Tried Hard To Forget: Angie

I suck down my milkshake, waiting anxiously for Thomas to arrive. We chose the mall for our meeting place, and I'm currently in the bustling food court.

I'm nervous about what he has to say. Part of me wants to have misunderstood him, but there's another part that wants him to mean exactly what I think.

After some minutes go by, I feel foolish for even showing. Alone at a table, I'm certain that I should've left by now given the time. I'm about to ditch when the ink haired man of the hour finally slides into my booth across from me. He's still got the greaser look going on, but it works for him. Again, he's chewing gum.

He sends me a polite nod.

I lean back, folding my arms. "You're late."

"Am I?"

"Yes."

"I believe I said I'd arrive after one." He checks his phone. "It's not even two yet."

"It's 1:50, Thomas." I prop my elbows on the table, rubbing my face. "Anyway, I guess you're technically right. What's this all about?"

His pale blue eyes look to the ceiling for a moment as if searching for an answer. "I had a best friend who moved out of state during sophomore year. I believe you two to have similar stories." His jaw grinds. "Her family moved, because even after she filed the report nothing was done. They had been threatened with a lawsuit, and moving was their only way out. She passed away last year."

It seems hard for him to speak about this. I'm at a loss for words, so he continues.

"We'd been friends since I moved here at the age of twelve. I was madly in love with her, and I'm sure she knew it." A sweet smile appears for a moment, but then his frown returns. "Accidental drowning," he says, explaining. "She fought so hard, and fled just to die of something so stupid."

"I'm sorry to hear that." I let sincerity reach my eyes, giving him a sympathetic frown.

"Yeah, me too." He folds his arms, now leaning back as well. "I couldn't save her, but I can still fight for her. Give her one last gift goodbye."

"You think that I can help you?" A sour taste fills my mouth.

"You along with a few others. I'm only asking for you to tell your story."

"No offense, but that didn't seem to help your friend."

"You're right." He leans in, low voice tingling my spine. "Angie, when the rumors started I could look at you and tell that there was a different story. There are others, and with all of you we can build a strong case."

I swallow hard. It's a lot to process. I feel like my insides are churning.

"I... tried hard to forget." A tear slips down my cheek before I can blink it away.

"Don't forget. Make him remember exactly what he did to you. Let him see your face in his cell at night while years pass him by."

I steady my breath, calming myself before speaking about my assault.