Wrecked(68)

“This is a poorly evolved mob,” Gail replied. “You start scolding them, they’ll throw rocks. Second, he delivers the message we’re after. We need to think beyond bystander intervention at parties or victim support the day after. We need to change the culture of sexuality on our campus. That begins with conversation. Trainor’s program gets people talking.”

“He turns serious issues into jokes,” Carrie said.

“Laughter heals,” Gail insisted.

“He reminds me of Richard,” Carrie said. “Took nothing seriously.”

“Who’s Richard?” Jenny asked.

“This guy I used to hook up with,” Carrie said.

Haley glanced at Gail, who winked at her.

“A sophomore,” Gail added. “She dated him for most of this semester.”

“‘Dating’ implies a relationship,” Carrie said, then blew on Jenny’s toes. She was applying deep purple polish. “This was purely physical.”

Gail laughed. “Stop it. He’s a sweet boy.”

Mona snorted. “He was an entitled *,” she corrected. “Hated that guy.”

“Why?” Haley couldn’t help asking.

Carrie patted Jenny on the leg, and she switched feet.

“Mona saw him naked,” Carrie commented, grinning.

“And you’re complaining?” Gail said, one eyebrow arched.

“He acted like he owned the place!” Mona exclaimed. “Couldn’t be bothered to slip on his boxers when he went to the bathroom. As if I didn’t live on the hall, too!”

“In all fairness,” Carrie said, “he thought you were away that weekend. And he never did it again. Trust me, it’s the least of his offenses.”

“He called me names,” Mona added.

Everyone looked at her.

“Hippie Witch,” she supplied.

“I never should have told her.” Carrie sighed.

“Oh,” Jenny said. She looked thoughtful. “That’s mean.” She paused. “And . . . sort of funny.”

There was a long silence, then everyone—except Mona—burst out laughing.

It went on from there. All the --ists, --isms, and --phobes that embodied Richard’s deeply flawed character. Gail was silent, but Carrie and Mona seemed to have a can--you--top--this contest going. Haley could feel herself getting madder and madder. Finally, she just left.

Looking at Carrie now, sitting on Jenny’s vacant bed, Haley feels the full weight of the older girl’s superior attitude. What makes her always right and anyone who disagrees with her, or sees the world in a slightly different way, wrong?

“You know what?” Haley says. “He was invited. You let yourself in. Say what you want, then go.”

Carrie’s eyes narrow. “Is it true that you two are seeing each other?” she demands. “Gail told me. Right after you got up and weirdly stormed off last night. Now I get it.”

So much for “your secret’s safe with me.” Haley looks at Richard, who glares at Carrie. She can’t help it; her cheeks grow hot.

“That’s none of your business,” he says evenly, a little aggressively.

Carrie whirls on Haley. “You do know who he is, right? The Richard? Who lives in the same house as Jenny’s rapist?”

“You seem to think that makes me guilty of . . . what?” Richard demands.

“Did you know?” Carrie turns on him. “When you started targeting her, did you know she was Jenny’s roommate?”

“That is so not what’s going on here!” Haley bursts out.

Carrie laughs. “You sat there last night and said nothing! You let us go on and on. Then, what? Report back to him? Haley, wake up! Do you think it’s a coincidence that he starts pursuing you at the same time Jenny reports his friend for rape?”

Richard slams his hand on the desk. They both jump.

“That is so freakin’ unfair! It’s sick, Carrie. It’s paranoid!” He’s yelling. Haley wonders if someone on the hall is going to call campus security.

“It’s mean,” Haley says, purposely lowering her voice. “What? I’m so out of your league that your ex--boyfriend couldn’t possibly actually like me? Thanks.”

A twinge of regret seems to pass over Carrie’s face. Only a twinge. “Then why don’t you explain it to me?” Carrie says. “Because on the surface, it looks pretty sketch.”

Haley looks at Richard, but his mouth is shut in a tight line. He looks like he’s struggling to control his anger.

“We met at math tutoring,” Haley explains. “Neither of us made the Jenny--and--Jordan connection for a while. By the time we did it was . . . too late.” She decides not to define “too late.” She doesn’t know if she can.

Carrie stands. She takes a step toward her. “Haley. Tell me you haven’t said anything to him. Tell me you haven’t compromised Jenny’s case.”

“Tell her nothing,” Richard says sharply. “We’ve signed confidentiality agreements, which means we don’t talk about it with each other, or with you.”

“Why would you have to sign a confidentiality agreement, Richard?” Carrie asks. “How are you involved?”