"5…4…3…2…1…Happy New Year!" everyone in the café exclaimed when the clock struck midnight. "I can’t believe our last year is half over." Becky said after the commotion died down. "I know…mid-terms are next week…I’ve gotta cram." Gaby said. "Me too. I’ve goofed off all this time…and now it really counts so I better do good." Becky said. The party lasted til 3 and even then there were some people just hanging around. "I’m so wasted." Nick said, as he stumbled down the path to the dorms, his arm around Becky. "I’m glad you at least know that you’re drunk." Becky said. Nick laughed a little. Soon they approached their dorms and Becky helped Nick to bed. "Stay with me?" he asked, with puppy dog eyes. Becky thought for a minute, "Ok." She said, getting one of Nick’s T-shirts to wear. She got in bed next to Nick and they fell asleep soon after.
Later that week Gaby and Brian planned to study for their psychology mid-term together. "Whoa this stuff is deep." Brian said, looking over the notes as if it was the first time he was seeing the information. "Tell me about it…" Gaby said, putting her pencil in her mouth. She started to put her hair up, when Brian stopped her. He took the pencil out of her mouth. "Br…" she started to say, and was stopped when Brian started to kiss her. "Brian…" she said, pulling away, "We’ve gotta study…" she said. "The test is on Friday. It’s only Tuesday. We have time." He said, starting to kiss her again. "Brian…" she said, pulling away again. "Gaby, we haven’t been together since, well ever since you were raped…" Brian said. Gaby swallowed and nodded her head, letting him continue. After Brian fell asleep Gaby just laid there, thoughts racing through her head. She finally fell asleep, but awoke in the middle of the night, trying to catch her breath. Brian woke up and looked over at her. "Honey, you ok? You’re sweating?" he asked, with a concerned tone. "It was Justin." She said, and started crying, "He did it." She said. Brian took her in his arms. "Shh…it’s ok baby…" he said, gently rocking her. "How do you know it was him?" Brian asked after she calmed down. "It makes sense…I mean cuz he’s tall…and the laugh…that laugh…I’ll never forget that laugh…it was him Brian…I just know it was…" she said, tears rolling down her cheeks. "How are we gonna prove it?" Brian asked. "We can’t I guess." Gaby said sadly.
A couple months later, Gaby found herself at the school’s psychiatrist. "I keep having this dream…nightmare…of the man who raped me." Gaby said, as she laid on the couch, not believing she was sharing her deepest feelings with a man she didn’t know. "Do you recognize the man?" he asked. "Yes. It’s Justin Timberlake." She said. "The Justin Timberlake that goes here? The star basketball player?" he asked in disbelief. "Yea. I find myself waking up in a sweat and shaking…the nightmare of that night, relived in my sleep." She said. "I see." He said, writing something down in his notebook. The phone rang and the doctor excused himself. "I have to go anyway…" Gaby said, quietly leaving the office as the doctor took the phone call.
Since the day that Gaby went to the psychiatrist, he had asked to examine Justin. Justin said nothing peculiar, but like someone would admit to being guilty of rape. He said nothing that would make someone suspicious of him. "Brian. I know it was him. But everyone thinks I’m crazy." Gaby said, as they ate lunch at the café late one afternoon. "Not everyone." Brian said, trying to comfort her. "Oh that makes me feel better, only certain people don’t think your nuts, the rest do." Gaby said. "I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it like that." Brian apologized. "No I’m sorry Brian. I said in the beginning of the year that I wasn’t going to think about this…" Gaby started when she was cut off by Brian. "You have no need to be apologizing to me." He said in a soft caring voice, "This is an awful thing that happened to you. You can’t control these dreams. It’s only natural to be worried and all." Brian said. "But that’s the thing Brian. What if I can control the dreams, what if I have them cuz I keep thinking about it, how scary it was…and what if I’m only blaming Justin cuz I can’t stand the asshole?" Gaby asked. "Honey, I don’t know what to tell you…that’s a possibility I guess. But it also could be that these dreams are telling you something…to get you justice." Brian said. "Yea…" Gaby said with a sigh, "I’m tired of dwelling on it…I need something to take my mind off of it…" Gaby said quietly. "Spring break is coming up. Wanna go somewhere with me?" Brian asked. Gaby smiled, "I’d love to. Where are you going?" Gaby asked. "I don’t know yet…where do you want to go?" Brian asked. "Somewhere romantic…" Gaby said with a smile. "Yea…" Brian agreed. "Oh shit. I gotta go to practice. We’ll talk about this later." Gaby said, jumping up, giving Brian a quick kiss and leaving the café.
"Beck…wait up…" Gaby called, running down the hallway to the locker room. "Hey Gab. How’s it goin?" Becky asked, when Gaby caught up. "Fine." She said, catching her breath. "How’s Bri doing?" she asked, as they got to their lockers. "He’s good. We’re going away for spring break…to take my mind off of things." Gaby said. "That’s great. Where are ya going?" Becky asked. "We don’t know yet…" Gaby answered as she changed into her spandex shorts and a T-shirt. "Nick said he’s gonna surprise me on where we’re going." Becky said, putting her hair up. "That’s cool. I wonder where he could be taking you." Gaby said. "Knowing Nick, it’s probably somewhere near water or a beach." Becky answered. "Yea really." Gaby said as they went out for practice.
"You boys better get in shape…the season starts in 2 weeks." Gaby said, sitting down beside Brian at the table he and Nick were sharing. "I’m in shape." Brian answered, defensively. "Yea…whatever." Gaby teased. "I am." Brian whined. "I’m just kidding." Gaby said, laughing. "Nick where’s Becky?" Brian asked. "Don’t know." Nick answered. A few minutes later she came running in, crying. "Justin is such a pervert…" she sobbed, sitting down next to Nick. "What did he do to you?" Gaby asked. "What didn’t he do…or try to. I have no problem believing he’s the one who raped you." Becky shuddered. "That bastard…" Nick said, getting up from the table, "Where is he?" he asked. "Down by the pond…near the path." Becky answered. Nick gave her a kiss, assured her it’d be ok, and left the café.
