I practically lunged across my bedroom when I heard Lexi's ringtone – "Just Dance" by Lady Gaga, her favorite song – start playing on my phone. I almost knocked my laptop off of my desk in the process, but I didn't really care at the time. I hadn't heard from her in four days, which I'm pretty sure is the longest we've ever gone without talking since we met. I made Nate call Caitlyn about twenty times a day and try to get information from her, but that girl knows how to keep a secret. I'd always considered that one of her best features, but lately it just made me want to strangle her.

"Hello?"

"Hey, it's me," Lexi whispered. She always said that, as if her ringtone and her name on the caller ID hadn't tipped me off.

It was so good to hear her voice. "Why are you whispering?"

"I'm at the library with my study group," she told me. "We have a test tomorrow. We're taking a break for a few minutes."

She would be at the library at midnight. The university library was open 24/7, and she took full advantage of it when she had tests. She thought if she was here, she'd just end up watching movies with me…actually, that was probably true.

"What class?" I asked, though I didn't really care. I just didn't think it would be a good idea to start out with 'so can I be your boyfriend or what?'

"Arabic," she replied.

She took the weirdest classes. She said that since she had no idea what she wanted to do with her life, she would try a little of everything until something kept her attention. It was a good idea, I guess, but every time she talks about it, I just thank God I have music and don't have to worry about all that crap. College sounds like it sucks.

"Hey, Shane? Let's do it."

Huh?

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"I mean…" she said. "Let's…evolve."

I'm amazed that I didn't start screaming out of total happiness. "Really?"

"Yeah, really," she replied. "You said it…if we both feel this way about each other, we should be together."

This would be the part where I picked her up, spun her around, and kissed her like crazy if she was here. And if I wasn't so damn happy, I would be pissed that she wasn't here. "Come home."

She giggled. It was SO DAMN CUTE. "I think I'm going to stay at Caitlyn's tonight…I don't know how much studying I'll get done if I come home. But I'll be done with my classes around one tomorrow. Do you want to have lunch?"

"Like, a date?" I smirked. How cool is that? I was going to take Lexi on a date. "We're going to the studio at eleven, I think…but will you come, when you're done? We can take a break and go out to eat."

"Then I guess it's a date," she replied, and I could tell she was smiling. I couldn't wait to actually see her smile again. It killed me to think about the last time I saw her, when she was crying so much. "I have to go, we have to finish going over the last chapter."

"Okay. I love you."

I wanted to say it about a million times. I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you.

"I love you, too. Goodnight."

Oh man, I wanted to hear it a million times.

I tossed my cell phone back onto my nightstand. She loved me. She was my girlfriend, and she loved me. I was so excited I didn't even know what to do with myself. My first thought was to go tell Nate and Jason. But, in a weird way, I kind of just wanted to enjoy it by myself for a little while. Anyways, as soon as I told them, they would just start talking about sex. I could tell them in the morning. I'd barely slept since Lexi left, but now that I had some peace of mind – okay, complete and total peace of mind because my life was pretty much perfect at the moment and, oh yeah, she loves me – I knew I would be able to sleep. And the faster I went to sleep, the faster it would be morning, and the faster I would get to see my girlfriend.

"Shane!"

I groaned and glanced up at my clock. It was 3:46am, and Nate was screaming at me from the other side of my bedroom door. I had been sleeping amazingly and his dumbass had to wake me up. I hated when he did this shit. Last time it was because I ate his leftovers. I could only imagine what it was this time. But he couldn't bring me down today. After Lexi's test, I was taking her out to lunch. On a date. Because she's my girlfriend, so I can do stuff like that. I am loving this, can you tell?

"Shane!"

"What?" I shouted back, praying that he heard the annoyance in my voice and left me the hell alone.

"Someone just called for you!"

Has he ever heard of taking a message? I can read. Writing it down would have been sufficient. Though, with his handwriting, I guess I was taking my chances. Who would call me at 4am, anyways?

I heard the door open and glared at him. "Okay, what the hell is so important?"

"Shane, it was the hospital."

My dad. My dad had been diagnosed with diabetes last year. He was really good about eating right and everything, but sometimes he forgot to check his blood sugar levels. He'd been in the hospital this year once before, when it got too low. He had been home alone and passed out or something. The doctor said that if my mom hadn't gotten home so soon after it happened, he could have died. We were all paranoid about leaving him alone now, but it's not like we could hire a babysitter to watch him. I'd been dreading the day mom didn't find him in time.

"Is he okay?" I asked quietly, praying for good news.

"He?" Nate asked. "Shane…it's Lexi."

I'm pretty sure my heart stopped beating. No, it wasn't Lexi. Whatever 'it' was, it wasn't Lexi. Not my Lexi.

"She's okay."

