tw: heavy mentions of sexual assault, mentions of abuse

please use reader discretion

Ophelia was left alone on the floor, crying.

There had been glass scattered on the floor from when Montgomery suddenly stood up and broke the cup he had been using. Ophelia cleaned it, slowly, while she remembered everything that had taken place that night.

The night that was supposed to be amazing.

It was Liberty's Homecoming night, and she had been so excited to see everyone again. But everything went so sour so quickly. First, Zach got along with none of her new friends. Then Jessica convinced her to storm the field for her HO club, and got mad at her for ditching early.

Then Zach got his leg broken. Ophelia would never forget his scream, and the panic she felt in her heart as she ran to him.

The stupid hospital wouldn't let her see him, so she had walked home and then...Montgomery showed up. Montgomery walked her home. And she allowed him in her house.

And he forced his hands on her. He forced his lips on her.

Ophelia cringed. She threw the glass into the trash and as she picked it up, grabbing it with bare hands. She felt pricks at the edge of her fingertips, but she tried her hardest to ignore them.

The physical pain she felt was numb compared to her emotional turmoil.

She felt her skin throbbing everywhere he had grabbed her. Her mind was playing tricks on her, convincing her it wasn't just bruising, it was him still holding onto her.

What was she going to tell Zach?

That's what bothered her the most out of everything. Zach had been so patient with her in every way. She had been so busy, they hardly spent time together in the last week. How could she explain making this time for Montgomery instead of staying at the hospital?

Ophelia adjusted her leg on the ground, only to hiss in pain. She looked down to notice a small pool of blood on the floor. She nearly forgot she had fallen, and sliced part of her ankle.

She reached over her counter and grabbed a napkin off her table, and placed it over the cut. It didn't look deep, and the pain wasn't too bad. It was like when she nicked herself while shaving her legs in the shower. Blood gushing from such a small wound.

She realized quickly that the napkin would not work. She stood, sniffling, and grabbed the first aid kit off her kitchen counter.

As she bandaged herself, she felt so angry. But only at herself. How had she been so stupid to trust Montgomery again?

Every time she gave him an ounce of trust he...he did stuff like that.

She still felt his lips on her. And the fiery pain as his nails had dug into her head, holding her still so he could use her for his own pleasure.

Ophelia stopped what she was doing, and held her head in her heads, letting out a loud sob.

It was supposed to be such a good night.

Her head snapped up, suddenly, and she heard glass shatter. She looked around her kitchen quickly, nothing had fallen.

She stood up, and winced. Her ankle hurt a little more now.

She looked ahead, and realized her front door stood unlocked, not touched since Montgomery had slammed it shut. She hurried to it, suddenly paranoid.

But she stopped when she heard the breathing. Heavy breathing. Like someone was completely out of breath. It was from just outside the door.

She locked the door quickly, and spared a glimpse out the peephole.

The alcohol bottle Montgomery grabbed before leaving was smashed on her porch. Montgomery himself, sitting right in front of the door.

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"And how long have you fucking known?!"

Zach didn't touch Justin, but his words alone felt like a slap to the face.

Justin felt like the wind was being knocked out of him as he heard his friend's accusations.

"Known? I didn't know anything," Justin snapped at him. "I don't even think that's true!"

Ophelia had ran away. She literally ran away after telling Zach that she cheated on him, and that she wanted to break up with him.

She left Justin standing confused beyond belief as he tried to piece together what the hell just happened.

Zach was also confused. But more than that, he was angry. He was fucking furious.

At Ophelia. And at Justin, who he suddenly believed knew about Ophelia cheating on him.

"Bullshit!" Zach seethed loudly. He was gripping his crutches so tightly he felt his fingertips digging into the handles. "You were telling her to tell me. I fucking heard you! What the fuck!?"

Justin frowned, and snapped back, "I didn't know she was going to say that!"

"Then what the fuck did you think she was going to say?"

Before Justin could answer, Zach suddenly raised his right hand crutch over his head, and slammed it on the ground. His anger was obvious, and violent. So violent the handle of the crutch cracked.

"What the fuck did she tell you?"

Justin saw a look in Zach's eye that he had never seen before. Not since Ophelia was still with Montgomery the first time. And not since he first heard the tapes. It looked like Zach wanted to hurt him. But Zach didn't hurt people, right?

But even if he did, Justin wasn't scared. He'd been hurt by far more dangerous people before.

"I can't tell you-"

"Fuck you, Justin!"

Justin was surprised at the pain in his voice.

"What the fuck are you talking about? Why the fuck did you bring me out here? For my fucking girlfriend to tell me she was cheating on me and-and for her to fucking break up with me?"

Justin stepped back as Zach came closer.

"I don't think she broke up with you," Justin tried. "I mean-not really. She's upset about something. Fucking Monty probably said something-"

"When?" Zach snapped. "When the fuck was she talking to him?"

Justin suddenly shouted, "Calm down, Zach! You know she didn't fucking cheat on you!"

But, suddenly, Zach wasn't sure. What if she did cheat on him? What if she slept with Montgomery?

Anger built inside him thinking of the two of them in an intimate, sexual situation.

He recalled the night she went to Scott's party. Scott kissed her on the cheek, and she did nothing to stop him. If Montgomery tried kissing her, would she be just as passive? Would she even tell him no?

Homecoming night. When his football future was ruined. Did Ophelia ruin their future the same night?

"Where the fuck is Montgomery?" Zach seethed.

Justin looked towards the field, squinting. "I-I don't know. He's not out there."

Zach spat, "Why the fuck would Ophelia say that? She knows how fucking-"

Zach stopped, and let out a loud angry yell. She knew how much Montgomery got to him. Even if she was lying, he would still be fucking angry at her for making him think something like that.

"I honestly have no fucking idea," Justin admitted.

Justin was worried. Ophelia was nervous, but willing to tell Zach she was pregnant. Whatever Montgomery said to her must have scared her.

He wondered, suddenly, if it had something to do with what they had been arguing about the day she fainted. Justin realized he hadn't even thought back to that conversation. Clay was sure Montgomery did something to Ophelia.

Justin cringed. Maybe she had been hurt in some way after all.

"Tell me what's up with her then? What do you know?"

"I..." Justin was at a loss for words. "I can't tell you. I'm sorry."

Zach scoffed. "Fuck you, Justin!"

Zach turned back to the locker room. Scared he was going to find Montgomery, Justin tried to grab onto him. "Wait-"

Zach turned around and hit him with his crutch, pushing him off.

His shove hurt Justin. It put pain in his shoulders.

"You tell me what happened, or you stay the fuck away from me!"

Just had never seen sweet Zach Dempsey so angry before. But Zach had never been so heartbroken before.

"Where are you going?" Justin demanded to know.

"I'm getting my keys, and I'm going to Ophelia's house to find out what the fuck is going on."

"She's not gonna let you in," Justin said. "Her crazy ass mom won't either."

Zach turned back so abruptly Justin flinched.

"You better fucking swear to me now that you have no idea what the fuck she was talking about," Zach seethed. "Tell me you didn't know Ophelia fucking-" Zach stopped himself. He didn't want to keep thinking about it. It drove him insane.

"I had no idea," Justin told him, honestly. He added, "And I don't even think it's true."

But Zach couldn't think rationally in that moment. He was too heartbroken to.

Zach scoffed, and turned away from him again.

"I'll fucking find that out myself."

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"Jesus fucking Christ."

Justin looked around his room, shocked to find everything torn apart.

He had barely gotten home from school, and already he was thrown into a new situation of chaos.

It looked like someone threw everything on the floor. And, yes, that was something Justin often did. But it seemed Clay was responsible this time.

"What the fuck?" Justin questioned, wondering what could possibly have led him to do this.

Clay was sitting on his bed, staring at him.

He stood to his feet, abruptly, and pulled something out of his pocket before slamming it on the bed.

Justin's eyes widened. It was a bottle of pills. Justin's pills. Addictive, harmful pills he was not supposed to have.

"Yeah, what the fuck?" Clay yelled.

Justin made a move to grab them, but Clay just palmed it and shoved it back into his pocket.

Shit. This is not what Justin fucking needed at the moment.

"You went through my fucking shit?" he asked, angrily.

Clay scoffed. "Let's skip the righteous anger and fast forward to the part where you explain why you have an Oxy prescription in the name of Bryce Walker."

"Fuck!" Justin hissed. It was really, really not what he fucking needed at the moment. "Okay, look, Clay-"

"Are you using again?"

"No!"

But that wasn't the truth. Justin Foley had been a drug addict, and in his mind, he would always be a drug addict. Whether he wanted to be or not.

Clay got him clean after he lived on the streets as a homeless teen. And that's why Justin had kept his drug use a secret. Not that he could help it. His mom's ex boyfriend, Seth, had confronted Justin for the money he stole from him the year before. He forced Justin to sell drugs for him in order to pay it off.

And being around drugs for that long, and having such a large supply...

Justin didn't know if he ever would have stood a chance actually staying clean.

But he couldn't let Clay know he was using. It would be too much for him. He didn't deserve that betrayal after everything his family had done for Justin.

"I don't believe you," Clay told him, knowing his tricks.

Justin tried to say again, "I'm-I'm not! Jesus, Clay. I swear!"

Clay shook his head. "You told me that the last time you saw Bryce was at the end of the summer. This prescription is from a month ago. You guys stayed in contact. He sold these to you, didn't he?"

No, he didn't sell them. Bryce gave those pills to Justin for free, because he wanted Justin to get off heroin. Not that it mattered. He would never be off everything. He would never be completely clean.

"You've got it all wrong." Justin was quickly trying to think of an excuse.

"Then explain it to me!" Clay demanded. "Where did you find the pills?"

