Stolen Innocence

A Story by NicoleJames

This is the beginning of a book I'm writing based off of a true story.

Her anger overtook her at times. Knowing the facts that she knew now changed everything. The thought of what she would do to the woman who tormented her younger brother consumed her thoughts. Would she freeze in her footsteps if she ever saw the woman again? Or would she rush to hurl the nearest heavy object at the woman’s evil smirk? The latter sounded more appealing to Allison’s taste, but no amount of pain inflicted could undo the torture her brother endured that year.

It was Summer of 2013. Allison was packing her dorm room up to go home from her first year of college. She had gone to school to get a degree in business, but had fallen back in love with basketball the minute she arrived at the school and couldn’t resist the offers the coaches had waiting for her. Her freshman year had been spent playing basketball and traveling to new cities with the team instead of keeping up with her grades. After saying her goodbye’s it was time for her to hit the road. The familiar drive home, though it wasn’t long, became bittersweet knowing she wouldn’t be returning to the athletic spotlight. And although her teammates were saddened by her departure, they knew that her grades, along with her reoccurring knee injuries, meant that this was a much needed move back home to refocus and finally get the knee surgery she had been putting off since high school. As she continued to drive, she replayed her best moments with the team in her head only continuing to make the drive home more difficult with each mile. If she could do it all over she would, only this time she would put her grades and attendance above sports and social life. Make no mistake, parties and staying out all night with the football team was all the fun a young, college basketball player could ask for, but in the long run it only did more harm than good.

As soon as she had unloaded the car and said her hello’s to everyones in the house, her phone rang. It was one of her teammates that she had grown very close to in the last semester of college.

“Hey girl… it’s Liz.”, the voice on the other end of the line said quietly sounding almost as if she had just finished crying. “Do you think you could do me a HUGE favor and ask your parents something for me? I know this is so last minute, but I could really use your help right now.”

“Sure!” Allison said wondering what could be so important.

“I just talked to my mom and she’s not letting me come home for break since I got into some trouble at school last semester with my boyfriend. That whole pregnancy scare didn’t go over so well with her, ya know? So basically what I am asking is for your family to sort of adopt me for the summer. I’ll get a job once I’m settled in and I’ll even pay rent if they want me to. I really need this. You’ve been like a sister to me ever since I joined the team and I couldn’t imagine living with any of our other teammates.” Liz blurted out, almost too fast for Allison to understand.

“Of course I’ll ask them, Liz. I’m sure they’ll be ok with it. We would have to share my room, but I think it would be fun! Like a 24/7 sleep over with my best friend. Hang on, let me go ask them.”

Liz nervously waited on the other end of the line wondering if they really would be ok with it, or if Allison was just being optimistic like her usual self.

“Are you still there?” Allison yelled breaking Liz’s nervous silence.

“Yes, I’m still here! Did they say yes? If not it’s totally ok, I can try to find somewhere else to live. Maybe Mark and Alex would let me crash on their couch for awhile. Do you have their phone num…”

“LIZ!!!” Allison interrupted excitedly. “They said that you can come live with us if you promise to stay away from the alcohol while you’re here. They know about all the trouble you had in college and they don’t want that to happen here too.”

Liz squealed, “Oh my God!!! This is the best news I’ve heard all year!”

“Wait…” Allison gasped. “One more thing. You have to stop sleeping around if you’re going to stay here. I don’t want all the drama that comes along with that reputation. Do you think you can handle that?”

“Of course I can!” Liz exclaimed. “Who needs boys anyways. We’ll have each other. Pick me up Saturday morning from my college dorm room. I’ll have gas money for you when you get here.”