Secondhand

Once we entered the room and I faced the three people who had been causing me so much pain all this time, I wished I could rewind the clock. This wasn't supposed to happen this way. They weren't supposed to be the ones who did this.

"Y-you? Why? Why would you do this to me?"

Austin's grip tightened around my body as I shook, feeling so much rage and betrayal I could hardly stand it.

"You've always been so naive, Alan. It's pathetic, not a redeeming quality of yours at all."

They all looked so smug. They knew they had hurt me and were happy about it.

"How could you?"

"How could I what? Send guys who owed me a favor to take care of my little problem as it walked home? Make a man hurt you in the same way I couldn't and make sure you knew about it this time?"

"Don't you think you've hurt him enough, Brady?" Austin snapped, visibly angered.

"Well, I had actually planned more, but unfortunately the lovely authorities caught on. Bastards."

"You disgust me," he spat. He turned to face the other man. "Who the hell are you anyways?"

It hit me. Damon. The man next to Brady was Damon, the guy I met in Uprising all those months ago when this all started.

"I'm the guy who got to fuck your boyfriend without you having a clue."

He smirked, a disgusting demeanor practically oozing from him.

"You're a homophobe."

"Indeed I am. But I've never been able to say no to someone who's treated me so well. I've come to a large sum of money because of this gentleman here."

"It was you who r-raped m-me?"

"Of course it was him. That's why he agreed to this plan. I was never the stupid one in any relationship; business or otherwise."

My anger had faded and I just felt sadness. The woman at the table tore my heart apart the most. Staring at me through blunt black bangs, an entirely new hairstyle, was Juliette. She had been my best friend, my confidant, the first person who ever knew I was gay. I loved her like family and she had betrayed me.

"Juliette? You were in on this?"

"Brady moved on. On to me."

"You're dating?"

"Yes."

"Alan, I think we should go," Austin said quietly.

"No. Do any of you have anything to say for yourselves?"

Damon rolled his eyes and made a scoffing noise. Brady laughed and it infuriated me. Juliette just bowed her head and folded her hands in her lap. I noticed that Austin was near the door and I turned to leave as well.

"Have fun living your pathetic life with your loser boyfriend!" Brady yelled as we left.

I wanted to kill him. I wanted him to suffer all the pain I ever had. I wanted him to know what it was like to not want to live anymore because everything hurt so bad. Too often I had felt that way and he was the one that deserved to hurt more than anyone I knew.

~

The same officer we had talked to on the way in greeted us again with news that Brady and Damon could both be held for up to 15 years. Juliette was in trouble, but was only supposed to serve about a month of time seeing as she didn't actually do anything illegal.

I was glad Juliette wouldn't suffer the harshness of prison, but I could never forgive her. She was a contributing part of the worst time of my life and that wasn't something I could move past.

Austin and I made our way back to his car and started the drive back home. I was so tired and emotionally drained that I must have fallen asleep in the car, because I was woken by Austin gently shaking my shoulder and offering a small smile. He reached out, taking my hand in his, and helped me out of his car.

"Come on. Let's get inside and you can rest."

"Can we cuddle?" I asked timidly.

A short laugh escaped his mouth and he pulled me into him.

"Like I could ever refuse an offer like that."