Justin blurted, "At his house!"

Clay huffed. "What?"

Justin stuck with the story. "It was during Bryce's funeral. You saw me go upstairs, remember? With Ophelia, to his room?"

"Don't lie to me," Clay snapped at him.

"I'm not! I took them out of his bathroom. That's-That's why I was acting so weird. But I'm telling you, it was just that once."

Clay's shoulder dropped, and he was suddenly less defensive.

"It was just once?"

"Yes!" Justin told him. "Bryce was dead, and when I went into his room I felt fucked up. And alone. But that was it."

Clay gulped. He felt the pills in his pocket.

"And Ophelia saw you take them?"

Justin cringed.

Shit. He didn't think this plan through. Ophelia was in the bathroom the whole time, she knew he hadn't gone in there alone.

But he tried lying again anyway.

"I don't think so. I swiped them when she turned away."

Clay hesitated. "And if I asked her?"

Justin suddenly imagined Clay bringing up his drug use in from of Ophelia. She would be so upset. And it would just stress her out even more.

And, honestly, he knew she would look at him different.

She would looked at him the way she used to when Bryce was still around. As a trouble maker. A junkie. He was better to her now. And she was one of the only people that saw him as better than he was. He didn't want to lose that image.

"Don't," Justin said, quickly. "She's got too much shit to deal with right now."

Clay seemed to freeze, before cursing himself.

"Yeah. Fuck. You're right." Justin saw a hidden emotion in his eyes. "So I just have to trust you're clean?"

"Yes," Justin insisted.

He caught onto Clay's hesitation on the topic of Ophelia. He was reminded of the day she fainted, and how upset Clay had been. He realized now Clay hadn't spoken about the incident since.

Clay asked, quietly, "So...how is she?"

"Ophelia?"

Clay just nodded. "How was she? At the hospital? When she got home?"

Justin shook his head. "I don't know, man. She's got a lot of shot to deal with right now. Plus, her fucking mom. God, that woman is a bitch."

Clay sent him a sharp look.

"What?" Justin said, defensively. "I'm the one who had to sit back and watch Ophelia get yelled at for fainting. Like it was her fault."

Clay wrinkled his nose in disgust. "I'm met her. She's...a lot."

"I know fucked up moms, Clay. Thats a fucked up mom."

Justin winced as he thought of his own biological mother. She used to scream at him worse than Ophelia's mother yelled at her. But she would say the same things.

"I'm sure she's just over protective because of everything that happened last year."

Justin wasn't so sure. "That's not how moms are supposed to be. It's not fair to end up with a mom like that."

It wasn't fair to be promised unconditional love from parents, and then to not receive it.

"I'm sure it'd be hard to understand everything we go through," Clay said, recalling how confusing it was for his parents during the trial. "I'm sure she's trying."

Justin scoffed, "Maybe if she tried a little harder Ophelia wouldn't have had to get involved with someone like Monty in the first place."

Ophelia hadn't received verbal appraisal for most of her life. So it was easy to cling to a man so loud and confident in his affections.

Justin had a hard time thinking of Montgomery as a bad person. Because Montgomery was one of his best friends for such a long time. Montgomery did bad things, but Justin didn't want to see him as just a bad man.

But his cruel actions never stopped. And it seems they just kept getting worse and worse.

"Clay..." Justin wondered how to bring it up. "What happened between Ophelia and Monty?"

Clay's eyes slightly widened.

Justin continued, "What did you keep trying to accuse him of?"

He saw Clay bite his tongue, and exhale loudly. "I shouldn't know. And I can't tell you."

Justin groaned. "You were so fucking ready to tell me the other day."

Clay said, immediately, "That was a mistake. I didn't realize how fucked up it was for me to bring it up until she passed out-"

"-fainted-"

"-until she fainted. I regret causing that so...I promised myself I wouldn't tell anyone. It's up to her."

Justin felt powerless.

"Well, who else knows what happened?"

"I don't know," Clay said, honestly. "I just heard her telling Tyler, that's it."

"Tyler? The fuck? She hates him."

Clay nodded. "Well, they both hate Montgomery more."

Justin frowned. He shook his head, slowly. "You know what? I believe that. And it's fucking scary."

Clay tried to say, "Tyler isn't going to-"

"No," Justin said. "I-I mean I believe she hates Monty. I could see it on her face the day of Bryce's funeral."

"Why wouldn't she hate Montgomery?" Clay questioned.

Justin sighed.

"She should. That's the thing, she should hate him. Because of all that shit he did but...she just never did. She never hated him. She said she didn't think she could. After everything with Hannah, and like, hitting her and shit. Even after we found those polaroids taken of her unconscious with her shirt off, she didn't hate him."

"I'm sure she does," Clay said again.

Justin groaned, "That's not what I'm saying! I know she does! But..."

Justin recalled all the events of last year, and compared them to what happened so far in their senior year, and everything that happened since Ophelia came back.

Last year was far, far worse.

As far as Justin knew.

"She didn't hate him then. Now she does. So what the fuck could he have done on Homecoming night that was worse than all the shit that happened before?"

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Ophelia stared out the window, her phone in hand.

She considered calling the police. She should. Montgomery deserved to be hauled off to jail while drunk.

She even picked up her phone to do it. She should call Deputy Standall, and watch as Montgomery was handcuffed and thrown in the back of a police car.

But as she raised her phone, and she caught the time, she felt another pit in her stomach.

She left the hospital almost two hours ago. She felt guilt enrich her as she realized she left Zach alone for so long. All for what? A conversation with Montgomery? Because she wanted to make him feel better about himself? Because she wanted to end things with him on a good note after everything?

What the fuck was wrong with her? Why couldn't she see just how fucking manipulative he was?

And just as she was reminding herself how easily he could manipulate her, he managed to do it again.

She heard it faintly at first, and then it slowly became more sound.

Montgomery began crying in her porch. The sound she heard so rarely, but also so recently.

Ophelia hated him.

Ophelia felt like she hated him.

But her heart ached as she heard his despair.

It was her mind that despised him, but her heart that still felt called to nurture him.

So she gave him sympathy one, last time.

Ophelia placed her phone in the pocket, the police no longer on her mind.

She took a deep breath, and headed upstairs, hoping he would be gone by the time she left back for the hospital.

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Montgomery couldn't help but smile as he realized Zach had missed practice again.

He had seen him that day, looking sad, and a bit angry. He also noticed Ophelia wasn't at school.

He put things together in his mind quickly. They were fighting for some reason. He would love to know what the reason was, so that maybe he could fuel it more in the future.

Montgomery was in a good mood that day, for other reasons as well.

The night before, he drove down to the docks. It was about a mile past where Bryce had been murdered. But since that murder, no other people had been in the area.

And he had met someone there. Someone that gave him a good time.

Montgomery hadn't planned on calling Winston back after Homecoming night. But Winston had called him. And he always spoke so insistently, and so seductively. It reminded Montgomery of the older girls that had gone after him while he was still fourteen.

Montgomery recalled his first time seeing Winston. He had received a blowjob from him at a Hillcrest party while hidden away in an upstairs room.

Montgomery also recalled feeling hatred towards that boy the first time he touched him. But his small physique and willing submissiveness gave him an arousal he couldn't control.

Had it not been for Ophelia's lack of sexuality at the end of their relationship, Montgomery wondered if he would have ever been intimate with a man like that. He knew it was something that attracted him, but he had been so desperate to touch only woman he never would've considered it otherwise. But Ophelia had been so fucking stubborn in their last few months together. And after Hannah died, she refused to fuck him, or even give him a hand job. So when Winston had came up to him at the party, and got on his knees in front of him, Montgomery felt desperate lust. Especially as the boy was so eager to please him.

Montgomery still refused to acknowledge himself as gay. He wasn't, in his mind. He wasn't gay, he wasn't bisexual, he was straight. He just used Winston to get off.

Montgomery didn't suck Winston's dick, he didn't even touch him like that. He didn't try to please him at all. Winston seemed to be okay with that, surprisingly. He was okay with Montgomery fucking him, and then not returning the favor.

But that was all Montgomery wanted anyway.

There was a sound that brought Montgomery out of his thoughts. Justin dropped one of the hand weights onto the ground. He hissed in pain as his muscle ached, and he sat onto the weight lifting bench.

Montgomery chuckled at his struggle. He walked over to him, still smiling.

"Need a spotter?"

Justin looked up, and rolled his eyes. "Yeah, not from you."

"Man, your boy Clay is in some shit," Montgomery chuckled.

Just that morning, it was announced that Clay Jensen was officially a person of interest in Bryce Walker's murder. It made Montgomery happy to know that Clay was in such stressful times after all the shit he caused the other day.

"Hey," Montgomery laughed. "Clay in shit. He should change his name to shit."

Justin just stared at Montgomery for a moment before breathing, "Dude, you are so fucking stupid."

There was a bead of sweat running down Justin's forehead that gave him a chill. He flicked it off.

Montgomery turned his head, noticing how pale Justin looked that day.

"You feeling alright? You look kinda sick."

And Montgomery knew exactly what it was from.

He leaned forward, and asked, lowly, "Did your boy find your stash?"

Justin bolted up immediately, pushing Montgomery back. "What the fuck do you know about it?"

Montgomery continued laughing. "I pay attention."

After Ophelia went to the hospital, Clay had gone back to school to confront Montgomery again. He threatened him with jail for Homecoming night, while refusing to say what he knew.

So he told Clay about seeing Justin taking pills from his empty can of shaving cream. That sure shut that little white kid up.

"It's got me wondering," Montgomery continued, finding Justin's anger to be humorous, "What of Brycey found out you were using again? So you and Shit took him out?"

