on mine. I knew he

tense, neutral gaze that

p, and before I realized it,

collapsed to my knees again, still unabl

k's

it the ground. Feeling her trembling and crying against

hat and walk away as i

lict so much sufferin

te a woman and leave wi

as I pulled the hoodie up a

her here, and even less that

d to take h

rled against my chest, crying, while I held back

torcycle?" I asked her as

o. At least she knew

one hand on her so she would not fall,

take off your hood." I

hidden beneath her long black hair. I reached out to fix her h

hen lifted her onto the Ducati, where she slipped he