Part 80 (1/2)

”He was going to f.u.c.king rape you!”

”He wasn't.”

”Don't be stupid! He's already ripped your clothes.”

Fleur touches her torn s.h.i.+rt, blinking as if unaware, and then looks back to Shaun. ”I have to tell somebody,” she says hoa.r.s.ely. ”He's unconscious, Will! What if he dies?”

The words stop time; and in that moment, the enormity of what I've done descends. I look at the blood on my knuckles, back to his face. ”He won't,” I say to myself. ”He'll be okay.”

I slip against the edge of the desk to the floor as Fleur leaves the room. Shaun remains motionless and I'm paralysed as I slump against the leg of the desk.

Then the world blurs around me as people come in and out of the room, shouting for ambulances, attending the still unconscious Shaun. Somebody drags me to my feet, pulls me downstairs to the faculty office where I sit and stare at my shoes. The world swirls around me, as if I'm on the edge of a dream. Not a dream. A nightmare I've created and thrown myself into.

When the police arrive and I'm arrested, all I do is ask if Fleur is okay. I haven't seen her since she left the room. As I'm escorted away, I catch sight of Fleur standing with her arms around herself, next to a policewoman. I catch her eye briefly and Fleur holds my look with hard eyes before she turns her head.

I don't see her again.

39.

WILL.

The rest of that day is a blur.

The following week isn't much clearer. I'm surrounded by a dark cloud of self-disgust and fear for the future. One copper gleefully told me I'd end up inside for what I did, spouting s.h.i.+t about how famous people think they can get away with breaking the law, and I won't.

Jem, in his capacity as my manager, loses his s.h.i.+t with me, and then throws me to the lawyers. I listen but I'm numb, have no idea how I ended up in this mess. I've fought with Nate before, swung a few punches in the past, but never violence at a level lawyers are fighting to reduce from GBH to ABH.

Shaun's hospitalised with a broken nose and jaw, and concussion for good measure. I'm in deep, deep s.h.i.+t. Media glee joins the horror from my friends and family, and I'm trapped. Sick. Terrified I will end up inside. If I do, how long for? Is this the end of my career? Jax threatens to recruit a new ba.s.sist, shouting the b.l.o.o.d.y house down until Tegan dragged him away to calm down.

Nate is the only one supporting me. He's shocked, but told me he'll always stand beside me, whatever I do. Nate threatens to quit the band if they kick me out, and I beg him not to. I can't take Ruby Riot down with me.

Fleur's in the middle of all this; not only the situation, but witness to my defence. I'm claiming self-defence, protecting her from a.s.sault counts. She refuses to talk to me but agrees to speak to my lawyers; she'll need to testify. I'm confused how she was in the situation with Shaun and why. Eventually there's an explanation from her housemate, and I'm numbed further.

The plagiarism accusation was true. Fleur wasn't with Shaun; how could I have believed she was? Why didn't Fleur tell me? Ask for my support and help? I'd want to smack Shaun around, but would've respected the fact she doesn't want my interference. If she'd asked, I would've supported her in any way she wanted. Fleur would never have chosen to do something so stupid.

Based on Fleur's allegations and the physical evidence of his a.s.sault on her, Shaun's suspended, and he won't return to the university once he leaves hospital. Fleur's disciplinary hearing is on hold while the whole, f.u.c.ked-up mess is investigated.

I was pushed out when Fleur needed me.

Now I've screwed up, and she doesn't want me.

Even worse, I'm back at Mum and Dad's, disconnected from everybody but my family, as I lie low until my first court appearance.

FLEUR.

As soon as I'm able, I leave London. The world fell apart when the plagiarism claim hit, but that's nothing compared to the twisted world I'm pulled into.

'Jealous star a.s.saults girlfriend's lover' caused whispers and ridicule.

Then the truth came out.

'Will Campbell's girlfriend s.e.xually a.s.saulted man hospitalised'.

The whispers grew louder. Was I raped? Cheating and caught in the act? Did I lie to save face and am responsible for Shaun's injuries? I'd been seen with Shaun on numerous occasions.

The s.l.u.t responsible for Will's downfall, the happy go lucky joker of the band screwed over by a girl. Ruby Riot's future threatened.

This picture painted of me isn't his fault, but it hurts, and I'm exposed to an ugly side of life I never expected.

Will interrupted whatever Shaun intended to do. I'll never know if Shaun's a.s.sault was an attempt to frighten me, or if he would've raped me. My stomach turns over when I think about his hands on my skin, the smell of whisky on his breath as he tried to put his mouth on me. Why would Shaun threaten his own career the way he has? The man is sick and left bruises on my body and my mind.

To top everything, not only do I need to report Shaun's a.s.sault, but I'm also called as a witness to Will's trial.

Will. As he beat Shaun, I was dazed by Shaun's attack, but the viciousness of Will's a.s.sault on Shaun frightened me. I've only ever seen violence on screen and that's always been more than I could cope with watching.

I'm scared of Will. I replay the times he became antsy about the smallest things: people jostling me in queues, the time he thought Ethan had upset me again, the incident at the club. I never realised lack of control simmered beneath the laidback guy.

The warning bell sounds. What would Will do, if I ever upset him?

40.

FLEUR.

Will has an initial court date a couple of weeks later, and I attend. The retreating rumours fly again and the media swoops, snapping pictures of the pair of us individually entering court.

We haven't spoken apart from a couple of texts, deciding not being seen together is the best move considering the press attention. I'm also unsure how I'll feel when I see him again. Will's pale face brightened when he saw me, but in the hurry to reach court we didn't have time to talk As Will stepped away, I called after him and asked to meet afterwards.

Following the hearing, we find a quiet corner; I don't want to be seen in public with Will. Not yet. His lawyer, a young, pretty woman loiters uncertainly until Will asks her to give us five minutes.

I tuck a strand of hair behind my ear and properly meet his eyes for the first time today. His brow knits at my scrutiny and the silence grows.

”You look different.” I indicate his smart, dark grey suit. Will looks out of place and awkward, not the confident guy I remember.

”Yeah. Respectable, apparently.” His mouth tips at the corner. ”You dressed up too. You look like a librarian.”

I shake away his weird comment. ”What do your lawyers think will happen?”

”Dunno. Good lawyers, first offence could be a fine, or suspended if they can get the charge reduced. Unless they decide to make an example of me. Guess I'll find out in a few months.”

”That long?”