Justin scoffed. "You know, Clay thinks you did it."

Montgomery laughed. "No, he doesn't."

Justin frowned. "You're so sure? Is it because he knows what you were actually doing that night?" Justin's mind flashed again to Ophelia. "What you did with Ophelia?"

Montgomery tsked. "Clay's just desperate. It's not like he's got anything. He's got crazy theories, but no proof."

Justin glared at him now. "And what exactly does he think you did?"

Montgomery was looked confused, before suddenly laughing. "What, he still won't tell you? Maybe it's because he knows what he's saying is bullshit."

"If it's bullshit, why don't you tell me?" Justin challenged.

There was a protective edge to Justin's voice. Montgomery took note of if.

"What the fuck were you saying to her the other day?" Justin snapped.

Montgomery chuckled again, and shrugged. "We were just talking, Justy."

"Bullshit," he seethed. "You scared her."

There was never a bond between Justin and Ophelia, not one Montgomery knew of. So why the fuck did he care?

Maybe Justin was after her too.

"You think she's just some innocent girl, but she's not," Montgomery told him. "She's a slut."

"Fuck you," Justin snapped, pushing him again.

How could Montgomery say stuff like that? Justin knew he still liked Ophelia, so why did he talk like that?

Montgomery kept his smile. "Not that it bothers me. But I'm sure it bothers Zach."

"She didn't fucking sleep with you," Justin suddenly snapped.

Montgomery's eyes went wide. "Did she...tell you that?"

Justin cursed beneath his breath. "No. You-You just keep trying to spread those rumors."

Montgomery looked him up and down. "Yeah? Maybe they're not just rumors."

"You're an idiot if you think I'm believing you."

Montgomery stepped closer. "You want to know what I told Ophelia yesterday, before you came and cut us off?"

Justin gulped.

Montgomery just smiled. "I just reminded her about what actually did happen Homecoming night. And that if she decided to keep mouthing off to people about it, I wouldn't be afraid to tell everyone what happened. That she cheated on Zach. That she fucked me."

"You're a fucking liar," Justin snapped. "And everyone fucking knows it. No ones going to believe you."

"And who's gonna say I'm lying? You? Everyone's so sure you're the one that took Bryce out."

Justin clenched his fists, and stood a little taller as he stared at Montgomery.

"You know what, Monty? Maybe I did do it. Maybe Clay and I took out Bryce together."

Montgomery's smile faltered as Justin stared at him, and pushed him slightly again.

"Maybe you're next."

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Ophelia wanted to change.

She felt so stupid in the cheerleader uniform, and was embarrassed she had ever gone to the hospital wearing it.

Zach flashed in her mind again. All she wanted was to be with him, to comfort him, to make sure he wasn't hurt.

She wondered if he felt the same need for her.

If he did, would it continue after she told him what happened with Montgomery?

God. Montgomery. Montgomery fucking De La Cruz.

She shouted suddenly, and slammed her bedroom door shut.

She went into her bathroom, and grabbed her makeup wipes, angrily taking off the smeared makeup her cheer teammates had put on her.

She placed both hands on the sink and breathed heavily as she hung her head.

She changed her mind, suddenly.

Ophelia wanted to call the police. Because even as she stood safe in her home, she felt unsafe. There would always be an unease when she was near Montgomery. She prayed she would never have to be in the same room with him again.

She decided even if she didn't call the police, she would call Marisa. Or one of the girls from Hillcrest. Or even Paul. She would call anyone that could come over so she wouldn't have to be alone anymore so close to Montgomery.

She tried to calm herself down. Things would be better once she got back to the hospital.

All she had to do was just pictured herself in Zach's arms.

Ophelia brought her hand to her neck, only to feel empty space. She recalled Montgomery gripping her necklace, and throwing it away from her.

She hadn't realized how safe that necklace made her feel until it was gone.

Ophelia desired the necklace suddenly. She desired the item that assured her of Zach's love, and of his passion for her.

Ophelia shut off the light for the bathroom, and shut off the light for her bedroom as she exited into her upstairs hallway. She made it to the stairs, before suddenly flinching as she heard a loud sound. It was a door slamming shut.

She froze in place.

She locked the front door. She was so sure she locked the front door.

With dread, she realized that had to have been useless. She dated Montgomery for years. He knew exactly which rock in her front yard hid the spare key.

Ophelia felt herself stumbling back, and suddenly running back to her room. She shut the door, but kept the light off, wanting to be unseen.

Maybe it was just her parents getting home.

No, her mother would be yelling about the mess still on the floor. She felt for her phone along her dresser. Fuck. She couldn't find it.

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.

Her heart was beating so loudly in her ear that she wondered if it would give away her location.

Fuck.

She covered her mouth with her hands, panicking. She searched the other side of the room.

The hallway light turned on, she could see from the cracks under the door. Now she saw her phone clearly, sitting on the shelf closest to her door.

She made her way towards it, only to stumble back suddenly as her door was opened. Light from the hallway filling the room.

She felt frozen in place as her eyes rested upon Montgomery. His drunk state was obvious, as was his rage. He sniffed, and wiped his nose on his jacket sleeve.

He stood there for a moment, without saying anything at all. She wondered why he came up, but she desperately did not want to know the answer.

"G-Get out..."

Ophelia had meant to scream at him. But she hadn't realized until she tried to speak that her voice left her.

Montgomery looked down, and shook his head. "I just...I came in to apologize."

She almost scoffed, but was too scared to.

"...okay. Leave."

Montgomery took a step closer to her. She flinched back. He cringed.

"I really didn't mean to do that," he slurred.

As in, he hadn't meant to start that kiss, and then to not stop it.

"Get out..." she mumbled again.

His face twisted in anger at the constant rejection. "It's not like you didn't kiss me back."

Her face drained. And she recalled how strong his grip was on her when he commanded her to kiss him back. And she did so, but only because she feared how much more he would hurt her if she didn't.

Her anger gave her her voice back, and suddenly she screamed at him, "Get the fuck out of here, Monty!"

Montgomery glared at the ground.

The door, which had been wide open, shut more. Montgomery had grabbed it, and closed it so only a stream of light was still in the room.

"I remember when you used to beg me to stay."

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"Has Justin seemed off to you lately?"

Zach rolled his eyes.

"Clay, I really don't have fucking time for this right now."

But Clay continued, "You're his football captain. Have you...noticed any inappropriate behavior?"

Zach sighed, and turned to Clay. "Like what?"

Clay seemed to hesitate. "Like doing something, or taking something, that football players aren't allowed to be taking?"

Zach blinked. Was Clay asking if Justin was taking drugs?

Zach didn't think so. He knew he had before. At least, he took something that would show up on a drug test. But that didn't mean he had been using since then.

"I don't know what you mean," Zach said. "Like I told you a thousand times, I want my boys to play clean."

Zach wanted the conversation to be over. Honestly, it was the last thing he wanted to talk about.

He didn't even want to think of Justin. He didn't want to think about anything.

Ophelia wasn't at school that day. He hadn't been able to see her at her house. No one answered.

And now she wasn't at fucking school, so he got no answers for the day before.

Zach didn't even know if Ophelia and him were broken up. He sure as hell didn't want to be, and he wouldn't accept it until she came back and told him she was serious.

Like Justin said before, how could she be serious?

"Have you ever seen him take anything?" Clay asked him.

Zach shook his head. "No, I've never seen it."

Montgomery passed in front of Clay and Zach. He headed into the restroom. Zach watched him, hatred in his eyes.

And what the fuck was Ophelia talking about, saying she slept with Montgomery?

He refused to believe it was true. Ophelia would never cheat. And much less with Montgomery.

So what happened for her to say that? Had he threatened her? Had her hurt her?

"I'm worried about him-"

"Justin's been fine, Clay," Zach tried to say, as politely as he could. "Look, I-I have to go."

Zach made his way to the restroom, and almost got to the door, when Justin appeared out of nowhere, and pulled him away.

"Don't go in there, man," Justin told him.

"I thought I told you to stay the fuck away from me," Zach said, still frustrated Justin refused to tell him what Ophelia and him had been speaking of the day she broke up with him.

Not that Zach didn't let his mind wonder already.

To pregnancy.

The night before, it was all that was on his mind. Zach felt terrified at the thought of Ophelia being pregnant. He hoped to everything that she wasn't. Because it would be terrible for the both of them.

But getting Ophelia pregnant was not the worst thing that could happen. The worst thing would would be she told the truth the day before: she had sex with Montgomery on Homecoming night.

He refused to believe it. He refused to.

But one thing stood out in the back of his mind, which stopped him from completely dismissing the idea.

Their first real night of intimacy was shared on Homecoming. It was such an odd timing, and it wasn't something he expected it happen.

Zach wondered if it was done out of guilt. If she really made a mistake, and tried to fix it by sleeping with him.

"You want to know what really happened?" Justin asked. "Go fucking ask Ophelia. Don't ask Monty, he'll just lie."

"And what will you do?" Zach scoffed. "Just withhold the truth. That's just as bad."

Justin shook his head. "I want to know just as much as you what the fuck she was talking about."

Zach glanced back to where Clay was retreating down the hall. He said to Justin, "Why does Clay think you're using again? Are you?"

The silence was his answer.

Zach shook his head, disappointed. "Dammit, Justin!"

After everything they had gone through to get him clean the first time, he was back at it again.

"I'm sorry," Justin said, sincerely. "But that doesn't matter, okay?"

"It fucking matters," Zach insisted. "Especially since you're the one who drove my girlfriend to the fucking hospital. Were you high then?"

"No!" Justin snapped. "I-I don't get high. I survive. I get by."

