Im sitting there, in Ms. Becky's arms for a while, just crying. Kyle is standing by the door looking in, worried about what just happend. I'm worried about what just happend. What am I trying to do? What am I trying to prove? Ms. Becky lifts me up to my feet, and wraps the towel around me so i can step out the tub. "Let's get you dried off dear, and get clothes on your body." She leads me to her bed room and grabs a shirt, and shorts out her drawer and places then on the bed by my side. I quickly dry off and change into the shirt and shorts. They were a little big, but nothing I can't handle. Ms. Becky then sits on her bed and signals me to come sit accross from her. I walk towards the corner of the bed and sit down. She throws me a pillow to hold in my hands, to grasp and hug as I please. "You know you can talk to me." She tells me softly as the tears in my eyes dry. "I know." I whisper back, not knowing what to say. "I was you once Laura." She tells me while grabbing the box of kleenex on the night stand. I don't say anything, I couldnt say anything, i had nothing to say. I just looked her in the eyes and our tears met. "I was about 10 when my dad brought a friend home to stay with us. His name was David, and him and my dad have been friends since high school." She paused to take a breath and whipe her eyes. I can see her body trembling and face flinching at the thought of what she was about to say. "We thought we could trust him. He was a good man. He went to church every Sunday, and was nice to everyone, and for some strange reason, he gave me more attention than anyone else in the house. I never thought anything of it. He would give me piggy back rides, and play games with me. He just seemed like a big kid and a new friend. I never thought of anything more than that so young. Untill one day, my parents asked him to babysit me while they went to the store. They were gone for about 15 minutes, and I was just laying down on the sofa watching T.V. He came in and sit by me. 'Whatcha you doing?' he asked me. 'You wanna play a new game?' he asked after I responded. I didn't want to play a game though. He told me it was a fairy tale game; about what happens after a prince and princess live happily ever after. He started touching me in places I didn't want to be touched. I begged him to stop, but he wouldn't! He would never stop! Then, he took my clothes off, followed by his. I knew something wasn't right so I tryed running for the door. When I got up to run, he pushed me down and put his hands over my mouth. 'Your not gunna be a poor loser are you?' He whispered in my ears. I started crying and screaming, but I was powerless and worthless. After he was done the 'game' as he called it, he put my clothes back on and told me not to say a word, because only special girls can play that game. I nodded my head and ran to my room, locked my door, and cryed my eyes out. I knew what had just happened but did not want to believe it. I didn't know what to do. I never told my parents because I was to scared that I did something wrong. About a week later, while I was sleeping, he walked in my room. Without saying anything he came into my bed and started undressing me like the week before. I started screaming, and then he put is hand over my mouth to shut me up. Before I knew, my parents rushed in my room to fine this man on top of me. My mom went call the police and my dad dragged him off of me. I don't remeber much after that, but I do know that the cops arrived soon after to take David away. All I remeber was feeling dirty, and useless, and scared. Like it was my fault or something. After, I started seeing him in my thoughts, my nightmares, and i would hear his voice as I would sleep at night." Ms. Becky takes a deep breath and closes her eyes to stop the tears from falling. I'm looking at her, crying once more. I can feel the pain she was feeling, and there was that internal connection I couldn't quite figure out. "I know your going through a hard time right now, but giving up your life because of someone's stupidty isn't the way to go. It may be hard, but you will get through this harsh time. It's not something you can get over, but it's something that you can walk a way from a stronger person. Don't let Matt take control of your life. You are so much more than that." Ms. Becky moves over to me and puts her arms tightly around me. We just sit on the corner of the bed and cry for what seemed like an hour. No other words were said, just the feeling of being with someone that knew what I was going through was enough. The words she told me were ringing through my ears and it was food for thought that I can acually get through this. Ms. Becky looks at me, wipes her tears, and smiles. "Please promise me that if you ever feel like your life isn't worth living, that you'll call me or something. I can't let you let Matt take over your life, and I know that you don't want him to do that." I look at her and nod my head. She then throws me a tissue, and I wipe the tears from my eyes. "Let's go get cleaned up and grab a bite to eat." She says while opening the door of her bedroom. We head back to the bathroom to splash water on our face. Then to the kitchen to raid the fridge for food. I grab the orange juice and pour me a cup, while Ms. Becky decides to make two bowls of cereal. Kyle is in the living room watchin TV and I can see him at the corner of his eyes looking my way. I try not to make things awkward by looking back at him. I just walk towards the table and sit down by my cereal bowl. "Ms. Becky, how long can I stay with yall for?" I ask her hoping i can stay longer. "As long as you want, If your parents don't mind." "I don't think it will be a problem, but do you think I can go to my house today and see if my mom is home?" I ask her anxious to stay with them for a while. "Sure, maybe Kyle can bring you later. Kyle, would you mind bringing Laura over to her house?" She turns and asks Kyle as she grabs the remote from his hands and puts the news on. "No problem at all. Whenever you are ready, we can head out there." Kyle tells me and touches my sholder passing by, heading towards his room. After I finish my cereal, Kyle and I head outside to his car. I get in and wait for him to start the car and pull out the driveway. "Would you mind dropping me off by my house, and I call you when I'm ready to go? I think I will visit my best friend as well as getting my clothes." I say to him hoping he'll agree with the plan. "Well, I don't mind. Will you be okay?" "Yeah, I'll be fine. I promise. Just ride around I guess and I'll call you as soon as I'm done." I tell him, it being the last words I say in the car. I finally reach my house, well, my trailer, and I jump out the car eager to get inside and then back out. Kyle pulls out the drive way and my heart starts beating faster while thinking about the last time I was here. I look around panicky, and make my way up the steps and then inside. The house is in a mess. I look for my mom or Jeff somewheres around the trash, and I spot my mom layed back on the sofa looking up at the ceiling smoking a ciggarette. She doesn't bother turning around to see whos in the house. She just stays wheres shes at and doesn't move. "Heyy mom." I say quietly while making my way towards the couch. "Where you been Laura?" She asks me, still zoned out looking up at the ceiling. Her words are slow and quiet, like a whisper in the city, small and faint. "I decided to stay at a friend's house. I... I didn't think you would mind." I said to her hoping she doesn't care like she always does. My words are stuttered and I'm trembling with fear. I'm not sure what I'm scared of considering this is what I've always known. She doesn't respond. "Where's Jeff?" I finally break the silence. "He's not around anymore. He left when you did." She takes one last drag on her ciggarette and puts it out on the carpet carelessly. "Oh." I say, not sure if I should say anything more. The phone then rings, breaking the silence, and I walk over to answer it. "Don't answer it!" My mom snaps out of her trans and says to me. I quickly put my hands down and walk away from the phone. She then gets off the couch, and walks over to the phone. At about the fifth ring, she picks the phone up, and quietly says hello. Cursing and yelling fills the quiet room and I could have swore it was Jeff on the other line. I roll my eyes and look the other way when I feel her tug on the back of my shirt. I turn slowly and my mom hands me the phone. "It's for you." She tells me while walking away to light another ciggarette. My heart stops, and my face warms up. My breath starts getting harder and harder to catch... "What...?" I say quietly. I put my ear to the phone and manage to get out the words, "Hello...?" "Laura, Hi, Oh my God. How are you?" The man on the other end of the phone says to me. "Um.. I'm good. Who is this?" I say confused, not knowing what to expect. "I'm your dad." The man on the other end says to me.