Her Silent Pain

Chapter 6: An old acquaintance

I always fought back, and my dad found out one day. I hadn't seen Henry since then. But seeing his face now, I knew that was about to change.

What made things worse was that Henry was checking me out openly, his eyes lingering on my body. I felt a wave of disgust and fury wash over me. I refuse to let him or anyone take away my body without my consent.

I feel a shiver running down my spine and I feel disgusted. All those memories come back and I remember after every time he touched me I will shower with hot water trying to get his germs and touch off me burning myself in the process.

Overwhelmed with emotions. Rage and sadness mixed together, churning inside me like a violent storm. I wanted to scream, to lash out, to make sense of the chaos inside me. But don't even know who I should lash out at my so-called father, Henry, or even myself.

But then, something shifted.

As I stand here on the stairs, staring at both of them. A strange sense of clarity washed over me. I realized that there was nothing inherently wrong with me - I wasn't the problem. It was my dad who was messed up.

For years, I had blamed myself for the pain and turmoil in my life. I had internalized the hurt, believing that I somehow deserved it. But now, as I stand there, something shifted. It was like I had found the missing puzzle piece, and suddenly everything clicked into place.

I smiled to myself, a small but significant victory. It was like a weight had been lifted off my shoulders. The anger and sadness were still there, but I know all this is not my fault.

"Hello, Father and Henry" looking at both of them with a cold voice. I'm even shocked at how I sound. I lead them to the table and plate the plates for them I grab some cold beers from the fridge.

As I sat down at the table, I spooned a small serving of everything onto my plate and began to eat.

My dad watched me with thinly veiled disgust, his expression a clear indication of his disapproval. I knew that he was only concerned with how his friends perceived him as a father, so he tried to act like the best dad ever when they were around.

"Is that all you're going to eat?" he asked, his tone laced with contempt.

"I'm not that hungry," I replied, my voice barely above a whisper. I poked at my baked potato with my fork, trying to avoid eye contact with my father.

After finishing my meal, I cleared the table and did the dishes, while my dad and Henry sat on the couch drinking and watching TV.

Heading upstairs to my room. I knew that I couldn't lock my door, so I pushed a chair against it to create a makeshift barrier.

Sitting on my bed, I couldn't help but feel a sense of isolation and loneliness. It was like I was trapped in my own home, unable to escape the toxic environment that my dad had created.

I longed for a way out, a chance to escape the constant judgment and criticism that had become a part of my daily life.

As I lay in bed, I made a vow to myself - I would do everything in my power to create a better life for myself, to break free from this house since it doesn't hold any good memories.

With the money I will get after working, I felt a sense of possibility and hope that I hadn't experienced before. I knew exactly what I wanted to do with it - go to college and find a good job. I was determined to make something of myself, to create a future that I could be proud of.

As I thought about my future, my mind wandered to the possibility of finding love and starting a family. It was a distant dream, but one that I held onto with quiet optimism. I imagined a future where I had a partner who loved and supported me, and little kids running around the house, giggling and playing.