"And I cried." Lance's voice dropped, humiliated and raw. "I cried in front of him and I never cry in front of people, you know I don't do that, but I was just so—" Another hiccup. "I was so done. And then I came home thinking at least, at least I can just breathe for a second, at least there's somewhere I can just exist without having to explain myself and Ansel—"
He stopped again.
The rain came down harder.
"He didn't believe me," Lance said quietly. "I told him what happened and he looked me dead in the eye and said don't victimise it. Like I was making it up. Like I was performing it for sympathy." His voice broke on the last word. "Don't victimise it mum. That's what he said to me. After everything."
The silence on Lexi's end was the particular kind that meant she was fighting with herself about what to say.
