“If you think you might have been assaulted, there are other, more specialized tests that can help us preserve any evidence that may still be available. We can’t do that here, but the Wellness Project has counselors that can meet you at the hospital and make sure you’re supported. I’ll be honest, the test is invasive. But if you think you might want to report what happened, it’s helpful. And I don’t want to pressure you, but the sooner you get it done the better.”

The nurse swiveled on her stool and took a brochure from a plastic bin on the wall.

“Have you showered since the night before last?”

Claudia nodded. Finally, she understood. How many SVU episodes had she seen? What was the mantra for every special victim? Don’t wash the evidence away. But she had.

“What we’d be able to collect might be limited, but if you want to make a report I still recommend it. There might be something there. Either way, if you want to talk, call the hotline. I’ve trained some of the girls myself and it can be really helpful to talk after something … confusing, has happened. You’d be surprised—or maybe you wouldn’t be—how many people end up in situations like this. Especially freshman year.”

Claudia took the brochure. It was NYU purple and white. A line drawing of a woman’s profile. A phone number and website. She’d been given the same brochure probably a dozen times in the first few months of school. She imagined them piled inside trash cans across the Village.

“Okay, so we’ll do the blood and urine.” The nurse paused. “We’ve got lots of resources here. And if you want to talk—even if you’re just feeling confused, the Wellness Project is really great.”

Claudia nodded. “Thanks.”

The nurse came back with PrEP, Cipro, a Plan B pack, and a pee cup.

“We keep the popular items stocked,” said the nurse, possibly attempting humor.

She pointed to the bathroom and instructed Claudia to use the Sharpie to label the cup, then leave it on the tray when she was done, and return to the room to have her blood drawn. Claudia took the medication and the cup and nodded, then walked out of the health center.

TREVOR

“Claudia!”

Trevor called from the sidewalk and Claudia stopped abruptly in front of a Chase bank where a man was muttering at the ATM, jamming his card in and out. He turned around and shouted “Back up!” Claudia jumped, scurried forward, stopped again.

“Are you okay?” he asked.

For a second, she seemed not to recognize him.

“Is everything okay?” Stop saying okay, he thought. She is clearly not okay. “I think you left your sunglasses in there.”