Thin Line Between

***

Then Thursday arrived, and everything changed...

Throughout the day, it was much like the previous day. She paid me no attention, ignored my presence, and conversed only with her friends. After school, I noticed them chatting in the parking lot. Alicia was laughing, and Rain animatedly gestured as though recounting a funny story.

For some ridiculous reason, I concealed myself behind cars and observed her from a distance. I took in her slender, svelte silhouette, her shoulder-length brown curls being tousled by the wind. She might not have been conventionally pretty, but I found a strange pleasure in watching her nonetheless. Whenever I closed my eyes, I could see her under me, moaning and giving me her body to fuck.

But that was impossible now. She didn't want me in her life.

Rain said goodbye to her friends and hurried across the parking lot to her home. I didn't want to follow her, I wanted to walk to my house, still feeling a bit sulky, but in the periphery of my vision I noticed a man walking behind the last row of cars in the parking lot.

It was a bit unusual to walk behind the cars, as there was only grass there, nothing else, and it made me stare at him with attention.

Did his path somehow... intersect with hers?

A strange suspicion crossed my mind. Was he... following her?

But why? Did she have another guy like me? With whom she was role-playing?

The suspicion that this could be the case almost made me freeze. However, a sting of jealousy and hurt was covered by a strange, unsettling feeling. Should I follow her? If that was what she wanted? It seemed so unlikely that some random guy would target her.

I struggled with the feeling of hurt. It tasted like betrayal. As absurd as we had never agreed to be exclusive, but the pain still felt very real.

And I, in my naïveté, thought it was her first time? Hardly. I was hoping I would not end up with some STD. It was probably a game for her. "I'm a virgin, sir!"

Stupid, stupid me.

I was about to turn around and not follow them, as Rain already disappeared from my view, but suddenly I heard muffled scream and something stopped me in my place.

Maybe...I should check it out?

It would be a torture, to see her fucking with some dude. The dude looked disgusting, fatty, bald, with a face pink like a pig...

He looked vaguely familiar, as if I've already seen him, maybe couple of days ago, standing near the school, and I mistook him for some parent.

For some reason, this association made me uneasy, and on a hunch, I decided to go follow them.

Behind the parking lot, there was a small grove and a line of bushes. At first glance, I didn't see anything, Rain and the man disappeared. I looked around and soon heard a muffled cry.

So I peeked behind the line of bushes and in horror...

I saw it...

[Trigger warning! Real s. assault attempt below!]

Rain was lying on the ground, the disgusting guy was on top of her, her glasses were smashed and bent, the glass part broken. He was beating her! Like for real! Swinging and punching her in the face! Fuck! It didn't look like role-playing at all, what was I even thinking?

I was planning to lunge there and beat him with my bare hands, but my eye caught a piece of brick, lying near the curb. I grabbed it and ran over there. One blow to the back of the head was enough.

A man fell down, almost crushing her with his weight. I quickly grabbed his arm and pulled him away from her.

She was...

In shock.

To say the least.

Her breathing was shallow, rapid, and frantic, almost as if she were on the verge of suffocation. She was shaking so badly it was like she was having a seizure.

I knelt beside her and touched her bruised, bleeding cheek.

"Rain?"

She seemed unresponsive, but after I gently squeezed her hand, she tried to open her eyes, but obviously didn't fully comprehend what was going on. She was shaking so badly... It looked terrifying.

I took out my cell phone and called the dispatcher. I reported the situation, the assault, and the need for an ambulance and the police.

When I hung up, I gently picked her up and cradled her in my arms. She was so small and shaking and... I felt so stupid for even thinking she wanted it.

[Warning off]

"Braxton..." she mumbled through her bloody, bruised lips.

"Shh..." I whispered. "Don't say anything. Help is on the way..."

"It's... PapaBigPig..."

"What?!"

"He somehow... found me..."

A cold shiver ran down my spine. I recalled the message he had sent me, and my reply. All PapaBigPig had replied was:

"It was all I needed."

Fuck! Could he be some sort of hacker?

Did he manage to track my IP, follow me, and then locate her? Her actual name wasn't vastly different from her online alias. If he had experience in such matters, he might have pieced it together... he could even have hacked into the forum itself, gaining access to all the information.

