I don’t remember any of it.
There’s a crudely put together message on the last page.
“Looks like the infamous party girl had a little too much fun last night. I wonder how Sarah will feel about you after seeing this?”
I slump down onto the floor.
I was drugged and raped. I would have never willingly gone to bed with my best friend’s boyfriend, even if they were broken up. Nor would I have consented to sex with four strangers at once.
I was raped.
But how do I prove that?
Tears sting my eyes when I realize I can’t.
I could go to the clinic and have them run a blood test, but all that would prove is that I have alcohol and drugs in my system. No one will be surprised by that. My choices since starting college have made sure of that.
What have I done?
Sarah
It’s been exactly four days and I haven’t heard from Daniel at all. He’s not responding to texts or my phone calls.
I’ve been ghosted.
I can’t sleep and can barely eat. I just want him to talk to me.
I love him and these past few days have been torture without him. I just want to tell him I’m sorry for whatever it is that I did that caused him to leave me like this.
I’m walking to class when out of nowhere, there he is, standing in front of me with flowers.
“Daniel!” I exclaim. I want to rush and hug him, but I hold back, fearing that he’s still angry and has decided to break up with me, but doesn’t know how to tell me. “Where have you been?”
I feel scrutinized by his gaze. My heart beats faster as he looks at me. I can’t tell by the blank expression on his face what he’s thinking. I just know I don’t want to lose him.
“I was really hurt and thought I needed some time to heal my heart before I saw you again,” he says handing me the flowers. They’re a mixture of all of my favorites and I love them.
“I’m sorry!” I exclaim and reach up to give him a hug. I kiss him, long and hard, pouring out all of my pent-up longing and regret into the kiss. My eyes well with tears of empathy for the pain I must have caused him. “I’m sorry for hurting you and making you feel as though I don’t care about you. I do! I think I was just afraid of getting hurt myself when you leave in December.”
“I’ve been thinking about that too,” he says, setting me away from him and taking a slight step back.
My heart beats faster in anticipation of the pain to come. He’s about to break up with me.
“I don’t want to leave you behind when I go to Texas,” he announces.
“You don’t?” My heart almost stops.
“No,” he says, falling down on one knee in front of me and opening a box with a massive diamond ring inside. “Sarah Kennedy will you marry me?”
I’m shocked and overwhelmed and giddy. The man of my dreams wants to marry me.
“But … but what about school?” I stammer.
“You can transfer. With your grades, that shouldn’t be a problem. We can start our lives together. We will have a wonderful life. A perfect life. I love you, Sarah and I don’t ever want to spend another day without you, please say yes.”
My eyes tear up, my stomach flips and my cheeks are filled to bursting with excitement and happiness.
“Yes!” I say and rush into his arms. “Yes!”
Daniel
I smile as I think about last night and my revenge on Julianna. That bitch didn’t know who she was dealing with.
One thing I know for sure is that she won’t remember what exactly happened, but those photos will provide all the information she needs regarding her seemingly willing participation in last night’s events.
First with me, then with four of my very willing students.
She should have received the envelope and opened it by now.
I smile as envision her reaction to seeing the photos.
Julianna’s partying ways have made sure she was the perfect victim. No one will believe she did not willingly get drunk, take drugs and have sex with all five of us.
I am a genius.
Everything I want is falling into place. I will have the woman of my dreams and we will have the perfect life together once I get her away from all of these distractions and her so-called friends.
It’s been exactly four days since I last saw Sarah. I have been ignoring her calls and texts. I’ve purposefully avoided anywhere I may run into her.
There were two reasons for this. First, I needed to reign her in and let her know who’s running this relationship and second, I needed to give an air of truth to my story she’d broken up with me so Julianna would fall into my trap.
I didn’t even respond to her emails.
I don’t enjoy punishing her this way, but she needs to learn her lesson. Who am I kidding? I enjoy it immensely. The thought of her desperate to reach me but can’t sends a thrill through my veins.
She needs to realize where her loyalties should lie.
I’m planning on surprising her this morning as she’s walking to class. I like surprises and I believe this one will be one to remember. I’ve ordered her favorite bouquet from the florist near campus and am pleased with how nice they look.
Everything must be perfect.
“Daniel!” she smiles but holds back. She’s gaging how I will respond to her since I’ve been ignoring her for four days. “Where have you been?”
“I was really hurt and thought I needed some time to heal my heart before I saw you again,” I tell her and hesitate before handing the flowers to her. Roses, peonies, lilac and baby’s breath mingle together in a purple, pink and white bloom. They are tied together with a white satin ribbon and I can tell by the expression on her face that she loves them.
“I’m sorry!” she says, reaching up and hugging me. “I’m sorry for hurting you and making you feel as though I don’t care about you. I do! I think I was just afraid of getting hurt myself when you leave in December.”
“I’ve been thinking about that too,” I admit and gently set her away from me. “I don’t want to leave you behind when I go to Texas.”
“You don’t?”
“No.” I get down on one knee. I pull the box from the pocket of my blazer and open it, showing the three-carat emerald cut moissanite I bought for her. It looks like a diamond, but is a fraction of the cost. She’ll never know.
“Sarah Kennedy will you marry me?”
The look on her face tells me I’ve surprised her. Pleasantly so.
“But what about school?” she asks me. Oh sweet, Sarah, school is not a priority for you. You just don’t know that yet. You will be a wife to me and the mother to our children. But I cannot say that to her now. I need to get her on board with this marriage and move to Texas.
“You can transfer. With your grades, that shouldn’t be a problem. We can start our lives together and have a wonderful life. I love you, Sarah and I don’t ever want to spend another day without you, please say yes.”
I can see tears forming in her eyes. She loves me. She smiles as one single tear slips down her perfect cheek.
“Yes!” she says, rushing into my arms. “Yes!”
Sarah
I can’t believe I’m getting married. I stare at my reflection in the mirror as I’m about to leave for the wedding rehearsal and everything feels so surreal.
Twelve weeks ago, I started my sophomore year of college. I had no boyfriend, no real social life except for hanging out with my two roommates and now, weeks later, I’m about to marry the man of my dreams.