"You're a fucking junkie," Zach said, disappointed. "And you need to get your shit together."

Justin fell back.

"I have my shit together." He sniffed. "Look, I think you should just go to Ophelia's house. She's the only one you should be talking to."

Zach considered it. "I've tried...but I'll try again. After school."

Justin nodded.

The idea of pregnancy came back to his mind.

"Are you gonna tell me what else was going on with her?" Zach asked.

Justin knew he couldn't. He shook his head.

Zach scoffed, and looked away.

Justin tried to say quickly, "But maybe I can go with you to Ophelia's house and help-"

"No," Zach snapped. "You're not going over there. Not while you're using."

Justin flinched. "I'm not gonna, like, do shit."

"Just keep away from her until you're clean," Zach told him. "Do you know how proud of you she was when she thought you got off of all that?"

Justin winced. "She was proud of me?"

"Of course she was, Justin." Zach shook his head. "We all were."

The bell rang above them, and Zach left for class. Montgomery exited the restroom, and bumped into him as he left, laughing.

Justin wiped his eyes, feeling itchy and dry from his sudden withdrawals.

Justin decided easily that he would skip the next period. He wanted to just leave school completely. He walked towards the door, ready to get in Clay's car and wait for school to end.

On his way, he passed by the photography classroom. He hesitated, and decided to go in.

He saw the dark room was occupied.

He knew Tyler was in there. Justin wasn't comfortable with hanging out with Tyler, and he actually felt sick whenever he had to watch him.

But, for some reason, Ophelia found comfort in him. Somehow.

And Justin desperately needed to know why that comfort was necessary in the first place.

Justin took a deep breath before pushing open the door.

Tyler faced the door immediately, flinching back as Justin entered.

Justin held his hand up. "Chill, it's me."

It didn't ease him. "W-What do you need?"

Tyler was scared of Justin. Not for what he did in the present, but the fact he was one of his past tormentors.

Justin cleared his throat. "I, um, wanted to talk to you about Ophelia."

Tyler looked away, quickly. Justin realized he might have been in the same boat as him, knowing too much, and knowing he couldn't share it.

So, to try to pry information out of him, Justin took a different approach.

"Ophelia told me what happened to her," Justin lied, cautiously.

Tyler looked surprised. "She-She did?"

She had been so adamant about never telling anyone else. Maybe speaking to him for that short amount of time helped her so much she felt safe to confide in Justin.

"Yeah." Justin felt nervous as he continued. "And I'm not angry at her, just so you know."

Tyler shrugged, like he wasn't surprised. "I told her you wouldn't be. No one would blame her for it."

Justin hid his contempt as he said, "No one would blame her...for what she did with Montgomery."

Tyler squired. "You mean what he did to her?"

Justin gulped. "Y-Yeah. That. Listen, Tyler, I'm just trying to piece together how much you know before I continue."

He just said, "Okay?"

Justin took a deep breath.

"So...what exactly did Ophelia tell you?"

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"I remember when you used to beg me to stay," Montgomery spoke. His voice slurred, and on the brink of tears.

"We used to spend entire days together, and then I would have to go home to sleep. Just to sleep for a few hours. And you would beg me to stay longer."

Yes, Ophelia recalled those days. When she felt like the touch of his skin brought air into her lungs.

Montgomery cried out, "I never wanted to leave, Ophelia! I never wanted to go back to my shithole home! I wanted to stay as much as you wanted me to. And you were all I thought about whenever I left."

Ophelia didn't allow herself to fall back into the memories. Not now, with Montgomery invading her room.

"You need to leave!" she yelled at him.

Her eyes flashed to the phone. It was still next to the door. He was closer to it.

"He doesn't even care about you!" Montgomery cried out.

She flinched. Zach?

"It's not fucking fair he gets to have you! He doesn't even want you!"

No, she wouldn't play this game. She wouldn't let him get to her.

"Monty, get the fuck-"

"You know the boys have been having after game parties? Does he invite you? No, he fucking doesn't. I always did. I always wanted you there, he doesn't care if you are!"

"Shut up!" Ophelia screamed.

He always had a way of making her feel heartbroken and terrified at the same time.

"The way he flirts with Chloe...I would never do that shit. You know that." Montgomery stepped further into her room.

Ophelia shuffled back quickly. She glanced at the light switch, wishing she turned it on, and wishing she wasn't walking back into darkness.

"Even when we were broken up, I wasn't interested in other girls," Montgomery spoke urgently. "I haven't even wanted another girl since I've been with you. Zach already wants someone else!"

Ophelia gulped. She hated to admit it, but Montgomery was getting to her. He was hurting her. He was hurting her confidence, and her ideas that Zach would want to stay with her. Why would he, when Chloe was an option?

Anger bubbled inside of her imagining the scenario where they finally got together. Zach would be so happy, Ophelia had no doubt.

Ophelia's anger made her lash out at Montgomery. She had wanted to hurt him the way he was hurting her.

Ophelia glared at him. "I think it's real fucking obvious why you never wanted other girls."

Montgomery fell silent immediately.

There reached a time when Ophelia felt like she could get inside of Montgomery's head, and that she could know exactly what he was thinking just by the look in his eyes.

Now, his eyes looked dead, and bland. But somehow, she could still read them.

And she realized immediately that her words sparked something inside of him. She read rage from him, and watched as he grit his teeth, and clenched his fists. She also saw fear, and his body wavered.

He gulped. And suddenly, his anger dropped completely. And fear was all that was left.

"You think..."

His voice was soft, and displayed his sudden vulnerability.

"You think I didn't look at other girls because I'm some faggot." It wasn't a question. It was an accusation.

Had he not been in her room, had he not forced his lips on her downstairs, and had he not already hurt her that night, Ophelia would have comforted him.

She would have told him that wasn't what she meant. She would have hugged him again. She would have tried to talk him through the feelings he was so scared of.

But she didn't want to comfort him. He was being cruel to her, and cruel to Zach. She just wanted to be cruel back.

"Leave," she told him, firmly.

Seeing his vulnerability, she assumed she had the upper hand.

But at the sound of her still callous voice, Montgomery's anger returned. It deepened.

"You gonna go tell Zach I'm a faggot?"

Ophelia wanted to tell him no, that she would never do that. But he didn't deserve the confirmation in her eyes. Not after grabbing her the way that he did.

"Just get out of here," she hissed. "My-My parents will be home any minute."

Montgomery scoffed. "You wouldn't have brought me here if they'd be home. They'd leave you alone for days, and wouldn't even care." He spoke with hatred. "Because they don't give a fuck about you, Ophelia. I was the only person to give a fuck about you."

She winced at his words. They were so untrue.

...Weren't they?

She couldn't help but feel a pain in her heart as her subconscious agreed with his words. He had been the first one to show true love to her. To want to spend every second of the day with her.

But if true love looked like Montgomery, she didn't want it.

Ophelia risked a step forward.

"Get out." It felt like she had been trying for hours.

"Answer my question first," he spat. "Are you going to tell you asshole boyfriend that I'm a fucking faggot?"

Montgomery dreaded anyone finding it. It made him cold inside.

Ophelia scoffed. "I'm not gonna tell them anything they probably don't already know."

It was supposed to be a quick wip. A snarky insult that set him back, and made him shut up.

But he wasn't as stunned by this question as she thought. Instead, he reacted very quickly, and very angrily.

"The fuck does that fucking mean?" He reached out, and grabbed her left arm, forcing her closer. She cried out at his strong grip.

"Let go!"

"Your Zachy is spreading that rumor?" Montgomery seethed. "What, did you tell him? Did you fucking tell him?"

His grip on his arm tightened. She yelled.

Suddenly, it was like it was sophomore year again. And he was her boyfriend, jealous she was talking to some other guy. She felt the same fear in sophomore year, and felt, yet again, completely at his mercy.

"You're hurting me!" she shouted.

She should've known that meant nothing to him, it never had before.

He yanked her roughly, and shoved her. Ophelia fell on the bed, hitting it harder than she thought a mattress could be hit. The impact stung.

"You're a fucking bitch!" he shouted at her.

Ophelia panicked and tried to stand, but he just threw her back onto the bed.

Her open curtains allowed moonlight to shine into her room, the most noticeable light of all.

It shined over her legs. Her legs that suddenly looked so soft, and so smooth. Ophelia wondered, later, if she had changed quicker, and put on pants, if her smooth legs wouldn't have tempted him.

Because Montgomery was suddenly very, very tempted.

Ophelia strained her eyes, trying to see in the dark. Not much was visible, but what she could see was Montgomery shut the door completely now. He even locked it. Not that he needed to. No one would come in, no one would be home. Maybe he just wanted her to hear the sound of the lock and become scared. It worked.

Ophelia tried to stand again. This time he grabbed her shoulder and threw her back down. He tossed her so quick it almost felt like whiplash, and she felt like he was treating her like an enemy on the football field.

When she scrambled back, he grabbed her ankle with an iron grip, and pulled her towards him at the edge of her bed.

"Get off me!" She kicked at him again, but he grabbed her other leg, holding her down.

At this moment, she didn't know what was happening. She thought he was angry again, and she thought he was going to slap her.

Until he climbed on top of her on the bed. She slapped at him, and tried kicking him again. He held her down, and grabbed her hands.

Now, she thought that he was going to kill her.

Her mind went back to the time he attacked her at his house, when he held a broken bottle to her neck saying he'd rather her be dead then leave him.

Well, she left him. Was this him finally holding up to his part of the deal?

Montgomery sat up for a moment, and she watched him strip himself of his heavy variety jacket. She didn't have time to fear the connotation or meaning before he leaned back down, and kissed her.

Suddenly, for the first time, she realized his intentions as he forced her still on the bed.

