I really enjoyed writing this chapter immensely. I can't really explain why, but I did. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it! Comments please!

Chapter 11

12:58 PM

Neela opened her eyes slowly. She blinked a few times before she was able to focus her eyes on the digital clock beside the bed. She moaned, not believing that she had slept so late. She rolled over and ran her hands over the empty spot where Ray had been lying the night before. She could still smell him on the linens and she smiled.

Neela pulled the comforter more tightly around her, tucking it under her chin. Although she hated that she relied on him as she did, she also couldn't deny the fact that she enjoyed sleeping in his arms every night. There was something familiar about him, something that made her feel more comfortable than she had ever felt around any other man.

Realizing that she had things that had to get done, she pushed the comforter off her body and swung her legs over the edge of the bed. She stood, but instead of leaving Ray's room, she began to look around. Even though she had spent more time in his room in the last week than she had in all of the time that had been living together, she never really took the time to see what his room was like.

She walked around, stepping over piles of clothes that were on the floor. She started with his bureau, looking it over. Although it was cluttered, there was nothing unusual on the bureau. Ray had a few different kinds of hair products, from mousse to hair gel and hair spray. Neela knew that he didn't use the stuff as much anymore as he did when he was playing with his band. He had a package of gum and a container of breath mints, a few ripped ticket stubs from concerts he had been to, and a dozen boxes of matches from the bars he had played at with his band. She picked one up from the last bar that she had seen him play at. She remembered the show well. He truly was a good musician, but he was a better doctor.

Moving on, Neela looked at the three shelf bookshelf that Ray had in the corner of his room. He had a number of books about playing the guitar and how to properly take care of a guitar, but he also had books that surprised her. He had a leather-bound copy of the complete works of Shakespeare, as well as other literary classics by Charles Dickens, the Bronte sisters, and more. Neela had never realized that he had such an interest in books before.

As she picked up one of the books, her stomach growled. She put the book back and made her way out of his room. She took a quick trip to the bathroom to empty her full bladder and then went to the kitchen to see what was available to eat. She hadn't had much of an appetite since the incident, but she knew that she had to put something into her grumbling stomach.

Neela rummaged through the refrigerator, but it was mostly empty. Neither she nor Ray had felt much like grocery shopping, and since she wasn't in the mood for any heavy eating, it didn't matter. There was left over pizza wrapped in saran wrap that Ray had insisted they get earlier in the week, but Neela hadn't eaten any of it last time and it still didn't appeal to her.

Instead of the pizza, Neela simply grabbed a box of cereal from the cupboard and poured a small amount of it into a bowl. She looked in the refrigerator for some milk, but found none. She shrugged and decided to just eat the cereal without it. She carried the bowl into the living room, and began munching on the fruity cereal, using just her hands.

As she sat down with the cereal in one hand and the remote control in the other, there was a knock at the door. Neela looked back at the door as if it would magically open itself, but, of course, it didn't. She put the bowl of cereal down on the coffee table and went to the door. As always, she looked in the peep hole before opening the door.

"Abby," Neela said as she unlocked the door and swung it open. "Come on in."

Neela stepped aside as Abby walked in. Neela shut the door tightly behind her, and made sure to lock it once more. She had become keenly more aware of things like locks in the last week.

"Nice lunch," Abby remarked, looking at Neela's bowl of cereal.

"Yeah, well, I slept through breakfast so I figured I'd make up for it." Neela sat down on the couch in front of her cereal. "Want some?"

Abby sat beside her, but angled herself so that she was facing Neela.

"No thanks. I had some pasta for breakfast."

"Sounds yummy."

"Yeah, it was."

Neela popped a few pieces of the cereal in her mouth.

"So, to what do I owe the pleasure of your company?"

"Why didn't you tell me, Neela?" Abby asked.

"Tell you what?"

"Why didn't you tell me what happened to you?"

"What are you talking about?" Neela turned away from him, knowing exactly what she was talking about. She threw more pieces of cereal into her mouth, but the cereal suddenly tasted like nothing at all and she was no longer hungry.

"Neela, I know that you were raped."

"No."

Neela stood up and walked towards the kitchen. She had no particular destination, but she couldn't stand to sit on the couch and have the conversation that she knew Abby wanted to have.

"I know that it happened, Neela, you can't deny it," Abby said as she walked into the kitchen.

"Look, Abby, just forget it. I'm fine. Everything's fine."

"Not according to Ray."

Neela's face became hot with anger. "That wanker!"

"Don't blame him, Neela. He did what he thought was best. He was smart enough to realize that you need help."

"I'm fine!"

"You're not fine, Neela. Not sleeping and not eating is not fine."

"This is none of your business."

"I'm your friend, Neela, this is my business."

"I can take care of myself."

"Neela, I'm just trying to help."

"Well don't."

"That man is at County. He's there, Neela. He's right there. You can stop him from ruining your life. You can stop him from ruining someone else's life if you would just come forward. We'd all be behind you every step of the way. You wouldn't have to do it alone."

Tears sprang to Neela's eyes. "Don't you get it! I am alone! No one can do this but me! I have to be the one to stand up in court and tell the world that he raped me. I'm the one who has to face him!"

"But don't you want to? Don't you want to face him? Don't you want the chance to look him in the eye and tell him that he can't break you? Don't you want to tell him that he can't get away with this?"

"I just want it to be over."

"But it won't be over unless you face it."

"No, it won't be over if my so-called friends keep bringing it up. I'm fine, Abby, and I'm dealing with this the only way I know how. I would appreciate it if my friends would support me in that struggle."

"Neela, I…"

"Just go."

Abby sighed, knowing she had been defeated. She couldn't make Neela do anything that she didn't want to do.

"Just remember that I'm here if you need me," Abby said. She took one last look at Neela before walking out of the kitchen.

When Neela heard the front door close, her knees gave out and she fell to the floor, sobbing.