Loralie didn't take it too personal when they sat in a horror movie. She told Ben once she wasn't a fan of them, but she assumed he didn't pick the movie, nor did she plan to skip her chances on getting to hang out with him because of it. They had exchanged a few conversations at the gates after school, but each time she went a little wild. Loralie wasn't sure why she liked Ben as much as she did, especially as quickly as it was going.

He didn't say much, but maybe that's why she liked him. Because he listened to her, listened really hard and closely to everything she said. He also stayed on the phone with her at night. After Loralies dad passed away, she had a hard time sleeping alone. She was up for hours until truly going to sleep, but when someone was there, or over the phone to feel like they were, she was out quickly. It was the little, human decency things Ben did that she liked so much. She just should have been smarter then that.

Harry flashed Ben a little grin from next to him, nudging his arm. Ben glanced over at Loralie, her eyes were wide up at the screen. He looked over at Charlie and Nick, because one of them had always been looking back at her every few seconds. But, luckily, right now they seemed to be too focused on smiling at each other. Loralie looked down slightly when she felt Bens hand touch her leg, moving closer to her. Not thinking anything of it, she laced her hand in his.

Ben side eyed Harry, slipping his hand out of her hold and popping it high up on her thigh. It wasn't that she really minding the act alone, but it bothered her that he did it right infront of the other boys. So, she moved his hand away, patting his hand slightly to show she didn't mean to embarrass him. A few minutes went by, his hand came back. Loralie glanced over this time, going to say something before her face fell. Harry was stiffing a laugh, glancing over at Ben.

His entire head turned to meet Loralies gaze, realizing she'd caught the two of them laughing together. Her eyes went sad nearly immediately, standing up quickly. Ben caught her arm, not forcefully, but just trying to stop her from leaving. "Loralie-"

"Get off of me!" she yelled at him, distracting the entire cinema as she shoved him back. Harry and the rest of their friends laughed. Nick and Charlie stood up quickly, looking back at Bens humiliation face, the group laughing, and Loralie leaving quickly after the outburst.

"Loralie!" Charlie called, hurrying to catch up with her.

"Did he do something?" Nick was close after.

She knew they both were worried, just wanting to check on her. But, she was upset and just wanted to be left alone. She liked Ben, and he'd only been interested in objectifying her infront of his friends. So badly that he kept on after she shoved his hand away twice. "I'm fine."

"What happened?" Charlie caught her arm when they made it outside. "Tell me what happened."

He worried because he knew, he understood, and it terrified him to think something like that had happened to her.

"Nothing!" she shoved his hands off her. "Just- stop!"

"Okay." he held his hands up quickly to show he'd backed off.

"Loralie, are you okay?" Nick asked her, keep his tone a lot calmer then Charlie's had been. "Can you tell us what happened? Did he hurt you?"

"No." she whipped her eyes, annoyed that she was crying. She wasn't totally sure why. Maybe because her heart was broken, she was humiliated, and felt out of control of what happened to her even after she'd made it clear she didn't want to be grabbed. "No."

Charlie went to hug her, stopping. "Can I hug you?"

She shook her head, and he understood. "At least tell me what happened."

"Do you want me to go after him?" Nick asked her honestly. "I will."

"He's such a shithead." she rubbed her eyes. "I want to go home."

"Did he touch you?" Charlie didn't want to be so forward and forceful, but it was clear she wasn't gonna say much.

She looked down when her phone went off. "My Mums here. Enjoy the rest of the movie."

"Loralie!" Charlie called after her, but she was gone, leaving him behind in guilt. He could have avoided all that happening if he'd just told her. She wouldn't have set foot near Ben if she'd known, he knew that much for sure. He should have told her. Yet, couldn't bring himself too. It was difficult to talk about, especially when he couldn't find the words to explain. Because, just like Loralie had been feeling, they both felt like they got themselves into the situation. Ben was with them, they both were into him, and somehow, it felt like they were to blame. That alone humiliated anyone into not wanting to talk about it.

•

kylie speaks

coming from someone who
has had literally the exact
same that happened to loralie
happen to me, it's always been
belittled and not taken as a big
deal but my mom. i was only
12 and 14 when it happened so
obviously i didn't think it was
a big deal but as i got older it started to affect me. there is
obviously way worse forms of
sexual assault then having a
hand on your thigh multiple
times after saying no/pushing it
away, but that does not mean your feelings are invalid toward it. feeling not in control of what happens to your own body, as well as being extremely uncomfortable, are not things to take lightly. when people think of sexual assault they assume the absolutely worse, but sometimes it's smaller things that will stick with you for the longest time. because i've been nothing but invalidated for my experience, i wanted to show it
in a form of loralie so you guys can know that no matter what people try to say, this is not okay and this will affect you and if your parents won't take it seriously, there will always be someone out there that will.