Ophelia wished he had just wanted to kill her instead.

Montgomery's hand reached down, and he finally touched that smooth leg he had been so attracted to, and found it to be just as soft as he imagined.

She flinched as soon as he did, and suddenly cried out, "Monty, please!"

He hesitated, for a moment, and Ophelia took that chance to further cry out to him.

"Get off, Monty, please, get off!"

She felt like sobbing now, as she realized she was completely at his mercy.

At the mercy of a man who never showed her any before.

She bucked her hips, trying force him off, but he placed his hand on her rib, pressing down hard.

Just that same night, during the fight, he had injured her ribs on the other side. It was interesting how quickly he gave her matching pain.

She panicked when she felt him reach down and touch the exposed skin where her cheer shirt rode up. She desperately scratched him, breaking the skin on his hand.

He pulled away, and raised his hand, and Ophelia braced herself for him to hit her. Instead, he just shook it, trying to shake the pain away. He then slammed his hand down on her shoulder, stopping her continued movement.

"Fuck you, Ophelia!" he suddenly shouted at her, cruelly. "You're such a fucking bitch! You didn't have any problems taking your clothes off for the whole fucking school to see!"

He grabbed her shirt, and she screamed again, "Stop it!"

It used to bother her how skin tight her uniform was. Now, she was grateful. It was too tight for him to pull it up with one hand. So he gave up, bringing his hand away from it.

"What's wrong, O? Am I not doing it the way those fucking Asian guys do it?"

Ophelia knew he was referencing Zach and Paul both. She was confused, not even realizing he had any jealousy towards Paul too.

She writhed beneath him, trying anything to get out from under him.

Montgomery was too heavy. Ophelia was trapped beneath him. She felt suffocated.

His hand was on her stomach for a moment, before he suddenly moved it to his belt.

The jingle of his belt buckle engraved itself in her head. It sounded like a prison guard jiggling the keys to unlock a cell, and lead a prisoner to their execution.

"Monty, please!" She tried again, desperately. She stopped struggling for a moment.

"...Please..." she tried again. Her body trembling underneath him. "Please...you're hurting me...please-please stop..."

There was a confusion that filled Ophelia, because she had no idea what had happened to cause Montgomery to want to hurt her in this way. She didn't seduce him, she didn't speak sexually, she didn't flaunt herself. She did nothing that could have possibly excited him.

Honestly, she had no idea why he was tempted to do anything. After all the shouting, and chaos, and anger, how could he have felt the need to kiss her again? To touch her in a sexual manner?

It sickened her. Men sickened her.

Montgomery made no move to get off of her, but Ophelia saw in his eyes he had wanted to. He didn't want to hurt her. He wanted her to enjoy it. He wanted her to want him. He wanted her to be screaming his name, but he wanted her to be begging him to continue. She had done it so many times before. He was sure he could make her do it again.

But he had more to prove than lustful intent.

Montgomery knew what Ophelia thought of him now. As a faggot. And he was terrified, spending his time imagining what would happen if people found out. He would rather kill himself.

Montgomery was going to prove he wasn't a fucking faggot, and he was going to prove he could still please her more than any other guy she would let fuck her.

Ophelia saw him take his belt all way off, and became terrified as he was suddenly on top of her again.

Ophelia had no idea how she used to find pleasure in a man being on top of her.

She felt his hand over her covered breast. It reminded her of when she was in the clubhouse, and Bryce grabbed her without consent.

Suddenly, Ophelia wished she was back in the clubhouse again.

She was spared in the clubhouse. She knew she wouldn't be spared here.

"Stop!" she screamed, so loudly it hurt her throat.

She felt him slap a hand over her mouth. His fingertips gripped her jawbone. It overlapped her mouth, and almost her nose. It became hard to breath.

His hand ran up her skirt. He didn't move slowly like when he had kissed her. He wasn't careful and controlling. He was being reckless, and callous, and cruel.

He grabbed her ass and squeezed it so tightly she screamed into his hand.

When she kicked him out of the house moments ago, she prayed he would put his lips on her again.

And he didn't. He didn't kiss her again.

When he had shut the door, it blocked all the light from the hallway from entering the room. A thin slit of light she could see from the crack of the door. Other than that, all that lit the room was the moon.

Through the darkness of the room, she swore she could see the whites of his eyes. Even as she had hers shut tightly.

All she could see was his eyes.

All she could feel was his hands.

All she could hear was his muffled groans. First, they came from a struggle to keep her still. Then, they came from his pleasure.

There came a time when she blocked out all of her senses, where she tried to force her body to shut itself down.

It worked, almost.

And then all that was left to hear was the old Elvis Presley ringtone, as Zach called her from the hospital, over and over again.

Love me tender

Love me, dear

Tell me you are mine

I'll be yours

Through all the years

'Til the end of time

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Montgomery grunted, feeling a fiery pain throughout his whole arm. He used all his strength to push up the weights. Laying on the benchpress, he felt a sudden powerlessness as he felt his arms becoming weak.

The weight was brought down, almost touching his chest, and he then realized he didn't have enough strength to push it all the way back up.

He panicked, and his arms locked themselves up. He heaved, trying to force himself to have more strength. But there was none left in his body.

He knew he shouldn't have come into the weight room without a spotter, and he definitely shouldn't have used the benchpress without one, but all the boys were busy at practice.

And Montgomery couldn't go to practice. Not that day. Not after hearing Ophelia tried to break up with Zach from Justin, who accidentally gave it away. It was all he could think about.

Pain was the only thing that got his mind off the topic of Ophelia. And pain came easy in the weight room.

At the moment, he felt like he was in more pain than he could handle. He felt like his arms were about to snap, and the heavy weights were about to come down on him and crush his rib cage.

"Fuck!" he yelled, trying to muster up more grip. He was in agony as his body fought against the gravity pulling the weight down.

The sound of the opening of the weight room door caught him immediately, and he felt a burst of relief.

"Hey!" he yelled out. "Hey, come help me with this!"

Montgomery gritted his teeth as he held the bar steady. His muscle were on fire.

He felt the shadow loom over him as someone came and stood over him.

Montgomery glanced up, clenching his jaw. "Foley, fucking grab this!"

Justin stood over Montgomery, and he was glaring at him with a sharp hatred.

"Are you fucking deaf?" Montgomery snapped, frustrated at him standing still. "I'm about to fucking drop it!"

Justin reached out and grabbed the bar, but didn't bring it up. He took some of the weight, but still left Montgomery trapped under it.

"What the fuck?" Montgomery demanded.

Justin's glare didn't waver.

"You're a piece of shit, you know that? A sorry piece of shit who deserved to have gotten shot at Spring Fling." Justin seethed each and every word.

Montgomery became irritated at Justin's attitude, and the fact he wasn't moving the bar. "Justin, what the fu-"

"I should've let you fucking die," Justin snapped at him. "After everything that fucking happened to Hannah, and the whole fucking trial, after a fucking murder, you are still the most fucked up, evil person I have ever fucking met."

Montgomery scoffed. "Get this the fuck off me Justin, or I swear to fuck God-"

"Did you rape her?"

Justin's word with spoken with indescribable hatred, and unimaginable anger.

The question was so blunt, and so sudden, that Montgomery almost dropped the bar he held.

"Answer me," Justin spat. "Fucking answer me or I'm going to fucking drop this."

Montgomery realized he had gone several moments without answering.

He felt Justin loosen his grip on the bar. Montgomery's arm caught back on fire.

"That's bullshit!" Montgomery snapped. He groaned at the pain of the continual weight. "She's fucking lying!"

"I know you were at her house," Justin spat. "You fucking told me and I should've fucking known. Give me one good reason why I shouldn't drop this and let it fucking break you in half. You could die like your rapist friend."

Justin hadn't spoken so cruelly about Bryce since long before he died.

Montgomery struggled to breath, but still had enough strength to bite back, "You mean your rapist friend? You're the one who got your girlfriend drunk enough so he could fuck her!"

"Fuck you!" Justin seethed. He lowered more weight.

Now, Montgomery was filled with pain, and anger. Maybe more anger than Justin.

He let out a yell. Justin tried pressing down on the bar, adding even more weight.

"Tell me what you fucking did, Monty!"

"I didn't do shit!"

Justin breathed out heavily, recalling his conversation with Tyler carefully.

"You held her down and fucked her? Like some fucking rapist?"

Montgomery suddenly blurted, "She fucking wanted it!"

Justin's grip on the bar disappeared, and Montgomery let our a breath of relief.

"Get this fucking bar off me!" Montgomery shouted at him, desperate for the help. He still couldn't lift it up enough to set it back in the stand. He was still stuck.

Justin grabbed it, taking the weight, but not letting him up.

"So you did do it," Justin whispered.

He had been so sure. But hearing the confirmation? It shook him to his core.

Maybe Justin was hoping it was all still a lie. Maybe Montgomery just wanted people to think he slept with Ophelia, and guilty her into thinking it was true.

No. There was no lie. It happened. It happened in the most cruel way imaginable.

"I didn't fucking rape her," Montgomery snapped. "She fucking wanted it. She was tired of Zach, she wanted to be done with him!"

"You...You fucking..."

"She's the one who had me walk her home!" Montgomery defended himself. "She knew what it would lead to. What it used to always lead to."

Justin gripped the bar tighter.

He grit his teeth, snarling at Montgomery, "You're the one who deserved to be fucking beat to death."

Then, suddenly, Justin dropped the weights. Montgomery caught them, barely, before they hit his rib cage.

"Hey!"

He could barely keep the bar off his body.

"Hey!"

Justin was already leaving the weight room.

"Fucking get this off me!"

Justin grabbed the door handle.

