Traveler

"Then tell her to go to the police...charge me with rape, go ahead!" he yelled. Al was out of his chair and flinging his arms in the air, he was so angry. "Dawn, I never touched her. I can't believe you'd think I'd do something like that!"

"Why would she lie?" Dawn yelled back. Now she was out of her seat as well. She marched right up and stared him in the eye. "Huh, tell me, Al, why would she lie?"

"I don't know, babe, but she is, I swear it. Call her; tell her to come on over. Let her accuse me to my face."

"Al, she doesn't want to be anywhere around you and I can't blame her."

"I can't believe you're actually buying into this crap. Dawn, we've known each other for three years. Do you really believe I'd force myself on someone; especially your roommate? Come on, I love you. I want to marry you. How stupid would I have to be to do something like that."

"I don't know, Al, but she has bruises on her wrists from where you held her down. She said she thought you'd been drinking. You came over looking for me and when you saw I wasn't here you forced yourself on her."

"Dawn, I didn't do it! Please, get that through your head. I did not force myself on Shannon or anyone else. God, this is a fucking nightmare! Did she tell this to anyone else or just you?"

"I...I don't know. I think Tom and Betty know about it. I'm not sure about Roy and Janet."

"Great, if she told Betty it'll be all over the campus by Monday. I won't be able to show my face anywhere. I'm going to see a lawyer. Friend or no friend, Dawn, I'm going to sue that bitch."

"I'd think twice about that, Al. If you force her hand she might have to go to the police. You could wind up in prison."

"Oh I doubt very much she'd go to the police. You see it's against the law to file a false police report and it takes more than just her word to convict me of rape, especially since I didn't do it. She'd be the one in trouble."

"Al...she has a witness."

"What? Who?" This just kept getting worse and worse. He couldn't understand how there could be a witness to something that never happened. This had to be a set-up, a conspiracy of some kind.

"I'm not going to tell you. I...I don't trust you anymore, Al. I'm not sure what you're capable of. Someone saw you. That's all I'm going to say."

"Oh this is ridiculous. When—when was this supposed to happen?"

"Al, let's just drop it. I..."

"Drop it? I can't drop something like this, Dawn. I'll be damned if I'm going to stand around while someone labels me a rapist." His heart was pounding. His nerves felt like someone had raked over them with a cheese grater. He tried to calm himself down for a second. "Come on, honey, who is this so-called witness?"

Dawn's eyes glistened from unspent tears. She had loved him with all her heart, now she wondered if she knew him at all. "Al, I...I think under the circumstances we should stop seeing each other."

It was as if she'd reached into his chest and ripped his heart out with her bare hand. How could she profess to love him and not know he wasn't capable of such of thing? Hell, he never even told off-color jokes in mixed company. It pretty much took the fight right out of him.

There was no mistaking the look on his face, it was pain, not the physical kind, the emotional kind, more pain than Dawn could ever remember seeing in anyone. She wiped away some tears that broke free and ran down her lovely cheeks. She loved him so much, or at least she loved the man she thought he was. Seeing his suffering had her head spinning with doubt and uncertainties. She didn't want to believe it and for a split second, questioned her friend's word-but only for a split second. The problem was she'd known Shannon a lot longer than Al and there was no reason in the world for her to lie. They were roommates, best friends; if anyone knew how she felt about him it was Shannon. She would never intentionally hurt her with a lie like that. That left only one other alternative...

"I see," he said. "So you've already tried, convicted, and sentenced me. I can't believe this. An hour ago I was just thinking how lucky I was. I had good friends, a four point grade average, a bright future, but most of all...what was most important was the mutual love I felt with the woman I intended to marry. And with one lie from someone I'm not even supposed to confront, it's all gone. Well, I suppose I should consider myself lucky. I might not have learned how little you really care for me until after we were married."

That was it; the end of a three year romance that both Dawn and Al had been sure would lead to marriage, kids, a white picket fence, and growing old together. Without saying another word, he walked out.

With so much anger clouding his brain, he had no idea where he was going. Outside her door he turned toward the campus and let his feet follow the sidewalk. For the first hundred yards he prayed he'd hear Dawn's voice begging him to come back but it didn't happen. All he heard were the leather souls of his shoes on the pavement.

