An hour later Harry and Brooklyn definitely weren't talking. They weren't studying either.
Harry grabbed Brooklyn and pulled her close to him, crashing his lips to hers.
Brooklyn moaned softly and snaked her arms round Harry's neck. Harry tangled his fingers in Brooklyn's curls and gently lowered her onto the bed.
Brooklyn knew she should stop, but she didn't.
She knew that she was meant to be ignoring Harry, but she couldn't.
She knew that she didn't get close to guys, but Harry was different.
Her body was on fire. Every nerve was alive. Sparks were flying between her and Harry and they made her want more.
She had never felt this way before, until Harry. He did things to Brooklyn that she could not explain.
"Harry," she whispered.
"Shut up," he grumbled and kissed Brooklyn again, sliding his tongue into her mouth.
Brooklyn paused for a moment, but when Harry bit her lip she turned her attention back to him and was lost in his touch.
It wasn't long before they were interrupted. Brooklyn's phone rang and she pulled away from Harry, breathing heavily.
"It can wait," Harry said dismissively.
"No," Brooklyn said and shook her head. "It's my mum's ringtone." Brooklyn sat up on her bed and grabbed her phone, shuffling away from Harry before answering. "Mum?"
"Cheating, lying, scum!" Her mothers voice screamed down the phone and Brooklyn jumped.
"Mum?"
"You want to know why we're getting a divorce, Brooky dear? Your scumbag of a father fucked another woman when I was pregnant with you! And then he continued to do it while you were growing up! Fucking bastard!"
"Put the phone down, Grace-" Brooklyn heard her fathers voice in the background.
"You have no right to tell me what to do, you cheater! You dirty, lying-"
"Grace, you're drunk! Brooklyn doesn't need to hear this-"
"Hear what? That her father cheated on her mother? She's grown up now, she deserves to know!" Her mother screamed.
"Grace, you're acting childish!"
"You can talk! You adulterous asshole!"
"Mum?" Brooklyn said quietly.
"Not now, Brooklyn!" Her mother snapped. "God, you always get in the way! Sticking your nose in where it doesn't concern you! You were always a nuisance child! Why do you think we sent you away to live with your stupid aunt and uncle? We didn't want you!"
"Grace!" Her dad gasped. "Give me the phone, now!"
"I'm just telling her the truth! After the whore got herself into all that trouble! She brought it all on herself, getting taken and r-"
"Stop it, now! You're drunk!"
Brooklyn slowly lowered her phone. She could still hear her mother yelling, but she was glad she couldn't make out what she was saying.
Harry's hand reached out to hers and he pried the phone from her fingers, pressing end and locking it. "Brooklyn," Harry said. "None of what she said was true."
"She thought it was my fault," Brooklyn whispered. "The incident. She blamed what I wore and how 'flirty' I was. After it happened she said I deserved it."
"You didn't," Harry said immediately. "That was not your fault. It was the fault of a sick individual. You were the victim."
"She doesn't see it that way."
"Screw her."
"She drinks," Brooklyn said and looked up at Harry. "She always has. She was drinking the night it happened. So I left the house to get away from her."
"Brooklyn," Harry said firmly. "You can speak to me. Tell me about it."
Brooklyn pulled her knees up to her chest and shook her head. "No."
"You need to talk about it."
"Why should I tell you?"
"Because it's me."
"And that means something?" Brooklyn asked.
"Yes," Harry shrugged. "You know it does, babe."
Brooklyn sighed and chewed her lip nervously. "She was drinking, like I said," Brooklyn said quietly. "She got aggressive when she drank and my dad was at work so I didn't want to be home alone with her so I left the house. It was dark, but the town was safe, so I thought I'd be fine."
Brooklyn caught Harry's eye and her stomach churned. She was sharing something she had never told anyone. She didn't know why, but she trusted Harry with it. With her dark secret.
"A man grabbed me and then I was unconscious," Brooklyn said and she looked down at her nails, suddenly finding them very interesting. "And then I woke up. It was dark, I couldn't see anything, but there were chains on my wrists and ankles. They were so heavy... And so tight-" Brooklyn swallowed and closed her eyes. "I saw his face once, on the first day I was there, but I'll never forget it. He turned the lights on one time and his face will forever be engrained in my mind."
