Hey everyone! I still can't get over how supportive you are. I know that this story is a little weird, but I appreciate all the positive feedback. When I wrote the last chapter, honestly I didn't think it was that much of a cliffhanger, but I guess it was. Sorry about that. It kind of gives it a little edge though...anyway. Thanks for everything and I hope you like this chapter. It's kind of short and I'm sorry, but I will try to make the next chapter even better! Thanks!

Lauren (manydreams1216)

An hour. It took him an hour to finally stop. He got what he wanted too. I don't even want to think about it. I can't think about it. You know what the ironic part of this whole thing is? I can't even cry. Every other event in my life I cry. I just can't.

Somehow I fell asleep and now I am looking in my mirror applying the cover up. It's funny how something as simple as makeup can seemingly make almost all of your problems go away.

My parents don't notice, but that's expected. I walk out that front door and they don't even wish me to have a good day. I guess it's not all smiles now? Most likely I'll be banished or shunned. Maybe I'll be sent to military school. That'll be a kick. It all comes back into a circle.

Now I have to hold up another day at Chilton. I go my locker and retrieve the necessary books.

Suddenly someone whips me around and I wince in pain, but he doesn't notice. He just kisses me instead. Alex. I haven't even had a chance to react, but I give in. It's passionate and totally and completely not a nice, little, how are you kiss. Wait, aren't we in the middle of the Chilton hallways?

I pull away, "What are you doing?" I whisper.

"I told my dad and he knows so we have nothing to be afraid of." He's smiling. He's happy. "I mean of course this isn't an ideal situation for our parents, but what are they going to do? Stop us? I don't think so. And besides as much as I didn't want to say it before, I really do want to hold your hand in public."

Weakly I smile, "I told my parents too and they weren't exactly happy about it, but they'll deal." I look down at my hands holding my books. For some reason, I can't look at him.

"What's wrong?" he asks concerned.

"Nothing," I look up at him and rub the back of my neck.

"No, you're hiding something from me."

"I'm not."

"Yes you are. You think I don't know you Mare, but I know your looks." He places his hand on my arm and I flinch away. "Why did you just do that?"

"What do you mean?" My eyes go back to the ground.

"You wouldn't let me touch you."

"It's nothing." I shake it away.

"Oh it's something." He takes me into an empty classroom. "Show me."

"What?"

"Now you are just getting me angry." I don't say anything. "You went to Joe's yesterday."

It was more of a statement than a question, but I respond, "Yes I did. But that doesn't have anything to do with this."

"He forced himself on you didn't he?"

How does he read me like that? Again, I don't say anything.

Alex comes closer. "He hurt you." His eyes run over my face and my neck. He raises his fingers to my cheek and feels the makeup. "You never wear makeup," he states. Then he starts unbuttoning my sweater to see the other damage.

"Don't do that," I say meekly. I don't want him to see anything.
"Mary you have to let me see."

"Later we have school right now."

He takes his hands off of me. "Fine." He doesn't look at me.

"This is why I didn't want you to know," I mutter.

Unfortunately, he hears me. "Did you let him do this?"

"No! Are you kidding me? I yelled at him to stop and I cried. It didn't work. God, how could say something like that?"

"Mary, he raped you for God's sake! Come on."

I start to cry. I bury my face in my hands. Why does Alex make me realize things like this? Joe did rape me and I shouldn't be hiding it. I should've told Alex last night. It's just so complicated all the time. Now I'm starting to sound like my dad. It should be easier.

"It's going to be okay," he wraps his arms around me and holds me close to him.

I shake my head, "No it's not."

"I'm going to make it." He lets go of me and stomps off into the hall.

"What are you doing?"

"Something I should have done a long time ago."

I stand in the doorway half divided between staying where I am and following him. I follow him. Of course he's in the exact place and with the exact person I don't want him to be interacting with.

Without even saying a word, Alex walks right up to Joe and pushes him into the lockers.

"What the hell is your problem!" Joe yells back.

"You. You're my problem." Alex throws a punch that connects right with Joe's nose and there's blood. This is no going to be pretty.

Joe cocks a smirk, knowing what this whole thing was about, "Did that little whore of yours tell you how much she enjoyed me last night?"

"Don't you dare call her that."

"Really? Well she is."

Alex hit him again.

"Is that all you got Ryderstan?" Joe incites.