The police arrived almost simultaneously with two ambulances. I recounted the incident once more, as they led PapaBigPig to the ambulance, although he was handcuffed - probably to receive medical attention, given his semi-conscious state and the bleeding from the wound on his head.

The paramedics were tending to Rain while I spoke with the police. My gaze kept flickering over to her, but she appeared barely responsive. They soon loaded her into the ambulance and whisked her away. Naturally, I stayed behind. I wasn't a family member, so I couldn't accompany her.

Twenty minutes later, I wrapped up my conversation with the police and found myself alone in the grove, clutching my phone.

The whole situation felt bizarre, insane, and surreal. How had this innocent game spiraled into this? It still hadn't fully sunk in; I felt like I was trapped in some low-budget movie or something.

After a few minutes of standing there lost in heavy thoughts, I realized that my first step should be rushing to her house. Her family needed to know. I reached her place after a ten-minute sprint, sweaty and out of breath.

Rain's mother answered the door.

"Hello, Mrs. Forsyth." I coughed. "I need to deliver some unfortunate news. Rain is in the hospital. She was assaulted..."

Mrs. Forsyth paled in an instant.

"What? How is she?"

"I believe she'll be okay, but she was attacked by a man..."

"Was she...?" Mrs. Forsyth's jaws clenched.

"No. But she might have a concussion..."

The woman said nothing, grabbed her car keys, and swiftly passed me, heading to their car. Within a minute, she drove away, and I was left standing alone on the doorstep.

That was it, then.

There was nothing else for me to do.

I returned to my home, feeling a mixture of dejection and emptiness.

The rest of the day, I wandered around my house.

My parents were surprised by my bad mood just one day before graduation, but I didn't explain anything. I'm not sure why, but I wasn't ready to open up to them or provide any explanations. I didn't even want to mention that I had witnessed an assault - nothing. Maybe I was in shock myself?

The most difficult part was that it happened on our last day of school.

Graduation day arrived the next morning, and it felt... strange.

Rain was absent, naturally, recovering in the hospital. The principal, however, delivered a brief announcement, informing everyone that one of our fellow students had been attacked near the school. They also assured parents that additional security officers would now collaborate with the school administration to enhance student safety.

Rob and Bennet didn't know who had been attacked, but I quickly briefed them, not sharing too many details. Their eyes went round as they heard it was me who helped Rain; I could see they were at a loss for words.

Following the ceremony, I mustered my courage. I excused myself and approached Alicia and Leona, who were leaving the building with their parents.

I could sense their surprise as they glanced at me. "Hey, I wanted to ask how Rain is doing?"

Alicia raised her eyebrows, sharing a quick look with Leona. "She's stable, but she'll be in the hospital for a while. Grade-2 concussion, pretty severe bruises, broken ribs, a fractured bone in her nose, and a bitten tongue."

Feeling a bit unsteady, I struggled to find the right words. "Are you planning to... visit her?"

"Yes, we are. We'll be going there around seven PM."

Another awkward silence followed, and I continued to sway slightly. "Could I maybe join you?"

They exchanged surprised glances again. "But why?"

"I... yyyy.... never mind. Just tell her Braxton sends her best wishes."

I started to turn around, but suddenly Alicia grabbed my forearm.

"Wait, Braxton. If you want, you can come with us, we'll be in the hospital parking lot at 7."

"Okay," I mumbled and quickly walked away as her parents were eyeing me.

When I returned to my parents, they also looked a bit surprised by my strange behavior, but still didn't ask what was going on. I was almost grateful for that because my head was a total mess.

***

At 7 PM, I was there, nervously biting my nails and pacing around my father's SUV like an anxious dog. Alicia and Leona arrived punctually in Alicia's mom's car.

As they stepped out of the car, they approached me. "Hi, Braxton," Leona said, giving me an assessing look.

"Hi..."

Alicia hesitated. "Are you friends with Adam Durden, by any chance?"

I raised my eyebrows. "No, I don't hang out with him. Different circles. Why do you ask?"

"Not important."

And once again, an uncomfortable silence hung in the air. They didn't offer any further conversation. Together, we headed toward the hospital's main entrance without uttering a word.

