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Those four little words mixed with the sound of my soft crying quieted him. He whispered, soothingly, to me and stroked my hair, calming me. I buried my face further into his chest and just tried to think of what I was doing here.

What was I doing here? I was tarnished now, disgustingly and awfully tarnished. Destery deserved a fresh, clean girl. Someone who hadn't been mauled, maliciously and left for dead. Someone who didn't wish death upon herself.

That's exactly what I wanted now. I wanted a hole to open up and swallow me, and only me. I had no use on this earth anymore, but the personal pleasure of men. What was I to the world, but a piece of meat that they could do what they pleased to.

I pulled out of Destery's embrace and looked him in the eyes. I saw nothing but pure love in his eyes and I felt sick. I didn't deserve his whiskey orbs staring at me like I was still the girl he fell in love with. I was gross and dirty. I felt like I had cheated on him and didn't even enjoy myself.

This thought only caused me to begin crying again. I could never even think about cheating on Destery.

"Cassidee?" Destery asked, moving to lift my face so my eyes could meet his. "Please, don't think that this is your fault."

I shook my head. "I feel so disgusting! How can you still love me?"

He simply looked at me, before pressing his lips to my forehead. "I still love you, because you're still the girl I fell in love with a few months ago. You're simply broken right now. But, honest to god, I'm going to help piece you back together."

I smiled, a watery, weak smile, and nodded my head. Tears were still falling, steadily, but I felt hope. I felt warmth and love pouring from every pore of his body as he looked at me with those incredible hazel eyes of his.

**

*A Year Later*

A year after the incident, we were still going steady. I was seeing a therapist for the trauma and the men who raped me were in prison. They found them due to my photographic memory and the amazing sketch artist they sent to get their description.

"Cassidee! Hurry up!" Castalia screamed from the other end of our apartment.

We had all moved into a two bedroom apartment together, the couples sharing. I had taken to sleeping on the couch some nights, when the nightmares were too much and Destery touching me made me think of the men's grimy hands all over my body. I was getting better, but whenever they woke up to me asleep on the couch, they thought nothing of it, for which I was grateful.

I knew Destery was hurt when I slept on the couch, but he knew I was trying. Thankfully, the couch nights don't happen often anymore and I can, happily, wake up to Destery smiling at me.

"I'm coming, you bitch!" I yelled back, putting the final touches on my curls.

Castalia and Nate were getting married. They didn't care that they were too young, they were hopeless for each other. It made me jealous that Lia had an amazing man that she wasn't afraid of, while I was scarred beyond recognition and the surgery to put me back together was taking so long.

"Cassidee, before this happens, I need to ask you something." Destery burst in, wearing his tuxedo.

"Destery, Castalia is going to have--"

"--A fit, I know. But, this is important." He cut me off, before kneeling to the floor. "Will you marry me?"

Nate and Castalia screamed from the other end of the apartment.

"SAY YES!"