Brooklyn took a deep breath and rubbed her wrists. "I tried screaming, but I couldn't. He gagged me for the whole time I was there. He only took the gag off to give me a small amount of water. I didn't get food. I was just left there, in the dark, chained up, until he wanted me. He... He forced himself on me. It seemed like I barely got a break before it was happening again. I'd be woken up from sleep by him... By him... R-raping me. It was constant. I never thought it would end." Brooklyn took a deep breath and wiped her eyes. "I was there for a week until the police found me. And ever since then... me and boys have not happened. The thought of touching a man... It made me want to burn my skin off."
"Until me," Harry said and Brooklyn looked up at Harry with red puffy eyes.
"Yes," she whispered. "And now you know. You know the story behind the newspaper clipping you saw."
"Don't act brave," Harry said. "Don't hide your pain. You don't have to be strong, Brooklyn. Let it out."
Brooklyn shook her head. "I-I'm over it. I'm fine."
"Hey." Harry cupped Brooklyn's face and stroked her cheek. "Cry. I won't leave you until you're okay."
"If I start I won't stop," Brooklyn whispered as a tear slipped down her cheek.
"Then I won't leave," Harry murmured and pulled Brooklyn into his chest as all the tears and pain she had been bottling up came out. "I'll always be here for you."
Brooklyn walked out of her house the next morning in a daze. Her mind was still on last night.
She had told him.
Brooklyn sighed and rubbed her eyes. After forcing Harry to leave she had a sleepless night. She wished that he would have stayed and that she hadn't have made him go. She had received a call from her father, which she ignored and she was trying her hardest to forget about her mothers words.
"Hey."
Brooklyn jumped when she heard Harry's voice and she frowned when she realised she hadn't even seen him parked outside her house.
"I think I'm just going to walk," Brooklyn mumbled, but Harry shook his head.
"Get in."
"I really-"
"Your head is all over the place. Knowing you you'll get run over or something. Get in, babe."
Brooklyn stared at Harry for a few moments before sighing and nodding. She slowly walked towards Harry's car and he reached over and opened the door for her. It was silent as she climbed in.
"You alright?" Harry asked after a few moments.
"Fine," Brooklyn said sharply.
"You're not fine," Harry said.
"Don't tell me how I feel," Brooklyn said.
"Then don't lie."
"Why the hell did you ask if you were just going to say I'm wrong?"
"I wanted to see if you were going to be honest with me," Harry said and Brooklyn ignored his look and crossed her arms over her chest.
"Just drive the damn car," she muttered.
"You can be, you know," Harry said as he started the car and drove away from the house.
"Can be what?"
"Honest."
Brooklyn glanced at him, but quickly looked towards the ground. "I know," she murmured and she scrunched her nose up when the pressure in her head returned.
"Do you?"
"Yes."
"Then why aren't you honest?"
"Because I hide things and pretend everything is alright," Brooklyn muttered. "There you go, there's me being honest."
Harry sighed and shook his head. "Don't do that. Not with me."
"Why not?"
"Because I said so, babe," Harry said sternly.
"Last night, please forget about everything that happened," Brooklyn said suddenly.
"What if I don't want to forget about everything that happened?" Harry wondered and turned to stare at Brooklyn who couldn't help but blush.
"I was more talking about the other stuff that happened, but forget about that as well," she said quickly.
"Ah, but I'm afraid I can't forget about the other stuff, even though I wish I could, for your sake," Harry said.
"I just don't want you to feel sorry for me! Whenever anyone finds out they treat me like a China doll, too scared to do or say anything, scared that I'll crack! They feel sorry about what happened to me and then they feel sorry about my shitty parents and I just can't deal with it! It's why I didn't want to tell you, it's why-"
Harry gently placed his hand over Brooklyn's mouth. "You talk a hell of a lot, babe," he commented. "And I won't treat you differently. I don't feel sorry for you."
Brooklyn grabbed Harry's hand and pulled it down. "You don't?"
"You're strong, to deal with what happened, especially with the lack of support from your parents," Harry shrugged. "You should feel proud of the person you are now."
"Oh," Brooklyn said. "No one's ever said that before."
"I'm not like everyone else."
"Oh, I know," Brooklyn murmured and Harry smirked to himself.
"Does Brandon know?" Harry asked.
"About what happened to me?" Brooklyn asked quietly.
Harry nodded.
"He does, but not the details. My parents don't even know the details... No one does. What I told you last night is the most I've ever told anyone," Brooklyn said and frowned to herself.
She hardly knew Harry, yet he knew her darkest secrets.
She didn't even know his last name.