Once inside the large lobby, Leona made a call and, shortly after, Mrs. Forsythe emerged. I hadn't expected her to be here, for some... illogical reason. It was obvious she would be here, duh.

But now it was too late to reconsider my decision about coming here at all.

As soon as she saw me, she froze in her tracks.

Not for long, however.

"You son of the bitch!!! It's all because of you, you fucker!" Her scream pierced the air, echoing through the space. Alicia and Leona were visibly startled, taken aback by her explosive outburst.

"Police told me everything! You spoke with this pervert! You brought him to our town! He followed you and then he found her! You sick bastard!"

She lunged toward me, but I lacked the strength to confront her. I was guilty in that regard, I knew it. My brief interaction with him had probably played a role in his appearance and the subsequent attack on Rain.

So I just ran out of the hospital, leaving Alicia and Leona with gaping mouths, obviously shocked by the turn of events.

Yes, the worst-case scenario had unfolded. It was confirmed now - soon everyone would know. I was the one who brought it upon Rain. I wanted to... cry, but I was a guy, so I knew I shouldn't. But I cried inside, anyway.

Running back home, I had never felt more horrible in my life. I just climbed into bed and lay there, overwhelmed by depression. The worst realization struck me when I considered the potential court proceedings. I might have to face cross-examination by prosecutors or lawyers. Although I had no idea how it would unfold, I was certain that a subpoena to appear in court as the sole witness was inevitable. Both the attacker and Rain would be present, and I would have to confront them all.

***

The following day, I finally mustered enough courage to open up to my parents about the situation. The details I disclosed left them quite shocked and unsure of how to respond. My father appeared to take it even harder than my mother. They sat there, their faces displaying a mixture of disbelief and confusion. Once the shock wore off, however, they viewed the situation differently from Rain's mother.

In their eyes, I wasn't at fault for the attacker's actions. It wasn't possible for me to predict that he would follow me and Rain, given that I couldn't have known the forum was compromised by a hacker. I had acted with good intentions, assuming that our IP was protected. I never disclosed any information about Rain or myself, which meant I couldn't be held responsible for PapaBigPig's actions.

My certainty wavered, though. I wasn't sure if Rain or her mother would share this perspective, and I was partially correct in my assumption, as her mother surely blamed me for all of this.

The next day, I received a brief message on Messenger from Rain:

"Braxton, I'm so sorry for what my mother said to you! Can you please come to the hospital tomorrow? I'll inform the nurses that you're coming..."

After thoughtful consideration, I decided not to respond.

Given the potential court proceedings, engaging in conversation with her didn't seem wise. Additionally, for reasons I couldn't quite define, the whole situation felt overwhelmingly heavy. I needed some space, a break from these intense emotions.

Rain didn't ask about my absence. She messaged me twice more, asking how I was feeling and sharing updates on her health, but I still chose not to answer. To be honest, I regretted becoming entangled in this mess in the first place.

***

I spent the first part of the vacation at Bennett's stepdad's cottage, as he invited me and Rob. I managed to regain some good mood. Eventually, I even dared to share some details of what happened with me and Rain, though not all the details, to spare them from the worst shock. At first, they seemed dumbfounded and shaken, but ultimately, after a few days, the topic was closed. So we focused on sunbathing, kayaking on the lake, drinking, and smoking joints. Just... regular vacation stuff.

Unfortunately, the matter wasn't closed... at least not for me.

30 days later, I attended a court hearing.

The moment I saw Mrs. Forsyth, I could tell she hadn't changed her mind. Rain avoided eye contact with me, understanding my message - my silence spoke for itself - and that I preferred not to contact her.

I was called to testify and faced the usual set of questions. They asked if I knew PapaBigPig before or had any contact beyond the "Sexually Submissive Forum". I answered honestly, saying no.

Then, they asked how I knew Rain was on the forum. I had to admit I saw it on her computer.

"Why did you follow Rain that day?"

I explained that I noticed a man following her, so I went to investigate. I was also asked to describe the situation - how I hit the attacker in the head and called for help.

Finally I was asked if I had a relationship with Rain. I said - no. And that was basically the truth because we never agreed on any kind of official relationship.

The next question was if I had sexual contact with Rain and I admitted that I had. When I said it, I avoided looking at Rain's mother, but I felt that she was soooo angry.

