The Greatest Lie Part 14

I started to protest but he continued, "I admit it was rape the first time and it was just paid porno the other, which doesn't prove anything. I am really sorry, and I guess that's all I have to say, except thank you for not turning us in, because that gave me a chance to turn around my own life. Oh, and that I tried to make it as OK for you as possible that night and I thought you were pretty cute then and that you're really beautiful now."

I gave him a moment of stony silence. He wilted in my most withering glare. "I suppose you think this half-assed apology one year later makes everything OK? You, Miguel and Jack gang-raped me, and traumatized my friend Marta, and then on those occasions when I saw you around, you didn't even say anything afterwards. That's despicable. If the cops weren't such assholes, your ass, and Miguel's and Jack's, would have been in jail. Then you could have had your own gangbang experience on the receiving end, and it would have served you right."

"You're absolutely right. We were complete shits who got away with it and didn't deserve to, and I have been feeling horrible about that, horrible about never communicating with you afterwards, and I'm really sorry for that, but you, like, just sort of disappeared. Anyhow, I'll do whatever you want me to make amends." He noticed my empty coffee. "How about another latte, on the house?"

"That would be a good start," I replied. He leapt to his feet and quickly returned with freshly made tall latte. "Same as the last one, OK?"

"As the last latte, you mean?" I said with a humorously arched eyebrow.

"Right," he said. "I didn't mean like the last time we . . ." His voice trailed off. He looked bemused.

"Thanks a lot," I said scornfully, reveling in his predicament. It was obvious he was irresistibly attracted to me now, yet he faced a superhuman task: seducing a former rape victim. I decided to encourage him. Perhaps I might enjoy his efforts. And besides, he had always been the cutest and most considerate of my tormentors , and he had only gotten better looking in the intervening year. Yes, I thought, Seth had turned even cuter and had cleaned up quite nicely.