Unscripted - Nicole Kronzer Page 0,90

other. “What happens if I don’t?”

“We process him for the assault . . . but nothing goes on his record for what he did to you.”

I shuddered. “And if I do?”

“Then it’s added to the list of charges. The nose-breaking third-degree assault charge is a felony, but with no priors, it’ll probably get knocked down to a misdemeanor. Even with the fifth-degree sexual assault in the woods, it’ll all probably end up as community service. Maybe a fine.”

But a sexual assault charge wouldn’t look good on a background check, right? And if he got convicted, who would hire him to teach anymore? And if the story got out, he might not have a future at any reputable improv company, either. I shuddered again. “I don’t want to be in charge of someone’s future like that.”

She nodded. “Sounds like he didn’t mind being in charge of yours. But it’s your choice.”

“Detective?”

We turned at the sound of Paul DeLuca’s voice. He waved her over. She glanced at me. “I’ll be right back.”

I watched her stride over to the Pauls, but their voices were too low to overhear. She flipped open her notebook, jotted something down, nodded, and strode back over to me.

“Mr. DeLuca and Mr. Paulsen would like me to tell you that they would be happy to let you stay at camp if you don’t press charges against Ben.”

I couldn’t help it—I whipped my head around to look at them. They were staring at me. Nausea roiled around in my stomach. I jerked my head back and studied my dusty, Chaco-ed feet.

I could stay at camp! I could maybe even perform. It was what I wanted, right?

But if I stayed and performed, it was at the cost of saying what Ben had done and said was acceptable behavior.

I thought about startling at the sound of the door. Of the mental anguish at rehearsal. Fear for Ben’s next move. Even the worries I had about Jesse’s intentions. It had only been a week, and Ben had done all that.

“No,” I said finally, biting my thumbnail. “I don’t want to stay. I want to press charges. I just . . . I worry Ben isn’t sorry. That the Pauls aren’t sorry. Like, no one will learn a lesson if Ben just walks free. I want the Pauls to take camper concerns seriously. And I don’t want Ben to do this to other people. I don’t want Ben to go to jail. I just want him to notice. I want him to get help. I don’t want what he did to be a normal thing.”

She handed me her card. “Call me here when your parents come. We’ll work it all out.”

I ran my fingers over the embossed police seal. “Detective Kristi Margolis.”

Detective Margolis smiled and led me a few steps away. “You going to be okay? Because I can take you into protective custody if you don’t feel safe at the Boy Scout camp.”

“The Boy Scout camp is perfect,” I said. “They’re great guys.”

She smiled. “Great guys are out there. Glad you found some. Talk soon.”

She shook my hand and exchanged a few words with the Pauls that resulted in Paul Paulsen aggressively rubbing the heels of his hands into his eyes yet again. Then the detective joined her partner in the SUV. I wasn’t going to watch as they drove away, but at the sound of a thud, my head jerked up reflexively. It was Ben. As the SUV passed us, Ben’s face twisted in pain, and when he caught my eye, he yelled, “Elllllllllllllieeeeeeeee!”

I broke eye contact immediately, but even as the ranks closed in to protect me, it felt like cold water had been dumped on my head. Then I frowned. I didn’t want my last act with Ben to be hiding from him. I stepped between Paloma and Hanna, filled my lungs with air, and shouted as the SUV drove off, “My name is Zelda!”

Dust from the gravel road filled the air, and soon, the SUV disappeared.

I let out a huge breath, then turned to the Gildas and hugged each one of them. Then I hugged Jonas. Then Will held me close. Then I shouldered my backpack, and Jesse and I reached for each other’s hands.

I faced the Pauls. They looked at me expectantly.

“I wish it hadn’t turned out this way,” Paul DeLuca said. “If you just hadn’t turned violent there at the end.”

“Yeah. That’s the regrettable part in all this,” I said. “Wait!” We all turned and watched someone