sweet tea. -tkam

talk.

-3rd pov-

     Daisy looked up at the man with teary eyes, wide and vunerable. There was no hiding anything now, not in this state, he saw everything he needed to.
   Daisy was the only one who occupied the bathroom, and so without hesitation atticus rushed in, a deep concern in his eyes.

"Daisy Mae, what's going on here??" He asked, crouching down and putting his hand on her shoulder quickly

Her bottom lip only quivered in response as she held back another wave of tears.

"What's wrong, why are you crying in the bathroom daisy?"

She only began to cry in response.

He looked around for a moment, trying to decide what to do with her, as she was clearly in a distraught state of mind.

"Alright" he said, placing one arm under her legs and one on her back as he lifted her up

"Let's first get you out of the bathroom."

He stood up and carried her out of the bathroom, and went out the back door of the establishment. Now, they were behind the restaurant, alone.

Atticus looked around to find a place to set daisy down, and eventually settled on a park bench nearby. He sat her down and crouched down in front of the bench to be able to see her face.

"Miss. Daisy, why don't you tell me what's going on" he said, in an urgent and serious tone, yet a gentle and sincere manner.

She sniffled and hiccuped a bit, wiping her eyes as her breaths recovered from sobbing.

"H-he...hurt my..m-my feelings...a-and I'm scared again...but I don't want to be...scared!" Daisy sobbed the last words and collapsed her head into her hands, relapsing back into sobs.

"Miss daisy please look at me, I must be able to see you if I am to talk to you." He said, pulling her hands away

He was met with her innocent, sad puppy dog eyes, he frowned a bit at the sight. Her mascara ran down her cheeks, and new lipstick was smeared about. She sniffled.

"Now, daisy, why are you scared?"

She looked away with a hiccup

"Are you afraid he might hurt you? Or take advantage of you in any way?"

She still did not answer

He shifted a bit and took her hands down to her lap, she looked at him

"Daisy."

Her eyes darted about his face nervously

"That's a very serious question I need you to answer, you don't have to elaborate."

She nodded

"Is that why you are afraid?"

After a moment, she shook a bit, and nodded, squeezing her eyes shut as tears fell from her face

"God." he muttered under a sigh.

"Okay, daisy, look at me."

She sheepishly looked back at the man

"I need you to tell me what he did."

Her voice shook as she tried to speak.

"He.. well...first he was....bein mean to me...and then he did what he always does..."

"That being?"

"He looks at me...an...touches an grabs me...he makes all kind of...vulgar remarks and advances"