Thank God. I jumped out of bed and looked around frantically for my car keys before I realized that Nate was holding my jacket out to me.

"Jason's already in the car, come on," he told me.

Its times like these I'm glad they know me so well. We both hurried downstairs and he explained to me what else he knew. And at that moment, I was also glad that Jason was a really bad driver and would probably double the speed limit to get to the hospital.

"She was walking back to her car and someone attacked her. It was late, and dark, I guess."

I always told her not to walk by herself at night, but did she listen? Never. "What do you mean, attacked?"

"I don't know, like, tried to rob her, I guess?" he suggested.

My worry, for a second, turned to some serious anger. Somebody hurt my girlfriend? I'm gonna kill that motherfucker. As Jason pulled up to the hospital, though – and what did I tell you? Record time – all I could think about was Lexi.

We all ran into the hospital and up to the front desk.

"Where's Alexa Kennedy?" I asked urgently.

"Are you a family member?" the nurse asked.

"I'm her boyfriend," I replied. I wish I could have taken a moment to enjoy that, but I did notice the look on the Nate and Jason's faces and gave them a 'yes, I'll explain later' look.

The woman typed something into her computer. "Room 114. Right down this hallway, it will be on the left."

"Thank you," I muttered and glanced back to the guys.

"We'll be right here."

I nodded and tore down the hallway. She looked up at me and smiled when I entered the room.

"Hey, sweetie."

I sat next to her on the hospital bed and touched her hair. She had a black eye. Okay, I was seriously going to kill that motherfucker. Seriously. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," she assured me. "Don't I look fine? Two broken ribs. No biggie, I've got 22 more. I barely use them all, anyways."

It was so like her, to be calm and making jokes while I was freaking out. She always made the best of every situation. And she didn't put up with my complaining. I loved that about her. Not that I had much to complain about when she was around. I kissed her, and for a minute, I forgot that we were in a hospital. She was my girlfriend, and I could kiss her as much as I wanted to now.

"I love you, baby," I told her. "What happened?"

I heard footsteps behind me and looked towards the door. Two police officers walked in.

"Alexa? I'm Officer Matthews, and this is Officer Hunter. We need to ask you a few questions."

"Sure," she nodded.

She was brave. She always had been. When we were little, she was the one who made sure there were no monsters in the closet before we went to sleep. But she laced her fingers in between mine, and I knew she was a little scared.

"Can you tell us what happened?" the taller one, who I guess was Officer Hunter, asked.

"Yeah. I was walking back to my car…I'd been studying at the library. I have a test tomorrow. Or…today, I guess," she started.

"Around what time?"

"1:30ish, I think. I was almost to my car, and then this guy grabbed me and covered my mouth with his hand. He told me not to scream. He pushed me down onto the pavement, and he kicked me, on my side. And then he, um…"

The officer nodded at her. I guess that was supposed to be encouraging or something. She tightened her grip on my hand. "It's okay. What did he do?"

Lexi looked down at our intertwined hands. "Shane, um…could you go get me some water?"

"I'll call the nurse and ask her to get some," I replied.

She sighed. "Could you just…leave, for a few minutes?"

What? She knew I wasn't going to leave her. Why would she want me to? She needed me there, with her. She tells me everything – what could she possibly have to tell them that she didn't want me to hear?

And then, it hit me. "Did he…did he rape you?"

She closed her eyes and bit her lip. That's what she always did right before she was trying really hard not to cry. "Just leave, please. For a few minutes. Go tell the guys I'm okay."

I'd never really known what it was like to be in complete shock until then. My jaw dropped and I just stared at her for a few minutes. And then I nodded, got up, and walked out of the room. I don't actually remember walking back to the waiting room, but all of the sudden I was sitting next to Nate. Caitlyn was there now, too.

"Shane? What's going on?"

I couldn't stop myself from crying. Not her. Not Lexi. She was so amazing, she didn't deserve this. I should have been there to protect her. If only I had told her not to walk in the dark before I hung up the phone. Not that she would have listened, but still.

"He raped my baby."

None of them really said anything. I wasn't surprised – what the hell are you supposed to say? Caitlyn sat down next to me and hugged me. I just prayed that I would wake up and this would all go away, and I would be in my bed, with Lexi in my arms.

And then, not that there's really a 'right thing' to say in this situation, but Jason came pretty damn close.

"So…where are we gonna hide that motherfucker's body?"

A/N: Why yes, I did name the police officers in honor of Boy Meets World. I had up to here written before I started posting, but now I actually have to start writing again…I'll try to keep updates coming every couple days. Not like college = tons of homework or anything, right…? I have a pretty good idea of what is going to happen overall, at least as far as this part is concerned, but I have to figure out how it is all going to work, exactly…REVIEW!!!