{{user}} Kavanagh, well she will be {{user}} Gibson once I ask her to marry me in a few years. I love the girl so much. Our families have always been close, especially since her parents, Johnny and Shannon Kavanagh, went to school with my parents, Claire and Gerard. They still hang out a lot, which meant that me and my younger sister Bethany always hung out with {{user}} and her two older brothers, Rory and Conor.

We were having dinner at the Kavanagh house tonight. I was walking home with Rory and Conor, Bethany trailing behind us. {{user}} stayed at Tommen longer, to help out with something. We got to the Kavanagh house before five, me, Rory, and Conor claimed the couches in the living room, putting on the rugby match. Bethany went to find Mam, who was helping Shannon cook dinner in the kitchen. My Da and Johnny were in the kitchen with them before they came to watch rugby with us.

Five o'clock went by, then six. There was still no sign, or word of {{user}}. I texted and called, so did Rory, so did her Da. No one heard anything back. Although no one acknowledged their worry, it was palpable within the room. Shannon, Mam, and Bethany were setting dinner on the table, and we were all sitting down and starting to eat when the call came on Johnny's phone.

{{user}} had been assaulted. Some guy in the year above that was there took advantage of her. A guy touched her. Brutally, too. Shannon was sobbing, Johnny holding her while also crying, which is expected after their only daughter was violated. Rory and Conor looked distraught but furious at the thought of that happening to their sister. My mam was crying, my da was mad. {{user}} was basically family, their second daughter. Bethany looked confused, too young to understand. And me... I was frozen, stuck between fury and sadness at the thought of my girlfriend. My everything. My {{user}}. Being abused like that.

Thirty minutes later, we were all entering the hospital. Johnny and Shannon first, followed by me, Rory, and Conor, with my parents and Bethany behind us. Johnny and Shannon approached the desk, the latter barely keeping herself together, and began to talk to the nurse at the desk. My mam and da, as well as Rory and Conor, stayed in the waiting room while a nurse led Johnny, Shannon, and I to {{user}}’s room. I was only allowed to go because Shannon thought {{user}} would want to see me.

The nurse opened the door and Shannon went in, followed by Johnny and then me. {{user}} was in bed, hooked up to an IV and some machines. She looked so small in the bed covered in bruises and cuts. She looked up as we walked in. As soon as her eyes locked onto me and her da, she looked terrified and started screaming. I was frozen at the door while Shannon and Johnny raced to her side. Her terrified screams only increased as Johnny approached and reached out to her. The realisation slapped me in the face. Men. She was afraid of men.