"I can't go in there," Alex insisted, voice and hands shaky. She was white as a sheet and Emily wasn't entirely certain she wasn't going to vomit.
"Alex, you have to – if you don't..." Emily warned.
"I know! But they're going to judge me, look at me like I'm some cheap whore who can't use a condom! I just can't walk in there and be strong under all their critical stares," she choked, sobbed.
"Okay," she soothed, "Okay. You don't have to – I'll go in." She gave a faint smile. "Are you going to be okay alone while I run in?"
She nodded. Then, when Emily opened the door, she reached over to wrap her fingers around her wrist. "Wait..." she begged, then faltered. "Why are you doing this?"
"Alex, I care about you," she said emphatically. "That's all that matters, okay?"
Emily paced up and down the pharmacy aisles impatiently as she waited for them to package up what she'd come for, feeling more and more anxious about leaving Alex alone for so long. She was startled by her phone ringing, knowing immediately it was Beth; guilt welled in her chest and she wasn't sure whether it was because she was keeping secrets from Beth or from Alex.
"You, umm, you didn't call..." Beth said by way of greeting when she answered. She sounded unsure of herself in a way Emily had never heard before.
"I'm so sorry, Beth," she murmured, genuine in her apology. "Something came up. Time kind of got away from me." She had fully intended to call her, but Alex had needed her and, of course, she'd dropped everything to be there for her because in spite of everything that had happened, she still loved her.
Her voice must've given something away because Beth asked, "Is everything okay, Em?"
"Fine," she lied, certainly not about to tell her the truth. "I just had to help a friend. I meant to call, but..."
"No, it's okay, I get it," Beth promised. "Bros before hoes, right?"
Emily laughed, albeit weakly. "Just add it to the list of things to make up for." Just then, the pharmacist called her name, brandishing the little paper bag. "I've gotta go, but I'll call you when I get a chance," she promised, unsure exactly when that would be.
Emily slipped back into the car, wordlessly handing Alex the paper bag and a bottle of water, then driving off. The car was silent for a long time, until it was broken by quiet sobs. Emily whipped her head around, slamming on the brakes, making the car behind her honk. "What's wrong?" she asked, voice warbling with concern.
Sniffling, she held up the peanut butter cups Emily had gotten her. "You remembered..." she mumbled.
"Of course I remember your favourite feel better remedy – you're my girlfriend." There was a moment of awkward silence before she realized what she'd said. "I mean..." She sighed, shook her head. "Sorry."
Alex didn't comment.
"Are you sure you won't go to the hospital?" Emily asked softly. "I know you showered, but there might still be evidence..."
Alex gave a high-pitched incredulous laugh. "I couldn't even go into the pharmacy, you really think I can just go to the hospital and let someone examine me?"
"I know it's difficult, but if you don't do this now, if you go to the police they won't have any evidence to prosecute him," she urged. She could see the way Alex blanched and knew she was getting overwhelmed. "Okay, okay, one step at a time..."
Alex shut the front door as quietly as possible, intending to tiptoe upstairs and lock herself in her room until Monday. She was still rather shaken from her experience at the hospital and she had absolutely no desire to face anyone in her family, knowing they'd ask questions she couldn't – or wouldn't – answer.
But before she could get three steps inside, Scott spotted her from where he was leaning over the stair bannister, apparently waiting for her. He shot her a smug grin, then shouted, "Mom, Alex is home!"
"Damn it, Scott!" Alex hissed, throwing her shoes to the floor as her temper flared.
"Was your sneaking in supposed to be a secret?" he taunted, as if he didn't know.
She shot him a glare and a middle finger, just as their mother entered the room. "Alexandra, we need to talk..."
Smirking, Scott scuttled out of the room, maintaining eye contact with his sister the entire time, visibly gloating over having gotten her in trouble.
The moment he was out of earshot, Eleanor demanded, "Where have you been all day?"
"Out," she answered flatly.
"That's not an answer. You didn't come down for breakfast this morning – you obviously didn't sleep in your bed. You didn't call, didn't tell anyone where you were going, and now you show up without a word of explanation and wearing someone else's clothes, by the way... You'd better start talking, Alexandra."
"I slept over at a friend's house, she lent me some clothes," she lied, "It's not a big deal." (In truth, Emily had lent her some clothes after she'd thrown up in the hospital waiting room from an overabundance of nerves.)
Her mother sent her a frosty glare. "I won't tolerate this kind of disrespectful attitude – your behaviour lately..."
"God, Mom, give me a break!" Alex interrupted. "Did you ever stop to think that maybe I'm going through something right now!?"
Her mother seemed too stunned to say anything, mouth hanging open slightly, just long enough for Alex to realize she'd made a mistake, but the words kept spilling forth, seemingly beyond her control.
"You treat me like I'm still a child, but I'm not! I've got real problems and you don't care at all because you're too busy trying to control me!" she shouted. "Maybe that's why I never tell you anything!"
"Alexandra Claire Miller, you cannot talk to me like this!" Eleanor scolded.
"Shut up, Mom! Just shut up!" Alex cried out. Then, without stopping to wait for a reaction, she ran upstairs and slammed her bedroom door behind her.
She fell to her knees, sobbing uncontrollably, until she was struggling to breathe.