The Lost and Found

1

Age 7.

" I want to be Sharpay." Erin's cousin Jeremiah said who was very feminine at the age of 8, but if anyone was to ever ask about the way he acted she was quick to say something and defend him.

Erin was never one to hold her tongue, not even for her mother, which often got her a slap in the face which still did nothing to stop her from saying what was on her mind.

"Well I want to be Gabriella anyways."

Erin and all of her younger relatives were in her older cousins Josh's room staying out of 'grown folks business' watching High School Musical. Meanwhile the adults were in the living room, dining room and the back yard, playing cards and gossiping about everything under the sun including each other. It was the Fourth of July and the house was packed but it always was. Erin's grandmother Helen was too nice in Erin's opinion and welcomed anyone who was in need into her home including Erin and her mother Karen.

"I'm tired of watching this let's do something else." said Erin's cousin Joe.

Without replying Erin pushed Joe onto the floor and started jumping around on the bed, Erin was always play fighting which always ended up with her making at least one of them if not all cry, Erin was a tomboy and loved the fact that she could make the boys cry it made her feel like she  was stronger than her cousins and not like a little girl who couldn't keep up.

While they were playing on the bed one of aunt Mary's 'friends' Walter came and sat in the chairs in the room just watching them. Erin never really like Walter because he was always looked dirty like he'd been playing in dirt and smelled like beer.

Erin had Jay, another one of her cousins, in a chokehold when she noticed Walter smiling at her, another thing that made her dislike Walter so much is that he was missing a few front teeth and always like to pull out his false ones and show them to her like they were some sort of prize.

Erin continued to play until they were called into the dining room for dinner.

"Come on over here for a lil bit Erin I wanna show you something before I leave." Walter told her as if what he was about to tell her was the best thing in the world.

Erin stood a few feet away from Walter curious as to what was so important that she was standing here about to miss dinner.

"What is it?" She said getting impatient

"Come sit next to me"

She plopped down on the couch not expecting to be touched in the place where her mommy told her that no one was suppose to touch her

"Why are you touching me right there" her lips trembled with slow tears falling down her face she felt like she was going to get in trouble for letting this happen to her.

"When I touch you right here it makes me feel good." He placed her hand on top of his pants. This wasn't something that made Erin feel good at all she was slightly shaking afraid of what he might do if she pulled away.

She didn't know what to do she felt wrong, she knew this wasn't suppose to happen and she knew it was her fault for not calling out for help, for not telling her mommy.

One of her aunts knocked on the door to see where Walter was. Walter put a finger to his lips instructing her to be quiet.

"Don't tell anybody.. okay?"

As soon as he said that Erin ran to the door and past her aunt Mary.

She ran and isolated her self from everyone around her, not knowing that what had just happened would change her life and damage her trust in those she loved most.