Pepper never meant to lose her best friend. Lucas never meant to fall in love.
Yet the aftermath of broken hearts leads them to blur the lines of their friendship forever. When Pepper is dumped by her boyfriend and Lucas is led on by his crush, they...
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I NEVER THOUGHT I'D BE THE TYPE OF PERSON who'd need therapy. I always thought it was for sick people or those under extreme stress or life changes. Changes like divorce, the death of a loved one, depression, mental illnesses or eating disorders. I guess there's a category for people like me too.
A victim of...sexual abuse.
It's been two weeks since I cut Lucas out of my life, and it's still hard to accept what happened between us. Sometimes I wonder if I was too harsh with him. I know he took advantage of me...but does that make him an evil person? He hurt me, but he didn't intend to. Should I be giving him another chance?
My father always preaches about forgiveness while my mother tells me we all heal differently.
Though as of late, my dad's been singing an entirely different tune. Ever since I told my parents about what happened to me, he's been thirsting for Lucas' severed head. Demanding that I send him to jail and threatening to kill him on multiple occasions.
In fact, Mom and I had to stop him from going to Lucas' house in the middle of the night after I had told them. Though her composure doesn't hide her silent rage. She also wants Lucas to be punished.
It was the most difficult thing I ever had to admit to my parents. Telling them that their one and only daughter went through something so...disgusting. If it weren't for Man-soo and Amber gently pushing me to open up to them, I would have taken the events to my grave. I don't plan on ever letting anyone else know. It's traumatizing to remember, embarrassing to speak about, and as weird as it sounds, I don't want any harm to come to Lucas. My parents aren't fond of my insistence to let him be. Though I have argued that we've severed our bond, and in four months, we'll go our separate ways forever. That's more than enough for me.
Then after an extensive worry for my mental health, they insisted that I go to therapy. That's where we sit. In the office of Dr. Ambrose, a man who appears to have gotten his degree yesterday. In fact, he's yet to make his office feel like home with nothing but a certificate and a few family pictures hanging across the beige walls. His face is young and optimistic. Nothing spectacular. Just an average white guy with coffee-colored eyes, chestnut hair, and sort of pale skin. In a way, he kind of reminds me of a typical love interest in a musical. Though I'm sure that's something I should keep to myself for now.
"Good morning, Pepper." He smiles at me before nodding to my parents residing on his brown leather sofa on either side of me. "Mr. and Mrs. Young. I've been given a little bit of background beforehand about your situation, but I'd like to know why you think you're here today." The faintest New Yorker accent traces his words. The kind I only hear from people from Long Island...or maybe Brooklyn.
This. He had to start me out with the hardest question. The most challenging memory. I've only just accepted what happened between us, and I'm being forced to say it again and again. I had no choice with Amber. Telling Man-soo nearly broke me. Talking to Lucas shattered the last of my resolve. Admitting it to my parents required ungodly strength. Be strong. You've got this. It's all a part of healing. That's what Amber believes.
