"Pretty Girl"

21 - goodbye

⚠️TW⚠️ descriptions of physical abuse and sexual assault

Malorie's POV:

-5 months later-

Hearing Baylie's testimony against her "father" is making everyone in this court room sob.

Everyone being the whole fucking city we live in. Teachers who love her. Classmates who let her borrow a pencil. The guy at the 7/11 register.

Daddy and Mom and Lexi and Declan and Leo and Levi and Kelly and our friend group and cousins and aunts and uncles, they're all here.

All these people coming to support Baylie and her family. We're sobbing.

"Baylie, did Donald ever touch your quote on quote, "no no," parts?" Her lawyer asks. She looks up at me.

"Yes." Lexi gasps. I tighten my grip on Leo's hand to prevent myself from sobbing harder than I already am.

"Can you describe one of those situations? Take your time." She looks down as if she's trying to unbury the horror she tried so hard to get rid of.

I look down at my touch bracelet we got last month and tap it twice for the signal we made that means "I'm here."

She looks down at it, then at me, and then to her lawyer.

"He would come into my room and asked if I "wet myself." He would put me in diapers and purposely make me drink a bunch of water, so I had no other choice but to go."

"And he would come in and take it off and pretty much.. treat me like a baby. He'd say things like "your no no parts are mine."' She blows out a shaky breath and looks up at me again.

"How did you feel when that would happen to you, Baylie?"

"Humiliated. Disgusting. I was six and I knew I didn't have to be changed."

"What's the thing that lit up on your wrist, Baylie?"

"Objection. Relevance, your honor," Donald's lawyer says.

"I'm planning to take it somewhere, your honor."

"We'll see where it goes. Overruled, continue."

"It's.. a touch bracelet. It lights up with different colors depending on how many times you tap it."

"Who got it for you?"

"My girlfriend."

"Is she here?" She nods.
"What's green mean?"

"I'm here."

"How long have you and her been dating?"

"8 months."

"Do you love her?" She nods.

"I do."

"Have you ever engaged in any sexual act with your girlfriend, Baylie?"

"Yes."

"Have you ever gotten a flashback of any kind during?"

"Yes."

"Can you describe one of them to me?"

"I.. was pinned down by him. He was trying to make me eat a food I didn't like. He was choking me really hard."

"Did you tell your girlfriend?" She nods.

"What did she do."

"She pulled me into her arms and she held me until it was over. And then we went to get ice cream."

"Do you get flashbacks often?"

"Depends on the month."

"Do you get them often during sex?" She nods.