A couple of girls mumbled asides and one actually giggled. My hands tightening into fists in my lap, I ignored them, swallowed and nodded. “Yes.”
“Okay sorry, I don’t see why she’s even here,” a junior class rep said. “If he didn’t actually do it—”
“He had every intention of doing it,” Erin said through clenched teeth. “He was just stopped before he succeeded.”
The other girl tossed her hair over her shoulder. “But she didn’t report it that night. Why not? And why now? I mean, how do we know this isn’t a ploy for attention? Or some sort of vendetta against Buck?”
Erin growled next to me.
“He was stopped by a guy who saw the whole thing and is willing to make an official report with me.” My voice wavered, and beneath the table, Erin took my right hand and held it tightly. “As far as why now instead of then… that was my bad judgment. It didn’t occur to me that he’d do this to someone else.” I glanced at Mindi, an apology in my eyes, and then Katie. “I thought it was just me.”
“What guy? One of the brothers? Because dude, they’re not going to testify against Buck,” Taylor said, and several girls nodded.
“No. Lucas Maxfield.”
“Oh, I know him,” Olivia’s sister said. “He’s yummy…”
“Is he the non-Greek guy who was at the Halloween party without a costume? Cowboy boots? Dark hair? Gorgeous eyes? Total hottie?” the girl next to her asked.
“Yeah, that’s him.”
“Mindi,” Katie interrupted, “I understand that Dean and D.J. spoke with you yesterday?”
Mindi nodded, her still red-rimmed eyes wide. “They want me to drop the charges. They said they would handle it internally.”
Heads pivoted back and forth between the sorority president and the freshman pledge as they volleyed questions and answers. “What are your plans, now?”
“I don’t know. I’m really confused.”
Katie pinned her with a look. “Did Buck do what you said he did?”
Mindi’s eyes filled with tears, and when she nodded, they spilled down her cheeks.
“Then what the hell is there to be confused about?”
Everyone sat in stunned silence for a moment, until the girl who’d pronounced Lucas a total hottie exclaimed, “Are you saying she should press charges?”
“Absolutely.”
Gasps sounded around the table, and I was so dumbfounded I couldn’t move.
“But this will look so bad for—”
“You know what looks bad?” Katie cut off her VP. “A bunch of women who don’t support each other when a guy pulls some shit like this. I’m sick of it. Less than an hour ago, I told D.J. where he could stick his goddamned fraternal reputation.” She stood up and leaned forward, her hands on the table. “Let me tell you girls a story, short and sweet. In high school, I was a junior varsity cheerleader dating a senior who was up for football scholarships. I’d slept with him several times, willingly. One night I wasn’t in the mood, but he was. So he held me down and forced me. The few people I told about it—including my best friend—pointed out what would happen to him if I told. They stressed the fact that I hadn’t been a virgin, that we were dating, that we’d had sex before. So I kept quiet. I never even told my mother. That boy put bruises on my body. I was crying and begging him to stop and he didn’t. That’s called rape, ladies.”
She drew herself up and crossed her arms over her chest. “So Buck can enjoy sitting in a cell contemplating how he blew up his life. That dickwad hurt two people sitting at this table. And you’re worried about who’ll look bad if they tell? Screw that. Dean and D.J. and Kennedy and every frat boy on this campus can all go f**k themselves. Are we sisters or not?”
***
Jacqueline,
I’ve attached the review that I’ll hand out on Thursday. I guess it’s technically preferential for me to give it to you a couple of days early, but I did tell you that you were my favorite, after all.
LM (aka Lucas, aka Landon, aka Mr. Maxfield)
Mr. Landon Lucas Maxfield,
It feels odd to get economics email from you. Like you aren’t really the same person. (I just remembered how I asked if you needed help in economics. I was all set to recommend you as a tutor to yourself. You must have thought I was so clueless.)
Thank you for the review worksheet. I won’t even look at it until Thursday. That way you don’t need to feel guilty about giving it to me early.
Mindi and I filed reports at the police station earlier. Erin drove us. It was the first time I actually gave anyone a detailed account of the whole thing. I was shaking and crying by the time I was done, and I felt weak and stupid all over again. Mindi was in even worse shape; the case worker said she may need to be treated for PTSD. She told us both to go to the school counseling office or a private therapist for treatment.
Mindi called her parents on the way back to campus, and they’ll be on a flight here in the morning. It never even occurred to me to tell mine. I don’t think I could deal with another I-told-you-so speech from my mother. Not about this.
I gave the detective your information, and she said they would call you when they want you to come in. I’m not sure what happens next.
JW (aka Jacqueline, aka J, aka Ms. Wallace, aka Jackie - but will apply self-defense training as needed if called such)
Ms. Jacqueline (not-Jackie) Wallace,
I never for one moment thought you were clueless. I got caught up in my own deception, and I felt increasingly rotten about it. I’m glad you found out, and I’m sorry I didn’t tell you myself. If anyone was clueless, it was me.