Before Alex has a chance to respond, Joe punches Alex in the stomach and Alex grabs his mid section with pain. Definitely going to leave a bruise. Again Joe hits Alex in the face. I can't watch this anymore.

"Stop!" I scream standing in between the two of them.

I put my hand to Alex's face to make sure he's okay. "Are you all right?"

"I'll be fine."

"Oh isn't that sweet, little Mary comes to the rescue," Joe taunts.

Pissed I turn around, "Stop Joe."

He smiles, "You didn't tell me that last night."

"Shut the hell up!"

He comes closer to me. "You know that's not what you want."

"Yes it is," I insist. "Stay away from me and my boyfriend. If you ever touch us again, I'll–"

"You'll do what? Call the cops. There weren't any witnesses."

"There doesn't have to be witnesses."

A crowd starts to form around the three of us. I don't really notice them. I'm too engrossed in my fight with Joe. I'm not letting him get away with this. "You know what Joe, maybe the cops wouldn't hurt you. Maybe if I just told the whole entire female population of Chilton exactly how tiny your dick is, then maybe this would be settled."

His eyes widen and people start to laugh. He sends them death glares and they become silent. "I know many girls who will say differently."

"Are these the ones you were sleeping with behind my back while we were dating?"

"Yes, because you weren't good enough."

"Really? Because I don't remember sleeping with you at all during our relationship. In fact, I was sleeping with Alex the entire time, which you know of, because you weren't good enough."

He groans heavily. "You are so going to pay for this Mary." I don't say anything. He mouth comes dangerously close to my ear and says, "It'll be just like last night." Now I'm mad. He starts walking away, but I grab his arm and knee him in the groin. He falls to the ground and forms himself into a ball. That felt incredibly good. Finally I get the last word.

After I accomplish the embarrassment of Joe Wexler, I turn my attentions toward Alex.

"Do you want to get out of here?"

"Sure," he smiles even through the large black eye he's developing. "I never knew you to be a ditcher Mare."

"You learn things new about me everyday."

"That is very true."

We share a smile and then we walk out of Chilton. I have never ditched school before this moment. I don't know what's come over me, but I've decided not to go to school today. It's a weird, liberating feeling and I don't feel at all guilty about it. Okay, maybe I feel guilty a little, but not to the extent of which I thought.

I look at Alex's face as we drive away in his car. Nothing but a brand new Ferrari. What else to you expect? Anyway, I notice that a bruise is starting to form and he's shifting uncomfortably. Joe definitely hurt him.

"Are you okay Alex?"

"Nothing that a big bottle of aspirin can't cure."

"Let's stop at my house and we can get you some ice for your face and look at your stomach. I don't want you to be in pain," I say concerned.

He gives me a weak smile. "Aren't your parents home?"

"I don't know and for once in my life I don't really care."

"Okay then, we can stop at your house before we go and waste the day away."

"Good plan." I reach over and kiss him on the cheek.

"What was that for?"

I smile, "For defending me. Not once in my life has someone ever beaten up somebody else for me."

He laughs, "Well I'll have to do it more often then."

"Yes you do. Okay well maybe not, but still I appreciate it."

In a serious tone he says, "We are going to have to talk about this Mary."

"I know. Just not now, later," I respond looking at the road ahead of us.

Alex doesn't say anything. He'll let me think about it for a few hours, then he'll ask again and I'll tell him. I wish it didn't have to happen. I wish everything was different. Maybe if this whole Dugrey-Ryderstan feud didn't exist then Alex and I could be together without any problems and life maybe would be simple. I hate it. I hate that our parents hate each other and that we have had to hide this from the whole world. It's just dumb and stupid. That's all it is.

Taking all precautions, I have us enter the house through the back door that goes straight to the kitchen, where all the medical supplies are. I go to the fridge and realize that there are things in here that I have never even seen before. After the thought, I find the ice pack in the freezer and hold it Alex's face.

"You're cute all domestic," he comments.

"I guess I should take that as a compliment."

"You should."

"Does it hurt?"

"Just a little. I've had worse."

"Really?"

He lets out a harsh laugh, "According to my father, I'm not exactly the best kid in the world. I got his a lot."

"I'm sorry."

He shrugs, "It's no big deal. I'm sure other people have it worse." He's always thinking about other people. The other people that don't have the privileged life we live. The other people that don't have the same advantages. Always the humanitarian.

"There are a lot of things I don't know about you, huh?"