Her apartment was only five blocks from the college; they were the most secluded and desolate five blocks he'd ever walked. By the time he found himself at the front gate of the campus he knew it was definitely over between them. Obviously she believed that lying bitch over him. That was unforgivable.

Across the street from the campus was a park with weathered green benches that needed sanding and repainting. It was a good thing there was no traffic because Al's mind was so preoccupied he didn't even look before crossing. His legs seemed to give out on him as he started to sit and he almost fell onto the uncomfortable wooden structure.

His surroundings were nonexistent. He was totally focused on the lie Shannon had told and couldn't understand how anyone could believe such a thing about him, let alone Dawn. He wondered what his future held for him. It was a no-brainer that word would spread throughout the small college. If Dawn believed it there was no reason to think others wouldn't as well. What about after graduation; would this terrible lie follow him into the workforce?

He needed to get away-go home for a while where he could think and talk things over with his parents; although they were never very supportive of him. He never seemed to measure up in their eyes...especially his dad's. Still...

He needed someplace to go and he couldn't think of anywhere else. Al pulled out his phone and tapped the picture taken at his parent's twentieth anniversary party.

He heard his mother's voice as she picked up the house phone. "Hello."

"Hi, mom; it's me."

"Hi honey; this is a surprise. You don't usually call on a Saturday. Don't you usually spend Saturday's with Dawn and your friends?"

"Yeah, well, not today," he lamented.

"What's the matter? You sound a little down. Is everything okay?"

"Ah," he said, taking a deep breath. "Not really. You're not going to believe this. A girlfriend of Dawn's is accusing me of forcing myself on her. I..."

"What!" she shrieked. "You didn't, did you?"

"Mom, how can you even ask me that?" Just then he heard his dad's reaction to his mother's question.

"Didn't do what? What's he done now? Here give me the phone...Al, this is your father. What did you do?"

"Dad, I didn't do anything. A girl on campus has accused me of forcing myself on her but..."

"Forcing yourself; you mean raping her? What the hell is wrong with you? I raised you better than..."

That was it, he'd had enough abuse. It was the last straw. "You know what, screw you too," he yelled before disconnecting. That was it, the preverbal piece of straw. Throughout his entire life he could never figure out what he needed to do to measure up in his father's eyes. He couldn't remember a single time in his entire life when his dad stood by him. He recalled an instance in the fourth grade when he got into a fight on the school playground. The teacher even told his dad the other kid had started the fight—that I was just defending myself, he remembered. "But dad didn't care," he mumbled aloud. "I got punished anyway. Well, fuck him—fuck them all."

A little earlier he'd never been hurt by anyone like he'd been hurt by the woman he loved. Since then the hurt had turned into anger, now it was metastasizing into something else again...bitterness! He'd spent his whole life trying to be the best person he could be and what had it gotten him; parents who couldn't care less whether he lived or died and a girlfriend who thought he was capable of rape.

He stood; "Fuck'em all," he yelled as he threw his phone as far as he could. He turned his back while it was still sailing through the air. He didn't care where it landed. There was no one he wanted to talk to anyway.

Never in his life had Al ever felt so lonely or so depressed. It was as if he was dangling above a dark, bottomless canyon just wondering when the rope would snap. He needed to get away; he needed to get his feet on firm ground again, if that wasn't possible by going home then somewhere else, he didn't much care where.

He looked at his watch. It was only four-thirty. If he hurried he still had time to get to the bank before they closed. He jogged across the campus grounds to his dormitory. Terry, his roommate was sitting in the hall outside the door, plunking on his guitar. He said nothing but just nodded his head as Al quickly stepped past him on his way into their room. A moment later Al came back out with his twenty-one speed road bike over his shoulder.

Terry looked up from his fretboard. "Hey, man, where you going?"

"Out," he answered. He never looked back. If he had, he'd have seen the evil sneer on his roommate's face.

Once outside again, Al hopped on his bike and took off for the mile long trip to the nearest branch of his bank. He had been banking there since he started college more than three years earlier. In addition to a small checking account, he had a secret savings account he started when he met Dawn. It was going to be a surprise so he could buy her a nice engagement ring. There was a little over thirty-one hundred dollars in it. That plus the hundred and fifty he had in the checking would hold him for a little while. He closed out both accounts and said goodbye to the tellers before leaving.

