Disclaimer: I don't own Degrassi or its characters...need I say more.

A/N: Italics mean thoughts of the character. Regular script means spoken words and background information.

My Thanks and recognitions:

Kaitlinbell: Thank you once again for the kind words and making me smile. I promise nothing else until your kitchen story is done. This just begged to be written.

DegrassiLuver4Ever11: Thank you so much for reviewing my last story. Just as an FYI I think I can extend it one chapter for you. I may have an idea, just need to see how it pans out.

EzraFitch: You flatter me with your sweet words. I emailed you back, I hope you received it. Feel free to email or IM me on yahoo anytime. I hope you enjoy this one as well.

This may contain some sensitive materials that some people may not wish to read. After you read the first sentence of the third paragraph and don't like the topic, please use the back button. This is what the entire thing is about. Be forewarned.

The Meeting

I cannot believe that I am here. Wait, why am I here? I did not want to do this. I do not want to do this. I am here because he forced me to be here. I know he means well, but it is not his story it is mine. It is one I do not want to share yet. He is poking me in the ribs and everyone is looking at me, guess it is my turn to talk.

I stand up and look at everyone in the room. It isn't even a pretty room, just kind of dull and there. I guess so we don't have anything to focus on but our stories.

"Hi. My name is Paige and I am a rape victim. You know what, I hate that term victim, and I am not a victim. I am a survivor. I have survived for almost two years with the looks, the glances, the whispers and accusations. I will continue to survive because I am stronger than this. I have the support of friends and family, but I was forced into coming here today. It is nearing the two year anniversary of the rape and my brother (pointing next to me at Dylan) wants to make sure that I am all right. I tell his that I am all right but he wants me to get help finally. I guess he is afraid that I will have the nightmares again or maybe just flip out like I did last year. In all fairness to myself, I only flipped because the one year anniversary I had to see Dean again at a soccer game. I think anyone would have reacted badly to that.

I have been asked some questions about the rape, but the one that I have always loved is; what happened? It is like they want to know all the gory details about something they would never experience. For their sakes, I hope they never have to go through what I went through. I would never wish this on my worst enemy. Here is what happened that night so long ago. I stupidly ditched my boyfriend to go to a party thrown by a rival school where this hot guy was going to be attending. I wanted this guy but not like that. He took the fact that I willingly went to his room as a sign that I wanted sex. When I tried to stop him, he forced himself on me. I look upon that day and realize that after a few minutes I was no longer in my body. It was like I was floating around the ceiling watching it happen but powerless to stop it. It was over in a matter of minutes and he just got off me, zipped up his pants and left the room. I pulled my panties back up, pushed down my skirt and ran for the front door. I felt numb. It was almost as if I was no longer me. I didn't want to be me, I felt like it was my fault. If I had not gone to the room, if I had fought harder, the ifs just kept coming and I blamed myself.

I went home that night and stood under the shower until it ran cold. I could not get clean. Dylan, my brother, heard me crying after I got in bed that night and came to check on me. I told him what had happened and he told me it was not my fault. I wanted to believe him. He stayed with me all night and helped me deal with the nightmares that eventually came. The next morning, I retold Dylan the whole story and it dawned on me that it was not my fault. It did not make it hurt any less but it did ease my guilt about even being there. A friend wrote a song about rape and wanted us to sing it in a talent show shortly after that. I broke down and started yelling and screaming at her over the lyrics. That day, I started to get counseling with our school therapist. I went for about six months and felt better about the situation. I still feel good most days but some days I feel like walking into on coming traffic.

I now have far more good days than bad and am thankful. I have learned to survive and stand tall. I hear the students whisper 'slut', 'whore', and even 'you know she is lying, she asked for it' and can now turn away. It still hurts that I am not believed because the guy that raped me is popular and everyone wants him. The people that matter most to me know that I did not want this to happen. They are the ones that know he took something special from me that I can never get back. He took more that just my virginity, he took my sense of security. I am gaining back the security and I still consider myself a virgin because my heart was not in it. When I chose to lose my virginity, it will be to someone I love and respect. I guess that is all I wanted to say. One more thing, thank you Dylan for bringing me here. I guess I did need this more than I thought."

I sit back down and wait for the murmurs to end. I know I just blurted everything out but it felt good to get it off my chest. Dylan is so sweet to try and help me. I know I have been a pain about this but I guess he knew best all along. Oh he is smiling at me.

I smiled back at Dylan and grabbed his hand. He squeezed my hand tightly as we listened to someone else talk about their rape. I lean into him and rest my head on his shoulder.

It is so nice to know that I am not alone in what I have gone through. It is even nicer to know that I am supported and loved by my family unconditionally. Dylan must love me, who else would sit through a rape crisis meeting for an hour, not having gone through a rape themselves. I love my older brother.

We stand up to leave and I pull Dylan gently against me in a hug. "Thanks big brother. I Love You." He smiled down at me with a tear in his eye. "I love you too Paige. Let's go home." Dylan said taking my hand again. I walk with him to his red and black Thunderbird convertible.

The End

A/N: I know this is kind of short and a one-shot but I got a sudden burst of inspiration while attending a meeting myself. I realized that everyone dances around the subject of Paige's rape but no one ever really confronts it. I figured it was time for Paige to confront it. Reviews are always welcome. I realize that this may cause some flames but that is okay. They will be taken in the context in which they were written. Constructive criticism is always a must.