For the Rest of Our Lives
Sixteen (2007)
There is a long silence between us. Sally lays on her side on my bed, and I lay at the foot of her bed- she still wants space. I have no idea what to say; no words of comfort, I've never been through anything like that. It's alien to me. But I at least know it's something that should never have happened.
That's the one thing echoing through my head.
"You need to go to the police," I say quietly. Sally gives no response, but I hear her shift her weight slightly on the bed. More silence passes.
"Sally?" I try again. "You need to go to the police."
"I will," she whispers sharply. I hear her draw in a breath- with difficulty- and then let it out shakily. "I just want to be here right now."
"Okay," I say and nod.
I wish I could get up on the bed and hold her. But I know I can't. The rain continues.
Sally doesn't sleep. I drift off at some point, but wake again. When I walk around the bed to look at her she's staring blankly at the wall. She's pulled so hard into herself that she doesn't notice me break her eye contact with it. I sit back down with my back against the bed.
Sally never goes to the police.
That's the one thing echoing through my head.
"You need to go to the police," I say quietly. Sally gives no response, but I hear her shift her weight slightly on the bed. More silence passes.
"Sally?" I try again. "You need to go to the police."
"I will," she whispers sharply. I hear her draw in a breath- with difficulty- and then let it out shakily. "I just want to be here right now."
"Okay," I say and nod.
I wish I could get up on the bed and hold her. But I know I can't. The rain continues.
Sally doesn't sleep. I drift off at some point, but wake again. When I walk around the bed to look at her she's staring blankly at the wall. She's pulled so hard into herself that she doesn't notice me break her eye contact with it. I sit back down with my back against the bed.
Sally never goes to the police.