He unlocked his bike and let out a deep sigh as he placed his left foot in the toe strap and pushed off swinging his right leg over the seat and catching the other pedal at its highest point. A ghostly sense of death haunted his wake, the death of those he was leaving behind, not physically of course, but in his mind.

Al had been on the road for half an hour by the time Terry had showered and was on his way to Dawn's apartment. She came to the door when she heard his knock.

"Oh, Terry; come on in. I thought it might have been Al."

"Naw, he took off on his bike a little while ago. He didn't look like he was in a very good mood so I figured you guys must have had it out. I thought I'd come over and see if there's anything I can do."

Dawn had never cared for Terry that much. His parents had big money and he always seemed a little arrogant, but since he witnessed Al leaving the apartment after attacking her roommate...well, he seemed to be a kindred spirit of a kind.

"That's sweet, Terry; thank you. I don't really think there's much you can do. Shannon will be back in a little while. She didn't want to be here when Al came over."

"Yeah, I can understand that. It's still hard to believe he'd do something like that. You think you know someone..."

"Yeah, I'm still having a hard time with it. He's always been such a gentleman. Hell, when we first met I had to practically throw myself at him before he'd make a move. It...it's just not like him."

"Unfortunately, we can't just look into someone's heart and see what's actually in there. I know it's hard now but you really should consider yourself lucky that you found out when you did.

"Listen, you need some cheering up. Why don't you jump in the shower. When Shannon gets here I'll take you both out for a nice dinner. Maybe we can even squeeze in a little dancing somewhere, what do you say?"

"I don't think so, Terry. It's a great offer but I'm really not in the mood. Maybe Shannon would like to go."

Before Terry could put up a fight, Shannon came through the door.

"Go where?" she asked.

"I was just telling Dawn I'd like to take you two out to dinner tonight. She and Al just had it out and she's feeling pretty bad. I thought it might cheer her up."

"Hell yeah," Shannon jovially remarked.

Dawn thought her friend seemed awful cheery for someone who had been raped not twenty hours prior. "How can you be in such a happy mood?"

"Look, it isn't like I'm a virgin. Yes, the bastard raped me but I'm not going to let it ruin my life. I do feel sorry for you though. What happened anyway? Are you going to continue seeing him? Because if you are..."

"No," said Dawn, cutting off her friend. "We split up. He...he took off."

"Good," commented Shannon. "I would be worried about you being out with him. Maybe he's bi-polar or something but I wouldn't trust him anymore, that's for sure." She saw a tear break free and run down her friend's cheek. "Ah, I'm sorry, Dawn. I shouldn't have said anything. Come on; let's let money bags here take us both out to dinner. It'll take your mind off things for a while."

"Come on, Dawn," Terry said, joining in. "We'll go anywhere you want to go."

"I don't know. I'm really not in the mood."

She looked at Shannon who was making a pouty face like she always did when she wanted Dawn to do something with her. "Oh, okay," she said, giving in with a sigh. "Some place nice though. I don't want to take a chance on running into Al somewhere. I just couldn't handle it right now."

"How about the Chez' Paul."

"Oh, Terry, I didn't mean that nice. I just don't want to go to Denny's or Applebee's. Besides, I doubt if we could even get in Chez' Paul on a Saturday night. It's by reservation only. You'd never get one this late."

Without saying another word, Terry pulled out his cell phone, thumbed through the menu, and tapped on one of the contacts. "Yes, is Gene there, please? Tell him it's Terry Belshaw." He stared at Dawn with a smirk for minute while waiting. "Gene, hey old buddy; yeah, doing good, how about you? Listen, I need a table for three tonight. Yeah...say an hour or so...thanks, old buddy." He broke the connection and looked up at Dawn with a big smile. "Done; you've got forty-five minutes to get ready."

She had to admit—THAT was impressive! "Alright, I guess I can't say no now can I? I'm not even sure what I'll wear to a place like that."

"Come on," Shannon said. "You get your shower and I'll pick out something for us to wear. Hurry up."

The girls went into the bedroom while Terry went to the fridge and took one of Al's favorite beers. He lounged back on the couch while waiting.

