Sandy ran as fast as she could to get back to her dorm, not wanting to see anyone. But just her luck, her eyes were blurred and she couldn't get her keys in the lock. From a distance Sandy could hear someone calling out for her.

"SANDY! SANDY HE'S GONE! WE DID IT!" Martin declared as he ran to her. "They arrested him."

"I ASKED YOU TO STOP...BUT NO, YOU KEPT FIGHTING HIM. DO YOU KNOW WHAT IT DID TO ME HAVING HIM SO CLOSE, REMEMEBRING WHAT HE DID TO ME. I COULD FEEL HIS TOUCH ALL OVER ME, MAKING MY SKIN CRAWL….JUST GO AWAY!" Sandy hollered.

Why won't he leave me alone? Hasn't he done enough? Sandy asked herself.

Opening the door, she went inside, only to have him follow her.

I didn't mean to do that to her. I thought she would have wanted him to feel pain after what he did to her. Martin thought to himself.

A sigh escaped Martin's mouth as he looked at her with forgiving eyes. "I'm sorry. I should have listened to you, but I couldn't let him get away, not after what he's done. But it's over now; the police have him in custody."

"GOOD! NOW LEAVE ME ALONE!" Sandy roared. Martin was getting on her last nerve with all the "I'm sorry" crap. All she wanted was to sit on her couch and wallow in the sorrow that had come over her.

Keeping her feelings inside was not the smartest thing in the world to do. To bottle up all your emotions and keep them locked up inside could make a person sick. She needed to confide in him, before her grief, sorrow, and heartache took over her, before she drove herself to a point of no return.

"Sandy, I know I probably brought back those memories, but please let me make it up to you." Martin offered. He was willing to do anything for her, anything to make her smile once more, to make her feel alive again, and not dead inside.

Doesn't he understand that nothing will make me feel better? It's sweet that he wants to help, and I appreciate it, but I will never get over this. Sandy thought to herself silently.

What she didn't get was why he cared so much. First he hates her and calls her names and then after something terrible happens he wants to be there? Men really were hard to understand.

"Why, Martin. He's gone; you don't have to be here." Sandy proclaimed

He stopped for to think for a moment and said, "Maybe I want to be." Did I just say that? Martin thought to himself in disbelief.

"Why? If this didn't happen, you wouldn't be here. You'd be somewhere else not even thinking about me."

What she said hurt, it hurt a lot. But some of it was partly true. He wouldn't be with her, but he would be thinking about her. "But I should have been. I was a complete jerk to you. And for that, I am truly sorry." Martin apologized.

"Martin, what if I never get over this? I don't wanna end up like those girls who jump at every little thing that comes near them. Afraid to even step out of their houses or be near real people, even people they once trusted." Sandy confided. That was her worst fear, never being able to live her life normally ever again.

"All the more reason for me to stay." Martin declared.

It wasn't Martins problem or responsibility to be there for her. He had a life; he didn't need to waste it. Because that is what he would be doing, wasting his time trying to help her get past the rape. She was a lost cause, a lost soul, no one could help her.

"No, Martin. This isn't your problem...it's mine." Sandy asserted.

What he didn't understand was why she didn't want help. Everyone needs a shoulder to cry on, someone to listen to them as they rant, and as they go through the emotions, be there with them, feeling all the same things, but somehow making it seem alright. If Martin was good at anything, it was helping people that had problems. God she is so stubborn. Martin thought to himself.

"Let me help you. I'm good at helping people." Martin replied with a kind and comforting voice.

Doesn't he have baseball? How is he going to have time for baseball, school, a job, and helping me. It's impossible. Sandy wondered.

The room fell silent, dead silent. Sandy looked up and her eyes connected with Martins. Those greenish-blue eyes, that when you stood in the bright sunlight, they looked hazel. If you stared long enough into his eyes, you could see the compassion, empathy, and the warmth that glowed. But when you looked into her eyes, it wasn't the same. When you looked into her eyes, you could see the agony, the misery, the torment, and the sorrow that deepened the sparkle in her eyes.

Breaking their eye contact, Sandy wiped her eyes and answered his question. "No Martin. I can't ask you to help me when you have a life, school, and baseball. It wouldn't be right if I did."

"First of all, baseball is in the spring, so we don't have to worry about that yet. Second, I'm good with my school work; all my assignments get turned in on time. Lastly, what kind of friend would I be if I let someone I knew suffer?" Martin informed her.

"Are you sure? Because I don't want you to do something you might regret." Sandy asked making sure that he wanted to do this.

Martin gave her that "yes I'm sure" look. He moved over to the couch and sat down. "Good. We don't have to talk all the time, only when you're up to it. Is there anything you wanna talk about now?" Martin inquired.

"No, I will be fine." Sandy lied. She wasn't gonna be ok...not for a while.

There she goes AGAIN…telling me she will be ok when I know she won't be. Does she really think that I'm that daft that I can't see she is lying to me? Martin thought to himself.

"I know that's not true. You can't just recover from something like that in a day." Martin stated.

Sandy looked over at him and said, "Please, just go." He finally left, leaving Sandy alone in her dorm to cry.

One week later

Martin was trying to help Sandy, but she kept pushing him away. He saw her on his way back from class; she looked like she had been crying a lot. "Sandy, are you okay?" Martin asked in a concerned voice.

"No, I'm not ok." Sandy cried. Her hair was pulled back in a messy bun with her bangs hanging down by her eyes. Tears began to form and slowly ran down her cheeks, which were turning red. "I haven't slept. I haven't eaten. I can't have people near me without jumping thinking it's him touching me again. I can't stop thinking about it. I just can't shake the feeling that he might come back again." Sandy said, crying harder. Please don't let him come back. She thought

Oh no…he felt so bad for her. "It's okay…he can't ever touch you or anyone else again. I promise no one will ever touch you or hurt you ever again. But you need to sleep; you can't be afraid of everyone. Don't let him take over your life...don't let him win." Martin urged her.