They asked for more details. I said we just had anal sex. Then they asked if there was any violence involved and I said no, it was just sex. I knew I was lying, but I felt it might help Rain's case. And I was right.

Rain was also called to testify and was cross-examined by PapaBigPig's lawyer.

She was asked even more... in-depth questions.

Among them was why she was on the "Sexually Submissive Forum". She admitted she was interested in dominance-submission topics. Papa's lawyer tried to suggest through his line of questioning, that she actively sought this interaction, referencing parts of her forum posts:

"My dreams are becoming more and more intense and even terrifying as I imagine myself being forced into submission by someone who grabs me and takes me to a secluded place and forces me to do sexual things while I keep begging him to stop and let me go.

and:

I imagine being touched against my will, even penetrated, but getting pleasure from it and from the act itself - from "not consenting" to it. I enjoy the thought of being so violated and wanted by someone who would be willing to force himself on me, crazy with desire for me, obsessed with my body. "

Rain, however, emphasized that one important line was omitted: "I'm not actually imagining being raped or beaten." and she insisted it was only a fantasy, and she explicitly said no to Papa, not consenting to anything with him.

While she was speaking, her mother looked embarrassed and kept her head down, and my parents had disgusted expressions. I knew they were all judging Rain, and I felt sorry for her, but in a way, I also followed her fantasies and had a cold awakening that maybe... some things are not to be trifled with.

Rain was also asked about me...

Almost the same questions, if there were elements of violence in our sexual situations, and she said that there were not, so... she was also lying - same as me before. She was asked to describe our relationship, and she called it... "fuck buddies." Oh, well.

So that was it for her?

I didn't know what I was expecting, but for some reason... it stung a bit.

As the hearing concluded, I left the hall with my parents. Suddenly, Rain broke away from her mother's embrace and rushed toward me.

I was quite surprised to see her. What was more shocking... tears streaked her face.

"Braxton! I'm sorry, I'm so sorry for what my mother said to you. You didn't deserve it. I wanted to officially thank you for saving me, please forgive us..."

I felt foolish, gazing into her teary eyes, she was visibly trembling. "Forgive me, for everything, for involving you in this mess. Please, don't be angry at me..."

"There's no problem, Rain. I'm glad you're okay," I murmured, feeling strange, but my parents began to pull me away to join them, their expressions annoyed. Rain's mother grabbed her arm and pulled her in the opposite direction.

We were separated by more and more feet, and her sobs and tears faded away into the distance...

I felt a painful lump in my throat, but what could I really do? It had all gone too far.

The same day, I received a message from her:

"Braxton, I really don't know where to begin. I'm sorry, I'm embarrassed about how things turned out. I know I made a giant mistake. I feel like you wanted more, I saw it in your eyes this past week, but I kept my distance, ignoring you. You probably thought I wasn't interested in getting to know you further, since we were done with that scenario. But that wasn't true, Braxton! I was scared! Scared that you would think I'm a weirdo, a freak! And that you would never be friends with such a pervert like me. That's why I was so cold and indifferent. But that wasn't the whole truth about what I was feeling. Will you ever forgive me?"

After a moment of deliberation, I decided to reply:

"Don't torture yourself about what happened. It was all crazy, and I did something I never thought I'd have the courage to do. The intensity of it kinda overloaded my brain and probably left me unsure about what I wanted from our relationship. Honestly, I think I did want friendship as a starting point, to see where things could go between us, but... well, we ran out of time. But I'm hoping things will end up the way you want in court. Have a great vacation, Rain."

She... didn't reply. Did she take a hint I was... saying goodbye?

The next time I saw her was during the announcement of the verdict. PapaBigPig was sentenced to a couple of years in jail, which was less than expected, probably due to everything that was discussed in court. Nevertheless, he was off the streets.

And I was certain it would be the last time I'd see Rain.

***

Three weeks after that, my first semester in college started.

During those last weeks of summer breaks, I slowly managed to push the thoughts about it out of my mind and just lived my life. I forced myself to forget about the whole crazy situation and about Rain. I felt sadness that it all ended like that, but I knew that we were both kinda playing with fire, and we were burnt in the end. Painfully. A life lesson, to be sure.