Off-Campus, #1
The Deal
by Elle Kennedy
Contents
Chapter 29
Overview
Hannah and Garrett spend Halloween together instead of apart, and the night becomes a turning point in their relationship. Hannah tells Garrett how her rape case was dismissed, how Aaron’s family and their town destroyed her family’s finances and reputation, and why she cannot go home, while Garrett reveals that his father abused him and his mother for years.
By sharing the darkest parts of their pasts, they move into a new level of trust and emotional intimacy. Their later sex and Garrett’s invitation to his game show that what began as a fake arrangement has become a deeply real bond.
Summary
On Halloween night, Hannah comes to Garrett’s house instead of working the dorm party. As they relax on the couch, Garrett learns that Hannah’s parents may not be able to visit for Christmas because they cannot afford it. That leads Hannah to explain that her family is struggling financially because of the legal costs from the case against Aaron, the man who raped her.
Hannah tells Garrett what happened after the assault. Although Aaron was arrested, he was released on bail, allowed back at school, and protected by his family’s influence in Ransom, where his mother is the mayor and his father is a church leader. The judge dismissed the case for lack of evidence after Aaron and his friends claimed Hannah consented and lied about what happened, turning the proceedings into a humiliating attack on her character.
Hannah then reveals that Aaron’s parents sued her family, and the court forced her parents to pay legal fees, leaving them in debt and trapped in the same town that shunned them. She explains that the town blamed her, that she had to finish school at home, and that she cannot bear to return. Hannah also recounts a later visit home when her father attacked one of Aaron’s supporters after the man insulted her in public, showing how deeply the damage spread through her family.
Moved by Hannah’s story, Garrett finally shares his own secret. He tells Hannah that his father, Phil Graham, first beat him on Halloween when Garrett was twelve, then continued abusing him for years while also abusing Garrett’s mother. Garrett admits he felt relieved when his mother died of cancer because it ended her suffering, and he says Hannah is the first person he has ever trusted with this truth.
Wanting to replace a painful Halloween memory with a better one, Hannah kisses Garrett and begins a sexual encounter that continues upstairs in his room. Garrett lets Hannah control the pace, and their intimacy reflects the trust they have built together. Afterward, they lie in bed together, feeling close and safe, and Garrett invites Hannah to his game against Harvard; after some hesitation, Hannah agrees to come before the night turns affectionate and playful again.
Who Appears
- Garrett GrahamOpens up about his father’s long abuse, comforts Hannah, and grows even closer to her.
- Hannah WellsReveals the full aftermath of her rape case, bonds with Garrett, and agrees to attend his game.
- AaronHannah’s rapist, whose charges were dismissed after lies, influence, and victim-blaming.
- Phil GrahamGarrett’s father, described as a violent abuser who beat Garrett and his mother.
- Hannah’s fatherWorked to support the family and once attacked a man who publicly insulted Hannah.
- Hannah’s motherUrged Hannah to report the rape and continues living with the family’s financial fallout.