A single tear rolled down her face caressing her red, puffy, tear stained cheeks. Wiping her tear away, Martin whispered, "Don't cry."

"Don't...don't touch me." Sandy jumped back at the feel of his touch. "I can't have anyone near me without feeling what I felt that night. Nothing will ever be the same again, so stop saying it will. I haven't eaten, or slept in a week. Martin I can't close my eyes because as soon as I do I see his face, smiling at me, laughing at my screams and the fear in my eyes, knowing all along he was killing me inside… it's like he's haunting me." Sandy informed him.

By now his heart was breaking, breaking into a million pieces because she was in pain. If only he could take her pain out of her and place it into his own body so she didn't have to bare it anymore. "Maybe you should go to a support group for women who have been raped. Tell your story, and listen to others as well." Martin suggested. I just want to help her. Please give her some strength, she needs it right now. Please help me. Help me help her. Martin prayed silently.

Going to a support group wouldn't help her. She couldn't go there and tell a bunch of strangers how she was raped. It'd be too embarrassing. How could he even suggest that?

"No Martin, that won't help me, ok nothing will. All I want is to go home and deal with this my way. Now if you please, leave me alone." Sandy declared.

"No…Not if your way is starving yourself and depriving yourself of sleep. Not if your way is hurting you and making you sick, sicker than you already feel, and could ultimately deteriorate you into nothing. I understand you're scared, but you can't do this to yourself. Please. Just eat, sleep. What you're doing is unhealthy." Martin stated.

"I can't, okay? Please leave me alone..." Sandy requested and started to walk away.

"No…Sandy, stop. Please." Martin asked. He saw her start to cry, and even if she pushed him away, or slapped him, or made a scene, he didn't care. I need to help her. He thought.

Martin went over and pulled her into his arms, hugging her.

"No!" She screamed and broke down in his arms.

Maggie was on her way to the library when she saw Martin and Sandy hugging. Were her eyes deceiving her? Was she really seeing Martin and Sandy hugging? I thought they hated each other? Something is definitely going on, and I am going to find out what it is. Maggie thought to herself.

Martin turned and saw Maggie, quickly he let go of Sandy, and turned to face the blonde who seemed very confused, more so than normal.

"Oh…uh… hi Mags." Martin stuttered.

Sandy turned around and wiped her tears. She didn't want Maggie to know what had happened. Because if Maggie knew, chances were, so would a majority of the campus… Maggie could be considered a gossip. "Hey." Sandy greeted.

By now Maggie was suspicious. The way they quickly broke apart and the way they said hi, made her grow even more curious. "What's going on?" Maggie questioned her two friends.

They looked at each other, hoping that one would have an answer for her. Their minds went blank, but luckily for them Jason showed up. Oh thank God. They both thought.

"Hey guys." Jason exclaimed walking up to greet his friends.

Sandy hadn't seen Jason since that day that Martin blabbed. She didn't like being around him...she felt like Adam was there.

"Okay, what is going on here…someone better explain." Maggie demanded. She hated when people kept things from her.

"Nothing, ok Mag? Just chill." Martin quickly answered her.

"Mag just leave them alone..." Jason begged, looking down. I wonder how Maggie will take it when she finds out. Jason wondered.

Maggie just looked at Jason like "excuse me". "No…what is going on? Why are you hugging? And why is she crying?" Maggie demanded to know. She wasn't gonna give up until she knew what was going on.

"Mags… please stop." Martin begged. He didn't know how long it would be until Sandy snapped. Just by looking at Sandy he could see her beginning to get antsy and very nervous, but he tried to stay cool and collected so he could maybe calm her down.

"Yeah Mags… just stop." Jason chimed in. Why does she always have to keep nagging them?Can't she just mind her own business for once? Jason thought.

"No! Tell me!" Maggie yelled. She was desperate for information. What the hell is going on? It must be pretty big if they don't want me to know, right? She asked herself silently.

Sandy began crying harder. Why won't she stop? Doesn't she understand I don't want her to know? Please God make it stop…make it all stop. Sandy prayed.

Jason couldn't take it anymore. Maggie was always like this, and he hated it. She always needed to know everything about everyone's business. Not wanting to hear her go on and on, he slipped. "Maggie, stop. She was raped, alright?"

Maggie froze, her body stiffened. Whaa…what did he just say? Did he just say Sandy was raped? No he couldn't have…not Sandy.Maggie thought in disbelief. "What…oh no, Sandy. I'm so sorry." Maggie apologized as tears began to form.

"JASON…" Sandy yelled in anger. How could he…it wasn't his news to tell. Sandy thought as she ran to her dorm.

Martin looked at Jason and was furious. He couldn't believe how quickly Jason let it slip. "Good job Jason." Martin said sarcastically and ran after her.

Now Jason felt horrible. He had let his best friends down, all because he was getting annoyed with Maggie. Maggie felt guilty to. She felt horrible for pushing them to tell her. Why did she have to be like that? She often asked herself.

Sandy got to her dorm, went inside, and locked the door. Martin got there right after she locked it and knocked the door. "Sandy! It's Martin! Come on! Let me in!" Martin yelled.

"Go away. Please. Just go away." Sandy pleaded. She slid down the wall and cried. "Just please go away. No means no." She said, crying harder thinking about that night. God, I must have said no at least a hundred times. Why don't guys understand that no means no? She could still smell Adam's bitter, sickening, and vile cologne that he wore that night; she remembered it so well that she could taste it. The stench of his over sprayed cologne was enough to sicken anyone.

"Fine." Martin said giving up, and he finally left.