He stopped, suddenly, as Montgomery yelled, "She fucking like it! Ask her! She fucking liked it the whole time!"

Justin gripped the handle so hand his knuckles turned white. He swung the door open.

"She's playing the victim! She fucking wanted me to fuck her! She fucking wanted me to!"

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"You fucking wanted me to."

Ophelia was curled onto her bed, pulling her knees as close to her as she could, burying her head in them, and shutting her eyes as tightly as possible.

She shook. Her body wretched with fear, but the shaking coming from her sobs as they were released from her throat.

Montgomery wasn't touching her anymore. In fact, he was sitting on the edge of the bed, facing away from her.

She didn't try to run anymore. She had no more energy to do anything but sob.

"You wanted me here," Montgomery spat. He turned to her now, his eyes suddenly drilling into her. "You fucking asked me to come inside. You fucking missed me, you know you did."

She didn't have to look up to know he was watching her carefully. His stare burned her.

Her legs were pressed together as tight as possible, because she didn't have the energy to pull her shirt back up. She just hoped her skirt and shorts covered her exposed skin.

Her exposed skin...from where Montgomery ripped her shorts off of her.

Why did he do that?

Ophelia kept asking herself the same question over and over and over again.

Why did he do that to her?

"Just admit you fucking wanted it!" Montgomery shouted at her. There was an edge to his voice. One with doubt, yet, his voice also held confidence.

He reached out suddenly, and grabbed her leg. She panicked, and screamed, and kicked him as hard as she could, and retreated more in the bed.

Montgomery was given a glimpse of her tear-streaked face, and he found himself feeling a knot in his stomach. There was a distain he felt for himself that he hadn't felt since the trial, when he read that fucking blog, and was told the cruel things he had done to Ophelia.

Montgomery never believed he was as cruel as those tapes and those lawyers made people think he was. He used to think they were all misunderstandings. He was caught in continuous moments of weakness and hardship that made him seem a horrible person. Yes, he did horrible things, but that wasn't who he was, right? He wasn't a horrible person, right?

He hoped not, but at the same time he couldn't ignore Ophelia's fear-stained face. And the way her body raked with voiceless sobs. His touch pained her, even when he tried to be soft.

Montgomery felt his throat tightening, as he realized he recognized his actions. He had seen Bryce's girlfriends act the same way before.

But those girls didn't love Bryce the way Ophelia and Montgomery used to love each other. There was a difference, right?

Right?

Right.

Right.

It was different.

He loved her.

It was different.

But her face remained tear-stained. And he felt like a hand clenched around his heart, and clenched around his airways, and caused him to lose both his feelings, and his breathing.

Why was she crying like that? Like they hadn't fucked hundreds of times before?

Montgomery told himself it was because of Zach.

He relaxed, realizing that Ophelia may have considered herself a cheater. After all, she was in bed with someone who wasn't her boyfriend.

"Just break up with him," Montgomery told her. "Fucking break up with him and you won't have to fucking worry about him anymore."

But what Montgomery didn't realize is there would no longer be a day that Ophelia didn't carry worry. Worry and fear.

Ophelia sobbed again. She recognized what happened.

An unspeakable act.

It was an act that Ophelia had once thought she did not have to worry about with Montgomery. No matter what happened, he would never be capable of it. He would never become what Bryce was. She thought he didn't have it in him.

But he did.

Ophelia wondered, suddenly, if he always had this in him. When they were together, she never feared him forcing himself on her. But she considered the possibility that the only reason he never forced her was because she always said yes to him.

Had she said 'no' when he wanted to, would he have been willing to commit this unspeakable act years ago?

"You can't fucking act like you didn't like it," he snapped at her. "I-I know you. You did."

Ophelia sobbed, and it felt almost like she was choking.

He reached to touch her again. She kicked him.

Montgomery stood up now, angry. He struggled, fixing his pants. His fingers shaking the whole time.

When he finished, he grabbed her phone for her, which had been ringing for the last few minutes. He threw it at her.

"Go on. Call him. Call you boyfriend and tell him a faggot just fucked you better than he ever could."

Ophelia gripped herself harder. She wanted to grab it and call the police, but she couldn't move. She was too scared to.

"You think crying will convince me you didn't like it? I know you did."

Montgomery became frustrated at her lack of response. Suddenly, he didn't feel guilt, he felt anger. And he didn't care about her crying. He felt like she was doing it just to insult him.

He grabbed his varsity jacket off her floor. He then grabbed his belt, hurrying to put it on. He then realized just how loudly she had been screaming, and wondered if anyone else called for help.

They were in a good neighborhood, not like his. Maybe neighbors wanted to help when they heard someone in distress.

"You liked it just as much as I did," he snapped at her.

He scoffed as she kept silent still. He watched her, carefully.

"Fucking bitch!" he snapped, as he realized she probably wouldn't be answering him the rest of the night. "You weren't this fucking upset when you cheated on me with Zach."

The mention of the name motivated her.

This time, she did pick up her head, and she screamed at him, "I'm telling Zach exactly what you fucking did to me!"

Montgomery was taken aback by her scream. But then, he started laughing.

"Yeah? You're gonna tell Zach you fucked me? After refusing to fuck him for so long?"

Ophelia winced.

"You-You...forced me."

She wanted to say the word 'rape'. But she couldn't. Her body wouldn't let her. It's like she was denying it to herself.

"You forced me," she repeated.

"Yeah? And I forced you to cum too?"

Ophelia flinched, and looked back down again.

Montgomery scoffed. "That's right. You fucking finished. I know you fucking did. You think I can't tell? I've fucked you more than he has, trust me."

Ophelia wanted to deny it. She almost felt she could. But she didn't know if he was telling the truth or not. But she did know that while his grip on her had been rough and painful, she hadn't felt as much pain down there. Not the kind of pain Hannah had described on the tape.

"You tell your boyfriend I fucking raped you, and I'll tell him what really happened. You fucking enjoyed it like some slut."

She didn't. She didn't. She didn't.

She kept refusing to acknowledge it in her head.

Before Montgomery left her alone completely, he left her with parting words that she would forever hold on to.

"You're a fucking cheater, Ophelia. And a fucking whore."

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"I had to send away that boy," Ophelia's mother told her as she brought tea into her daughter's room. Ophelia laid on her bed, but sat up slightly when her mother came in.

"And not Zach, the other one," she said, coldly. "Do you know who I mean? Or are you attached to too many boys to know who im referring to?"

The truth was, she didn't know who her talking about. Maybe Justin? Maybe Clay? Maybe Paul? She hoped it was none of them. She didn't want anyone. And she was glad her mother sent them away.

"I got a call from the school saying you skipped," her mother said, angrily. "What was that about?"

Ophelia shook her head. "It must have been a mistake, mom."

It wasn't. Ophelia skipped that school day. She hadn't meant to, but as soon as she pulled into the parking lot it was like she was having a panic attack. She had a similar one her first day back at Liberty.

Her mother scoffed. "I'm home before you thought I'd be, aren't I? Did you call that boy over here? Did you skip school to see him?"

What? Ophelia sat up completely now. Her mother didn't know about her 'breakup' with Zach. Why would she think she called another guy over?

"Why would I call a boy here?"

Her mother rolled her eyes. "You think I don't know what you do, Ophelia? You think I didn't finally see through all your lies? How you used to be such good friends with Hannah Baker that you would spend the night over there, then I find out you hadn't talked for months?"

Ophelia's face drained of emotion. She realized, suddenly, that during the trial, when she admitted she only spent the night with Hannah a handful of times, she contradicted all of her old stories. Hannah used to always be her excuse when she wanted to be out all night.

"No, I-I-"

Ophelia didn't ever know what to say.

There was no way to lie again. Her mother must know now how many times Ophelia spent the night with Montgomery. Maybe she would assume the same about Zach.

"Girls that act like you will never be happy with the same man," her mother criticized. "I should have known, back when you started switching between boyfriends."

Ophelia flinched back.

Switching between boyfriends? She never switched, did she? She knew her relationship with Zach was rough, and not as easy as she wanted it to be, but it's not like she ever went back to Montgomery. At least, she never wanted to.

"I don't want to see another boy at this house," her mother hissed. "Don't make me go to Zach's mother with this."

Ophelia felt a stinging in her eyes. "Why would you go to Zach's mom?"

"I'm not going to let you cheat on my best friend's son just because you're my daughter."

Ophelia felt nausea again. Her mom thought she was a cheater? She would tell Zach's mom she was a cheater?

Ophelia hadn't told her she was, like she told Zach.

She just assumed.

Maybe she could tell.

Maybe it was just obvious from looking at Ophelia that she would cheat. That she would bring her ex boyfriend home, and let him have his way with her, and then let him get away with it.

"This is your father's fault," her mother huffed. "Never here. Never able to keep you on the right path."

Ophelia gulped. She did wish her father was around more often, but she didn't think she was a worse person because he wasn't. Maybe she was.

"You know I wouldn't do that, mom," Ophelia whimpered. "You know that."

"So where is Zach now? Did you break up with him again? The poor, sweet boy."

God, that's exactly what she did.

"You know I wouldn't do that..." she repeated.

"What I know, Ophelia, is the neighbors talk about boys being over her all the times. When I'm gone. Sometimes overnight. Do you know how embarrassing that is for me? For our entire family?"

Ophelia felt humiliation. She never realized her neighbors noticed that kind thing.

"For the safety of your own sister, you better start acting like a lady," her mother snapped at her. "Or else by the time she gets to high school, your reputation will make her a target to be taken advantage of."

Was that true? Did Ophelia's actions put her sister's future at risk?

