𝐏𝐄𝐑𝐕𝐄𝐑𝐓

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟏𝟎: 𝐅𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐘𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐬 𝐋𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫 [𝐅𝐈𝐍𝐀𝐋𝐄]

It's already been 5 whole years since the incident. 

5 years of pain. 

5 years of trauma. 

And most of all 5 years into that pervert's jail time. 

I'm not going to say it was an easy 5 years but I was able to manage. I am now 21 years old. I'm no longer that helpless teenage girl I was 5 years ago. I'm now a strong and independent woman. I finally have a normal life. 

I'm going to graduate college within a year. I decided that I wanted to be a kindergarten teacher as I love working with kids. Especially younger ones. 

It's just something about them. 

Maybe their purity and innocence?

 It feels nice to be around that level of innocence when yours had been ripped away from you.

"Babe I'm home." a man's voice echoed throughout the room.

It's my husband's voice. 

Yes, I'm married. I know it's weird to be married so young but I realized that life is too short to not be happy. 

And my husband is my happiness. 

His name is Daniel Steveson. We met three months after the incident. I was on my way home from my therapy session when we first laid eyes on each other. 

That moment was magical. It felt like time had stopped. I could feel butterflies in my stomach. 

I had always been scared of men after that incident but after seeing his soft blue eyes and chocolate brown hair flowing through the wind all my thoughts of fear had just vanished. 

That day he had ended up asking me if I wanted to be friends to which I gladly accepted. That's one of the things I liked about him. He didn't go straight to asking me out. He wanted to build a bond between us first. That just made me fall for him more. 

We remained friends for almost a whole year. By then Daniel already knew what I had been through. I thought that he would be disgusted and leave me but he did the exact opposite. He stayed by my side as my friend and supported me. 

We became best friends quickly but right before my 17th birthday, Daniel took it an extra step further and asked me out. 

I was so excited. 

After the incident, I thought that I would be alone forever. 

Daniel helped me through my therapy sessions and over time I started to feel better. Fast forward 3 years later we were engaged. Danel ended up proposing on our 3-year anniversary. It was an incredible and unforgettable moment for us.

I'm so grateful that I met him. This man changed my whole world. Just when I wanted to give up I was blessed by him. 

Although I will never heal from the scars that Jason had given me, I have learned one thing. 

My life is much more important than that jerk. 

I am so much more important. 

I have a reason to continue living. Whether that be my husband, my mom, my late father, or myself. 

I am so much more stronger than Jason will ever be. 

Behind that disgusting man is a survivor. And I am that survivor. 

I survived Jason Crawford's torture. 

 I survived the game that man had played since he first saw me. 

I did it. 

I beat him. 

I beat the pervert.