"I'm sure there aren't a whole lot of things I don't know about you."

"Nope, I'm pretty sure you know everything."

"You're right, I probably do," he laughs. "I know every single expression you make. Every single way you kiss me. Every single curve of your body. Every single way you say my name when we–"

I stop him there, knowing it very well could get rated R in a few moments. "Okay, okay. I get it. Well I know all those things about you too."

"Really?" Alex moves his mouth towards me. He's taunting.

"Yes," I insist. "I know exactly what to do to make you..." I can't finish the sentence. My innocence is kicking in.

"Make me what?"

"You know."

"I do." He kisses me softly. These are the moments we cherish. The moments that we can pinpoint and dissect every single action. I wish I just had more.

Unfortunately this moment wouldn't last. "Mary!"

I pull away from Alex and see the last person that wants to see me and Alex. "Dad. I didn't know you were home."

Alex's face moves to any place that isn't directed at my father. I don't blame him at all.

"Aren't you suppose to be at school?" Tristan asks.

"Well yes, but something happened and I can't be there today."

"And I can only assume that Mr. Ryderstan here can be the cause of what happened?"

"No he wasn't the cause. He was involved, but he did nothing."
Dad laughs that almost mean laugh. "Oh and the ice pack to his face has nothing to do with what happened at school today?"

"The only thing he did was protect me."

"From what Mary?"

I hate when he does this. "From Joe."

"Wexler couldn't have done anything to you. He's much better than this piece of Ryderstan trash."

Alex doesn't exactly take this one lying down. "Mr. Dugrey I hate to be disrespectful, but do you know what hell Joe put your daughter through?"

Quietly I say, "Don't Alex, please."

He hears my plea, but insists that he must tell Tristan.

"He raped her. And I wasn't going to let my girlfriend go through that. I love her Mr. Dugrey and I won't let anyone hurt her."

Dad's face just reeks of shock and immediately he looks at me and walks towards me. "Did he really do that?" He swallows hard.

"Yes," I say through tears.

"And you told him before you told me and your mother?"

"Well..."

Alex interrupts me, "She didn't tell me, I figured it out myself."

"I should have noticed. I'm sorry Mary," Dad expresses. It's the first time I've ever heard him say that. He hugs me. "I'm so sorry. This never should have happened. Why?"

"He told me that if I didn't then he would tell you about us, so that's why I told you about Alex and I last night. I still went over there to tell him he couldn't do anything then he forced himself on me," I explain with tears falling out my eyes. It was so hard to tell him, but at the same time it wasn't. It was like I should have told him earlier.

"Oh Mary." Dad just kept holding me tighter and patting my hair. "I'm so sorry."

"It's not your fault."

"Of course it's my fault. We've neglected you Mary and now you are in this situation." Tristan pulls away from me and looks at me. "We have to call the police."

"Dad..." I plead.

"We have to bring this to the authorities."

Alex agrees, "Mary your dad's right. We have to tell the police. We can't let Joe get away this. He hurt you in the worst way possible."

They both look at me. I run my hands through the long brown hair that adorns my head and I feel like pulling it out. "I can't."

"You have to," Dad says.

"No, you don't understand. I can't. I can't talk about it."

Alex's hand grabs mine. "Mary we can take this slowly. We don't have to be in the room. You just have to tell the police what he did. Then he can be put behind bars and you'll never have to see him again."

"It's not that simple. Dad, you know the Wexlers. They won't take this lying down. There's going to be a huge court case and I can't do that. I just can't."

Dad rubs his hand over his mouth. "I know what you're saying. The last thing I want you to do is to go through that again. I have some of the best attorneys on my staff. They'll take care of it. I'll have an attorney go in with you."

I groan in frustration. I don't want to do it. I can't do it. "You make it sound so easy."

"It can be easy."

"I can't Dad, I'm sorry." I walk towards the dining room to the living room.

Behind me I hear, "Mary! Come back here," Dad insists.

Then softly I hear Alex's voice. "Mr. Dugrey, let me talk to her. Please."

No one says anything for a few moments. Dad must have nodded or something because Alex comes over and places his arm around me. Slowly, he tries to convince me that I should tell the police and my dad is right about all the lawyers and stuff. I keep insisting that I can't and I need time. I look into his eyes and I think he's knows what I am saying. I mean, I just can't. I'm not strong. I never was. And I don't think I ever will be.