Page 31 of Freestyle (Boys of Frampton U #2)
Grayson
A wave of relief washes over me. I had expected this, knowing we weren’t there to meet her after class. But still, the unease lingers in the back of my mind. I can’t shake the feeling that something isn’t right .
I pull up the string of texts with Nix and send him a message.
Gray:
Did you ever find any more information regarding Rowyn’s past?
He answers right away, having just gotten out of class.
Nix:
I expect there’s info on my laptop waiting for me when I get home.
Gray:
How did you manage that one?
Nix:
I hacked into the social worker’s server, looking for anything involving Rowyn Caddel. I even went so far as to look up this Alberto character. It’s insanely illegal, but it was the only way to get what we wanted.
Gray:
Damn, always one step ahead. Bring it to my room when you get here .
He reads the message but doesn’t respond, not that I thought he would.
I pull up Rowyn’s social media, looking to see if she’s posted anything new.
I stare at a photo of her laughing, sunlight tangled in her hair, and something twists in my chest. It’s not just that she’s beautiful, though she is; it’s the way she looks so free.
Like nothing weighs her down, and I can’t remember her ever looking like that when I’m around.
We made her small. Me and Nix, we never threw punches, at her at least, but I think our words did enough damage. I used to call it teasing, maybe a little bullying. Now I wonder if that’s just what guilt wears when it doesn’t want to admit it’s cruelty.
I kill the screen, the glow fading from my face. She stopped posting. Maybe she’s trying to disappear from us, and I hate the way that thought lodges in my throat and doesn’t move.
Nix knocks once and barges straight in and plops down on my bed, laptop in hand.
“You check her location again?” I ask. He simply nods.
We sit in silence for a moment before he asks, “You ever think we’re too far in? With her. With each other. With… this. ”
Heat floods my body as his words wash over me. I don’t answer right away.
Because if I do, I might say too much.
The air between us has always been charged, ever since Rowyn pulled us into the same orbit. She was the gravity, sure, but something happened to us , too. Something we never spoke about, never even looked at for too long.
Until now.
Phoenix runs a hand through his hair, gaze angled toward the floor like it holds answers we’ve both been avoiding.
His voice is low, raw around the edges. I’ve known that tone in him for years. It’s how he sounds when he’s on the edge of something he hasn’t named yet.
I feel my chest tighten. Because I do think it.
About her. About him.
About this twisted, tangled thing we’ve built from guilt and need and obsession.
“You mean, like… no way out?” I ask quietly.
He doesn’t look at me. “I mean like maybe I don’t want out.”
That stops me cold.
He finally lifts his eyes, and for one excruciating second, the air stills. We’re not just boys who bled for the same girl, we’re something else now. Something unspoken but undeniably more.
And that should scare me.
But it doesn’t.
Not even a little .
He looks away first.
Part of me is relieved.
The other part wants to drag his gaze back and ask what the hell that was between us just now.
Instead, he reaches for his laptop and says, “Here. There’s something you need to see.” He positions the computer where I can see.
“I got everything we were looking for,” he snaps. “But it’s not good.”
I lean over the screen, so I can read the information.
Confidential Report Subject: Rowyn Marie Caddel Date of Birth: September 21st, 2006 I ncident Reported On: July 10, 2015 Prepared By: Linda Robinson, Child Protective Services
Sexual Abuse Statement
Summary of Incident: On July 10, 2025, Child Protective Services received a report alleging sexual abuse involving Rowyn Marie Caddel, age 9.
The alleged perpetrator, identified as Alberto Mitchell, age 13, has been admitted to a secure pediatric psychiatric facility following the initial investigation.
Observations and Initial Findings: Rowyn currently exhibits symptoms consistent with trauma, including heightened anxiety and physical sensitivity.
During interviews and routine assessments, she demonstrated visible distress when approached, particularly when contact was made near her neck.
Care has been taken to ensure her physical boundaries are respected at all times.
Medical Observations: Upon intake, a medical examination was conducted at St. Andrew’s Hospital by a board-certified pediatrician specializing in forensic evaluations.
The examination noted the presence of dried blood in the pubic region and faint bruising along the sides and front of the neck.
The location and pattern of bruising were consistent with the application of external force.
No other acute physical injuries were documented at that time; however, findings were consistent with the child’s disclosure and warranted further investigation.
Medical staff ensured the exam was conducted in a trauma-informed manner, with a trained advocate present to support the child throughout .
Rowyn was hesitant to speak openly about her experiences.
When prompted gently with non-leading questions, Rowyn disclosed information suggesting continuous inappropriate contact by a member of the foster family, Alberto Mitchell.
Her statements were consistent, though delivered with visible discomfort and periods of silence.
A forensic interview has been scheduled to allow for a trauma-informed evaluation in a safe setting.
Following immediate protective protocols, Rowyn was removed from her previous residence and placed into a licensed foster care placement on July 12, 2015.
The foster caregivers have received trauma-informed care training and have reported that Rowyn remains quiet, occasionally withdrawn, but is gradually responding to consistent, gentle support.
She has been referred for specialized counseling services with a child trauma therapist to begin processing her experiences in a safe and structured environment.
Conclusion: Based on the physical findings, behavioral indicators, and verbal disclosures provided by Rowyn Marie Caddel, immediate and sustained protective measures have been deemed necessary.
The child remains in a safe, trauma-informed foster care placement, and her care team is coordinating ongoing medical, psychological, and legal support.
Child Protective Services will continue to monitor Rowyn’s well-being closely, in collaboration with her therapist, foster caregivers, and law enforcement. All findings and recommendations have been documented and forwarded to the appropriate judicial and clinical entities for further action.
The primary objective moving forward is to ensure Rowyn’s safety, emotional recovery, and long-term stability .
“That mother fucker!” I yell, the words tearing out of my throat like claws. My fist slams into the drywall before I can stop it, bone meeting plaster, white dust clouding the air like smoke after a detonation. My knuckles sting, but it’s nothing. Nothing compared to the way my chest is burning.
Nix doesn’t say a word. He’s pacing like a caged animal, jaw clenched so hard I can hear his teeth grind. He doesn’t look at me, he doesn’t have to. We’re on the same frequency now; rage, guilt and something else we don’t have a name for.
“She was just a kid,” I mutter, voice low and shaky. “And we—” I bite off the rest before it swallows me whole. We made her life harder without ever knowing how hard it already was.
The image won’t leave me. Rowyn, tiny, scared, hands flinching away from someone who should’ve protected her. From anyone. Now I get it. The way she tenses when someone gets too close. The way she never lets her guard down, not even for a second.
Nix stops pacing. His hands are curled into fists at his sides, eyes wild and glassy. “No one touches her like that. Ever again. Unless it’s us.”
It’s not fury. It’s possession, yeah, but not the toxic kind we used to wear like armor. It’s something deeper now, protective, primal, personal .
Rowyn’s not just a girl we bullied anymore. She’s ours, and God help the next person who tries to hurt her, because I swear I won’t stop at drywall.