Poetic Polaroids ✓ h.s [Book 2]

#6

Wattpad be changing all the time smh and yes, shocker, I'm an android user

What did you think of the previous chapter?

Yes, I decided to take a leap to show Anna's life as a rape survivor, that she's now better instead of going through everyday where she's suffering. Well also bc I need the story to go on so the plot will develop with the drama I have in store for you guys.

• Chapter 6 •

A year. Three hundred and sixty-five days. It's been a year since my incident with Cole and Matt. Even though they're in prison, under the strict rules of London, I still feel their presence around me. In that entire year, I worked on getting better, I worked on allowing Harry to be near me - mostly worked on allowing myself to allow him. With the help of my therapist, I survived the turmoil and trauma I was put through. Now, a year later, I can confidently say that I survived the most toughest and excruciatingly painful time of my life. Being put through all of that made me realize just what other rape survivor's feel, what they think of, how they react and why they reach in a certain way.

I've managed to push the thoughts of Cole and Matt aside but once in a while, there's just something that triggers a memory but I've chosen to not let it influence my mind and body anymore. Monthly, I make a donation to the sexual abuse organizations, not to make me feel good about myself or to feed into my generosity but because I find this as the only way in which I can help others like me so that they can get the proper treatment. With my new job as the head of photography, I became my independent self again, much to Harry's dismay. Moving out of London was the best choice the both of us made, we left the toxicity behind and started a new life in LA, where Harry was closer to his sister.

So far, the last six months have been great being back in the states. Harry and Gemma opened up a new branch of their gallery and everything has been smooth sailing ever since. However, Harry does fly back to London, occasionally, to check up on the London gallery. The job interview I had previously was for an American branch anyway and even though it required me to move back to the states, Harry consented because I knew he wanted to leave London behind as well. I left Manhattan to escape the toxicity and I resided in London only to escape the toxicity from London, eight years later. My sister on the other hand, is still in London, she chose to complete her degree before moving back to Manhattan.

Storm is in London too, next to my Abuelita. In April last year, he met with an accident, he had snuck out the gates as Harry drove in and the beagle didn't notice the oncoming truck neither did the driver see him. Before Harry could grab him off the streets, it was too late. Noah was the most heartbroken out of all of us because in a matter of months he had grown so attached to Storm that the beagle slept in Noah's bed at night, instead of the stuffed rabbit. Noah, that little bundle of joy had become my everything in the last year, being called "Mummy" by him was the best thing to ever happen to me. He doesn't know it but he had a big hand in me wanting to get better.

Then I think of Harry, he had been so gentle and kind in the last year that I don't even know how to repay him for all that he's done for me. Given that I've allowed him to be near me without flinching in response, I haven't allowed myself to give into the temptation that Harry brings with himself. I appreciate the fact that Harry bore my refusal to anything sexual, neither did he force me nor did he try to touch me in that manner. I don't deserve him. I chuckled to myself hearing a cry breakthrough the house, I got off my chair in the dining room where I had been working on finalizing a few pictures that were selected from a photoshoot I did and headed into the guestroom downstairs.

"I'm coming, I'm here" I cooed at the wailing baby and picked her up from her crib. "I've got you, it's okay" I continued and held the infant close to my chest as I rocked her in my arms. Her beady brown eyes stared up at me and I placed a kiss to her forehead, I smiled as she rubbed her nose with her hand before digging her face into the crook of my neck. "Hey, I heard Rose cry" Gemma walked in, her hair had been a mess stop her head and she wore one of Shawn's hoodies. "It's okay, I've got her, you can go back to sleep" I assured her and Gemma yawned "She had a feed an hour ago, so it must be her diaper" Gemma sleepily spoke before crawling over to the bed in the room and curling up on it.

I let out a laugh and walked to the changing table, realising she was right, Rose did need a diaper change. "I can't wait for Shawn to come back home, I miss him so much" Gemma spoke I could hear the tears in her voice and once I was done changing Rose's diaper, I sat next to her on the bed "He will, he only had a few shows left, right?" She nodded and I lulled Rose back to sleep "I just need him here so she and I can both have a good sleep, when he's not around Rose doesn't sleep a wink. She's always crying and I know she misses him but I can't do anything about it" Gemma went on and I used my free hand to rub her back, comfortingly. "Did you call him today?" She shook her head "He's asleep now, different timezones" I nodded in agreement.

I looked down at the 5 month old in my arms and began imagining what my own would look like. Rose is a perfect combination of Shawn and Gemma, she has Shawn's honey brown eyes and his hair while she has Gemma's dimples and nose. Her cheeks are adorable and chubby, judging by the length of her body, I can tell she's going to be one tall girl. "Shawn!" Gemma's phone rang from the living room and she jumped off the bed and bolted out the room, I could hear her sniffling as she spoke on the phone, being able to speak to her fiancé after two days. Due to the stress of handling the wedding, Gemma's condition became critical as the exertion created a complication for the baby. So, Shawn decided to postpone the wedding to this year, giving them time to bring in their newborn, stress-free.

Pretty obvious as to who Rose was, right?