Dawn stepped in the shower. Being alone was not good. All she could think about was Al. She still couldn't understand it. The sound of the shower covered the sound of her crying. The warm cascading water may have washed away her tears, but it did nothing for the pain in her heart. By the time she wrapped a towel around her and stepped into the bedroom, Shannon had their clothes lying on the bed.

"Are you wearing that little cocktail dress?"

"No, that's for you. I'm wearing this," she replied, holding up a white blouse and small, red skirt."

"Shannon, I can't wear that dress. It's too short. It's four inches above my knees."

"So, it isn't like you don't have the legs for it."

"It...it doesn't feel appropriate. I just broke up with the man I was going to marry."

"All the more reason," commented Shannon. "What's that they say about getting right back up on the horse? Speaking of which...I understand Terry is pretty well hung."

"Shannon..."

"I'm just saying," she said in a melodic speaking voice and with a big grin. "Come on, we don't have time to debate it. Put the damn dress on and let's go. It isn't often we get invited to the Chez' Paul."

Reluctantly, Dawn adorned the short, black dress. She had to admit, she looked HOT.

"Damn!" was all Terry could articulate as they presented themselves. "I am going to be the envy of every guy in that place."

Between Terry and Shannon they were able to keep Dawn's mind off of her break up for most of the evening. It was Shannon mostly. It wasn't the first time she had to cheer her friend up like that. She knew what buttons to push and she could always make her laugh.

Terry was at least tolerable, although every now and then the specter of conceit would peek out from his charm. It turned out that his dad had gotten him a membership at the local country club. That's where he met Gene, the restaurant's manager.

It must be nice to be so rich, thought Dawn; which brought up a question. "Terry, with your dad's money you could go to college just about anywhere. What are you doing living in the dorm at a small college like Governor's State?"

"It's my dad's alma mater," he replied. "The dorm is his idea too. He wants me to have the full experience of college life," he chuckled. "He wasn't always rich. He made his fortune after going into business and credited the education he got here, so..."

"He wants the same for you," Dawn said, anticipating what he was going to say.

"Yup," he said with a smile. "I wanted to go to Northwestern and hang out with all the future movie stars but it wasn't in the cards so here I am."

Once again, as he said that, Dawn saw a sliver of that pretentiousness she didn't like. Just the inflection in his voice; it was almost like he wanted to finish his statement by saying, 'so here I am with all you peons.'

"What about you girls, someone said you've known each other for a long time."

Shannon didn't speak up so Dawn answered. "Yeah, we met in the fifth grade and been BFF's ever since."

"How come you have an apartment and don't live in the dorm?"

Again, Dawn fielded the question. "They couldn't guaranty we'd be able to live together so we looked around for a cheapo apartment. We really lucked out with that place. Mrs. Cooper, the landlady is very nice. After retiring, her husband built the apartment over the garage for extra income. He suffered a stroke a couple years ago so we don't see him much anymore but she's still pretty active."

Dawn was ready to go back home after dinner but her escorts wouldn't hear of it. Instead they took her to a bar that had live music. She did do some dancing, mostly with Shannon but she also danced a few with Terry and even a couple other guys. They didn't make it back to the apartment until almost one in the morning. Terry tried to kiss her good night but she turned her cheek so he took what he could get.

The next morning Shannon was making coffee when Dawn sat down at the kitchen table feeling a little worse for wear.

Shannon took one look at her and laughed. "Don't tell me you can't take it anymore? You look like hell there, girlfriend."

"Thanks, I love you too," she snickered back.

Shannon took a couple of cups down from the cupboard and filed them both. She set them on the table then took Dawn's creamer from the fridge and put it down next to her coffee.

"Thanks," Dawn weakly acknowledged.

"Terry's pretty nice isn't he. Hey, Brian and I are going to the movies next Saturday night. Why don't we double date? We haven't done that in a while."

"I don't think so, Shannon. I'm not really crazy about Terry."

"What? Are you nuts, girl? He's good looking, smart, and his dad has more money than God; not to mention he's crazy about you. Jesus, what's not to like?"

"I don't know, it's...I guess it's his attitude. He comes off like he thinks he's better than everybody else sometimes."