"You've been sick, so I'll excuse this for now," her mother told her, "But by next week I want your grades back to A's, and I want you either at school, or at home until you learn how to behave."

At school or at home. That's how she already lived, still receiving punishment by being caught at Estella's house. Was her mother upset at her for so many things she couldn't keep track of her punishments?

"I will not have my daughter acting like some whore."

And that was it. That simple word. Whore.

Montgomery told her that's what she was. She was a cheating whore. But Ophelia didn't believe it. She didn't even want to think of that night.

But her own mother implying it? Her mother calling her a cheater and a whore? That was too much of a coincidence.

He was right.

Montgomery was right.

It really was her fault.

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She made it to Zach's house that night, after crawling out of her depressed position. Montgomery left her soon after what happened, as soon as he realized she would flinch away from every touch of his.

He left, angry at her, like she was teasing him with her body.

Her body...which had been used without her permission.

She had been so scared of sex for so long. She hadn't been with Zach. She wanted just the right timing. She had wanted it to be so special.

But that night, after Montgomery used her, she felt devastated.

She knew it wasn't her fault, she knew that. But Montgomery had done what she hadn't been allowing Zach to do. She felt it was a betrayal to Zach. Montgomery took what Zach had been waiting for.

As soon as Ophelia made it to Zach's house, she let herself in. She walked upstairs. She was walking so slow, but she was trying to go as quickly as she could.

She wanted to call out for him, but was scared. There were so many dark corners, and she was afraid that if she spoke something would jump out at her.

She got to his room, and opened the door, only to flinch back. Zach was holding up a bat, looking protective.

She wanted to apologize for scaring him. But at the same time, all she wanted was to be held in his strong, protective arms.

"Zach..."

She didn't finish her sentence. Her weak voice cut off. She eyed the bat in his hand. "W-What are you doing?"

"Oh shit," he dropped it. "Ophelia, where have you been?"

His voice was so normal. It sounded so untouched by tragedy, even though he was the one that had been in an accident.

"I..." She paused for a minute.

She had been at home. With Montgomery. Could she say that? Could she just say shit like that?

No, she couldn't. Not even if she tried.

"I'm sorry," she said, finally. She felt her face forming a intense frown. She tried to explain quickly, "I tried to go see you. They were really busy and sent me out."

"But where were you?" he asked, still worried. "I tried calling you."

Ophelia bit her lip.

'I was with Montgomery. I was with Montgomery the whole fucking time. And he put his hands on me.'

She looked in the purse she brought over, and realized she left it on her bed. "My phones not here...shit, I um, I left it somewhere." She ran a hand through her hair. Fuck, she was such a fuckup. What the actual fuck was wrong with her? "Fuck, Zach...I'm really sorry."

She wanted to tell him. Why couldn't she just tell him?

'Montgomery touched me. Montgomery hurt me.'

"You don't have to apologize," he said quickly. "I'm really glad you're okay. Who drove you?"

She flinched whenever he reached out to grab her.

The reaction was because of Montgomery. Why couldn't she just explain that?

'He grabbed me too hard. Now, it hurts to be touched at all.'

Ophelia's gazed at Zach's knee. He had a cast now. She felt guilty for thinking of her pain while he was clearly in so much more. "It's broken?"

Zach looked down. "Not the whole leg. Just the knee."

Ophelia kneeled down time look at it. She touched it, softly. "How long do you keep this on?"

When she kneeled, she felt a desperation to speak up again.

'He hurt me, Zach. He forced me into the bed. He...'

"The cast? A few days. The brace stays longer."

Ophelia stood back up. "I'm so sorry, Zach."

'I'm sorry I let him in. I'm sorry I'm not stronger. I'm sorry I couldn't stop it.'

"Ophelia, don't worry about it," he told her. He touched her face. "Were you okay?"

Her face was tear stained. She couldn't hide it.

'I was with Montgomery. Montgomery hurt me.'

But as Zach touched her, all she wanted was to forget what happened. She didn't want to tell him anymore, she could t stand to even think about it.

"I'm okay. Now that I'm with you."

"Who were you with?" he asked again.

'Montgomery. I was with Montgomery. Montgomery hurt me.'

The words repeated itself in her head over and over.

If she told Zach, is that all Zach would think about?

"Um, M-Marisa drove me," she told him, hoping to hold off for even a little bit longer. She looked back at his leg. Then his chest. It was bruised, but she paid most attention to how muscular he looked.

So muscular. So strong. Strong like Montgomery was.

Ophelia suddenly felt sick thinking about spending anymore time alone. She wanted to stay with someone strong, someone who could have stopped things.

"Can I spend the night?"

She gulped, feeling her throat tighten.

It surprised him. He smiled.

"Of course," he told her. He limped back to the bed. Ophelia quickly moved to help him. She didn't want him to feel an ounce of pain.

"I'm okay," he insisted. He pulled back the covers for her, and then limped back around to the other side. He got in.

Ophelia was still in her cheer uniform. She noticed she could still see bits of red paint on it. She took a deep breath and faced away from him.

She wanted it off. Immediately. And she never wanted it on again. It smelled like Montgomery. What a despicable smell.

She pulled the cheer shirt over her head. She heard Zach's breath hitch. Zach wasn't sure if Ophelia wanted him to turn around or not. He was hypnotized by her smooth skin. She then unbuttoned the back of her cheer skirt, and let it fall to the floor.

She heard him struggling to keep his breathing normal. She was now just in a sport bra, and spanx. She wondered, was she teasing him? Was she being an awful person by showing him her body and not allowing him to touch it?

Would he ever decide he was going to touch it, whether she liked it or not?

She shook the thought out of her head, quickly.

There was paint on the spanx too. She thought about it for a moment, then slid them off as well. She was left in her underwear, revealing underwear. So revealing, she wondered if he could see marks from where Montgomery grabbed her.

Zach audible gasped, then turned quickly to look away. He could see her butt clearly, only a bit of the top covered by the thong.

"Is it..."

Ophelia hesitated.

"Is it okay if I take my bra off?"

Zach bit his lip to keep from groaning.

She took his silence as his hesitation. "I just...it's kind of sweaty."

But really, she wanted him to see her.

Suddenly, all she wanted was his eyes on her. And she wanted his hands on her.

He wanted to feel his touch, not Montgomery's. She just wanted him grabbing her, and to be able to convince herself the throbbing on her body was from his loving embrace.

"Y-Yeah," he breathed, loudly. "Yeah, g-go ahead."

Zach glanced at her again, and Ophelia knew he was watching as she lifted it over her head. When she turned towards him, now exposed, she was sad to see he faced away.

She wished he wanted to look. She needed to know he wanted to look.

That had been why she was so scared to have sexual with him again, because she was afraid he wouldn't be attracted to her.

Even as she climbed in the bed, his eyes were away. She cuddled with him, and her bare chest was on his. She closed her eyes, tightly, and put her head on her chest.

She felt his eyes beginning to roam over her.

'I'm sorry I wasn't strong enough. I'm sorry he hurt me. I'm sorry he had me, and I sorry you didn't.'

Zach put his hand on her bare back. She looked up at him.

"I love you," she told him.

She loved him so, so much. And he hoped he would understand.

"I love you, Ophelia."

It warmed her heart.

Ophelia picked herself up slightly. She was aware that her breasts were now fully in view. She was embarrassed, knowing they didn't hang down as much as other girls. But at least she had gained weight there too with the rest of her body.

Zach looked away. She didn't want him to look away. Ophelia placed a hand on the side of his face, turning him back to her. He kept eye contact with her.

She just wanted him to look down at her. To show attraction. She wanted to feel his love physically.

Ophelia leaned in, and kissed him passionately. He kissed her back, grabbing the back of her head to pull her closer. She liked his touch. It made her melt. It made her forget the pain her lips had felt earlier.

She needed more of it.

She pulled away, and sat up even more. The blanket fell off her, resting at her waist.

Ophelia was exposed to him now, and she wanted his hands on her, immediately.

He sat up slightly too, putting his back against his headboard. She saw his excitement. She hoped it wouldn't go away.

Ophelia took a deep breath, and the straddled him. Still, he just kept his eyes on him her face.

She lowered herself onto his lap. Zach muffled a groan. She felt herself sitting on his erection, which now laid flat against his leg. Only basketball shorts, and her underwear in between them.

She leaned forward and kissed him again. It was wet, and they both used tongue. Zach devoured her lips. His hands went to her back, and he pulled her closer.

She felt magnetized to him. He was warm. Montgomery was so cold.

Ophelia pulled away. Her eyes fell down his chest, and hand trailing down as well. She wanted to touch him. She trusted him.

Ophelia saw how unsure he was. She grabbed his hand in hers, and brought it up, cupping her left breast with his hand, and letting it go. She let out a breath of relief when held it there, and finally he looked at breasts.

He was gentle. Montgomery was harsh. She wanted to erase Montgomery's touch completely. She wanted him to put his hands all over her.

Zach looked at her completely, taking everything in. He brought his other hand up as well, squeezing her gently.

Zach was so gentle. Montgomery was so rough.

Zach ran a hand down her stomach. He stopped, narrowing his eyes at her. Ophelia looked down, and for the first time, she saw what Montgomery had done to her.

When he hurt her on the field. And when he had held her down.

There bruises all over her abdomen, on both sides.

"What are these?"

She felt caught in a lie. She wanted them to be gone. She didn't want him to worry about him.

She hoped he would think they were all from the field. So she told him, simply, "They're just from today."

"Who did this?" he demanded.

'Montgomery did it. Montgomery hurt me.'

"Hey," she said, instead. Her voice was strained. I'm in cheer, it happens."

He shook his head, "But it looks like it hurts."

'It hurt. A lot. He hurt me a lot.'

