Once Upon A Bus Ride

Chapter 56: I'm Not Just A Pretty Face

56. I'm Not Just A Pretty Face

My alarm the next morning was a high pitched scream. I sat up frantically and realized it was Shannon.

"Shan, you're safe!" I told her, leaning beside the bed.

She stopped screaming when she saw me but was still panting. I slowly removed my palms and she started babbling.

"Where the fuck am I? Who's room is this? This isn't where Damien and I were!"

"Shannon calm down," I said. "You're safe...Aaron and I got to you."

She calmed down. "What? What do you mean got to me?"

I knew this was going to be hard for her to hear, but I had to tell her. "Cole drugged you Shan, and he was...Aaron and I found you in time luckily and-."

"Stop," she said softly, her hand over her chest. A look of disbelief, regret and humiliation flashed across her face. "I...is this his room?"

I nodded. "We're at his place. He slept on the couch and I stayed in here with you."

She looked at me before bursting into tears.

I sat beside her and hugged her. "Shannon..."

"I can't believe he..." she began. "And I was too drunk to do anything...gosh I'm so stupid."

"Hey, no you're not," I told her. "This is not your fault."

"It is my fault Morgan," she sobbed. "I was walking around looking like a goddamn slut. Of course shit like that happened."

"Don't blame yourself. You could have been walking around naked for all I fucking care, what he did was unacceptable," I preached. "Shan you have to report this."

"No," she said almost immediately. "God no. It's embarrassing and I'm positive my mom will never let me be around guys till I'm thirty."

"Shan..."

"I'm not talking about it Morgan," she said. "We graduate soon, and I won't ever have to see him again. I'll get over it."

I only sighed at that. I didn't want to push her, but Cole deserved consequences. If Shannon didn't want anyone to know, then I was going to respect that. I was a strong believer in karma though, and Cole Andrews was going to get what was coming to him.

"I'll get you some clothes," I told her, and then got up. "I've got stuff in Aaron's bathroom you can use. Go take a shower and wash the night off you."

She reluctantly got out of bed and wiped her tears. I took a shower right after she did and then we both went downstairs. When I stepped into the living room, Aaron was entering, still in his clothes from the previous night.

"Did you just get back?" I asked him.

He nodded as he threw his keys on the couch. "Yeah, I may have to go back though. How's Shannon?"

I stepped aside so Shannon came into view, and then she did something that kind of surprised all of us. She walked up to Aaron and gave him a tight hug.

Aaron and Shannon were friends, but they were the kind who showed it by harmless bickering and what not. I was almost positive that they'd both rather eat sand before ever admitting how much they actually liked each other.

I assumed she whispered a thank you because he patted her back and said "No problem."

"Okay, you two are freaking me out," I chimed in.

"Hey, this is probably the only day she'll be nice to me, let me have this," Aaron chuckled.

Shannon pulled away and rolled her eyes, but she was smiling.