Building Trust Through Our Issues

Chapter One

"She didn't see anything. I was about to help her with her homework and she left her iPad in her room. While she was gone I opened it to see what she needed help on and that's when I saw your drawings." She told me.

I didn't respond, I just sat there looking at the clock on the wall. It was almost one o'clock in the morning and I knew Armoni needed to get home, she had an appointment with her doctor in the morning. Whatever bullshit she was talking about, I didn't want to hear.

"You should go now." I mumbled. "I'm fine, nothing like that happened to me. I was just drawing random shit."

"Jerome don't do this right now." She said eyeing me. She stood up from the bed and slowly walked over to where I was standing. "How could you keep something like this from me?"

"I didn't keep shit from you. I told you it didn't happen. Now leave it alone." I warned her.

"Jerome." She sighed. "You don't have to lie to me. I'm here to help you."

"I told you that I was just drawing randomly." I yelled at her. Her face contorted into anger before she sucked in a deep breath and closed her eyes.

"You know what Jerome? I can't help you or be there for you if you're constantly lying to me about shit like this. Even after everything I told you about my experience." She sighed. "I asked if you had been sexually abused and you lied to me. Now that there's proof, you're still lying?" She said.

"Nothing happened to me." I stressed.

"Jerome you don't have to hide. Tell me the truth, I can help you baby. I'm here for you." She said grabbing my hand.

"Armoni, nothing happened to me. I'm okay, nobody has ever did shit to me." I huffed. I was getting irritated her, she didn't know how to let shit go.

"Stop lying Jerome, it's okay I'm-." She sighed.

"Leave me the fuck alone!" I yelled in her face, snatching my hand away from her. "I fucking told you that nothing happened to me. Just drop it and leave me the fuck alone about it, shit!" I yelled, mugging her.

"Jerome, stop it!" She yelled, pushing me in my chest. "I was in the same situation, I would never judge you about this. The fact that you kept this from me for almost ten years, after everything I told you about me, it hurts. Now you're lying to me about it. I just want to be there for-"

She stopped talking when I brushed past her and opened the door. I stuck my head out and Rose and the security guard were still standing in the hall.

"She's ready to go now. Thank you." I told them, as I gestured for Armoni to leave. She just stood there, looking at me. "Bye!" I said rudely.

"Jerome do not do this right now. I swear I can help you, I'm not judging you Jerome. I just want to help you get through all this. The same thing happened to me!" She kept saying but I was done listening to this bullshit she was spitting. Why can't she let it go?

"Leave Armoni." I gritted out. When she made no movement to get up, I roughly grabbed Armoni by her arm and led her out to the hall.

"Let go of me, you're hurting me." She yelled, slapping me. I still didn't let her go. The whole time she was giving me a hard unreadable expression. It was a mix of hurt, anger, and disbelief.

"I can't believe you." She yelled before kicking me in my stomach hard as hell as the security guard grabbed her.

"Fuck you!" I spat. "I fuckin' hate you. It's not even that big of a deal. I told you that shit didn't happen and you're still talking about it. Let it go or get the fuck out!" I yelled, frustrated with her and the situation.