Ophelia needed to forget. She needed to get him out of her head. Ophelia kissed him on the lips. Pulling away she pleaded with him, "Then help me feel better."

Zach stayed gentle the entire time they were together. His hands did cover her, and when he finished, all she wanted was him to keep his hands on her.

She hugged him, cuddling with him, and falling asleep.

She never wanted to leave his arms.

Ophelia lay with her head on his chest, and felt pride build inside of her that he finished.

But she also felt guilt. She hadn't.

But she refused to a knowledge why she felt so guilty about it.

And as soon as he was gone, she felt the throbbing of her bruising.

As though Montgomery still had his grip on her.

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'Can we please talk?'

She could barely muster up the courage to read the message, but not to respond. Even if the response was a simple 'no'.

"I'm sorry, Zach," she whispered to herself.

She heard him calling her phone, and she ended it immediately.

Ophelia was sitting in her bathroom, clutching her stomach. She had thrown up twice already. She wondered if it was the pregnancy, or the undeniable guilt she felt.

Ophelia could admit now, only to herself, the true horror which took place on Homecoming night.

Montgomery forced himself on her.

And her body betrayed her.

Montgomery knew what happened. She was sure he could have felt it. The lack of friction inside of her. Her body had been so used to him before, and it welcomed him, despite her brain screaming at the thought of him.

There was nothing more horrifying to Ophelia than realizing what was happening while Montgomery held her down. It was something that was beyond her control.

Her body didn't recognize rape. It wasn't created to. So when her body felt the familiar action that came before sex, that's what the body prepared itself for.

Her body protected her against the pain that Hannah felt that night with Bryce. However, in doing so, it created emotional damage that Ophelia didn't know if she would ever recover from.

Ophelia finished during her rape. But she didn't finish with her boyfriend.

That night, the awful night, she felt herself climaxing, and she knew Montgomery realized it too. And it caused more pain in her heart then ever could have been caused by his rough hold on her.

And it also brought shame.

The shame is what kept her mouth closed.

Montgomery shamed her, bringing up his cruel actions constantly, acting as though she was just as responsible. But he kept her quiet. He belonged in fucking jail but he kept her quiet because she was so fucking ashamed of what she had done.

And she knew how it looked.

He walked her home. She let him in. He had his way with her.

When she told Tyler what happened Homecoming night, she left out the part where she finished. That's why he was so sure no one would be mad at her.

But if she told Zach, and admitted the whole truth, what if he thought she enjoyed it just for the sake of enjoying it?

What if he thought it was intentional? What if he was offended she didn't do the same with him?

She barely felt herself climax that night, because of how painful Montgomery's grip on her was. She didn't realize until after.

Ophelia hoped to never tell anyone. She just wanted to graduate, and move away, and never speak of it to anyone. She didn't care if that meant she would never have another boyfriend, and never have another husband.

Ophelia would rather be alone for the rest of her life then to ever have to speak of that night again.

So she told Zach she cheated. It was easier that way. It got it out of the way, and it got him away from her.

She imagined what would have happened if she tried to explain how Montgomery forced himself on her, and how Montgomery would tell everyone about her finishing. She would have to admit it to Zach, and he would probably look at her the same way as though she cheated.

Everyone would look at her like she cheated.

It was better to just tell Zach, and be done with it.

She breathed deeply, and stood up. She walked out of the bathroom, with her hand on her stomach, and into hear bedroom.

Ophelia took one step inside, before screaming.

Zach sat on her bed. He stood when he saw her.

"I-I'm sorry," he apologized quickly. "I wasn't sure if you wanted me to tell you I was here."

Ophelia stepped back, and gasped. "I didn't even want you to be here!"

His eyes hardened. "Come on, Ophelia. This is ridiculous. You can't keep avoiding me."

She hesitated. "I'm not avoiding you." She was avoiding everyone.

"You just tell me you fucking cheated on me, and then not fucking explain anything!" he told her, loudly.

She shushed him. "You want my mom to hear you up here? You want her to come here and call me a slut for sneaking guys into my room?"

He frowned, and looked confused. "What are you talking about?"

"My mom already accused me of being a fucking cheater," Ophelia snapped. "It's easy enough for her to believe, so why can't you?"

Ophelia tried to walk past him, but he reached out and grabbed her.

The hold was so triggering, especially so close the bed.

Instinctively, she reacted with violence, and slapped him.

Zach let go, and took a step back, touching his face. "What the f..."

Ophelia's mouth dropped open. "I'm-Im sorry." She looked back to the window, which was open. He clearly came from there. "B-But you need to go."

"What the fuck is going on with you?" he asked her, angry now. "Why are you trying to trick me into thinking you cheated? Did Montgomery threaten you with something? You can tell me!"

"I cheated on you!" Ophelia snapped, with anger. "I'm not tricking you, I did. And you should want to leave. You-You should not want anything else to do with me!"

"I can't just leave you, Ophelia."

"Why not?" she cried. "I would leave if I could!"

Zach shook his head, angrily.

"Stop it, Ophelia!" he said, angrily. "I'm trying to understand! I love you! Why won't you just help me understand?"

Ophelia walked further away from him, locking the door so if her mother came up she could hide Zach before she came in to find him.

Her mother's words, which matched with Montgomery, rang in her head.

"Shouldn't you understand already? I'm a whore, Zach. You're dating a fucking whore."

Zach flinched back at her words. And although she directed them towards herself, the insults cut deeply, as though she was speaking negatively of him.

"Don't talk about yourself like that!" he demanded. "Don't ever talk about yourself like that!"

"It's true," she spat. She glared at him. "And you know, don't you? You know what's wrong with me, don't you? Why I got sick, why I fainted?"

Zach stared at her intensely.

"Justin told you, didn't he?"

Had Justin summoned the courage she couldn't?

Ophelia had been so ready to tell him the other day. But then Montgomery found her. He came out of nowhere.

And he had been kind, at first, asking if she was okay. And then once he found out she was, it's like his empathy left. And he threatened her, because he thought she told Clay what happened. And he said he would go up to Clay himself and tell him what kind of slut she was, claiming rape when she obviously enjoyed it.

And it wasn't until he mentioned that night again that Ophelia realized what really did happened. She did finish, but so did he. And he finished inside of her.

She was on no birth control. She had no protection.

He had finished inside of her, and it was likely that that may have done more than he ever could have realized.

"Justin didn't fucking tell me anything," Zach told her. His voice straining his throat.

She stepped closer. "But you know?"

Zach didn't say anything. He didn't risk the theory being out in the open.

"Tell me you know," Ophelia asked of him. "Because I know that you know."

"All I know is that my girlfriend, who I'm in love with, suddenly tells me she slept with the man she hates most in the world? Why the fuck should I believe that?"

Ophelia frowned at the extreme anger in his voice.

She withheld a gasp.

"You do believe it," Ophelia said suddenly.

Zach continued glaring at the ground. When he met her eyes again, his eyes softened. "I don't." Another waver of doubt.

Ophelia stepped away.

"You need to go before my mother comes up."

Zach refused to move.

"What do you think I know?" he pressed. He needed to hear it from her. No more guesses, no more assumptions. He needed to hear her words.

Ophelia let out a pitiful laugh. But she didn't say anything.

Announcing a pregnancy was not what she feared most anymore.

Ophelia turned away from him, and Zach tried to put a hand on her shoulder. She flinched away from him.

Still facing away she said, "It doesn't have to do with you anymore."

Zach frowned. Ophelia couldn't see his face, but the displeasment was heard in his voice. "It does. If you..."

She faced him quickly now. "If I'm what?"

It'd be so much easier if someone just said it.

Finally, Zach snapped. And he finally did.

"If you're pregnant."

The silence was loud.

"If you were pregnant, it would have a lot to do with me."

The fear she used to hold over Zach knowing about the pregnancy did not exist to her anymore.

It was numbed by the fear of a greater confession.

But she knew, if she did not speak now, Zach would stay.

He would stay with her. Eventually he would marry her. He was a good man, and he would never leave her leave.

But Ophelia refused to subject him to her burden.

Because that's what she was now. And maybe that's what she would always be now.

Ophelia suddenly relaxed her guard. She turned to Zach, and stepped forward. He reached out, and took his hand, holding it softly.

She allowed herself a moment just to hold his hand.

Zach was a man now, but his hands still felt as soft as when they played games together as children.

Ophelia wished she could still be a child.

How could she be a child while carrying her own child?

And how could she claim to love Zach, or to have ever loved Zach, if she dared to keep this secret.

Ophelia's eyes were glossed over with a pool of unfallen tears.

"Zach..."

His face grew softened, and for a moment, she saw him hopeful. She depised herself for giving him the hope, knowing she would only ruin it. Like she ruined things for the both of them.

She swallowed hard, and she held her breath.

"...I don't know if it would have anything to do with you..."

It was now or never.

"...or if it'd have to do with Montgomery..."

And while Ophelia thought the sound of Zach's painful scream Homecoming night was the worst sound she would ever hear, she was proved wrong in that very moment.

There was nothing more deafening than the silence that followed her words.

And then the slam of her door as he left. It felt like it shook the whole house.

It even shook her bones.

A/N:
I want to begin with saying this chapter was very hard for me to write. And for those that are sensitive to the subject of rape, I want to warn you it will be a main topic the next six chapters, until season four. Please let me know if anything is too explicit and I will try to write less descriptively for certain parts.

This chapter was inspired by a case where a rapist was ruled innocent because the woman confessed to having an orgasm, and the court did not recognize that orgasm did not equal consent.

It's also come to my attention some of the formatting on my posts are messed up making it harder to read/distinguish between sessions? Please let me know if any specific chapters are messed up.