Page 83 of Raise 'Em Up

Rylee is nodding with every word she says, while eating some cheese and crackers.

Looking over at me, she smiles, and I find myself grinning back.

“So, where would you like to start? If I could be candid…” She pauses and I lean back, creating more space between us.

“From the bags under your eyes, and with how worried your friends seemed, I think you may have a lot that you need to talk to me about, but let's start with something easy.”

I nod and she continues. “Tell me what you like to do for fun.”

“Well, I like to watch anime, play dodgeball, and cheer. We just won a huge cheerleading competition.”

“Oh, that sounds like such fun. Okay, how about your favorite food?”

We continue chatting about mundane things and I start to relax. Robin seems nice, and maybe she won't judge if I open up my closet of shame.

“My grandfather abused me!” I blurt out and Rylee gasps. Closing my eyes, I keep going.

“When my parents died, my grandparents became my guardians. At first, everything was okay. I was really sad and my grandma would cuddle with me and read me bedtime stories. Then she went out of town and left me with him.”

My heart begins to race and my hands are sweating. “In the beginning, he just liked to take pictures of us. He used my parents death as an excuse. Said I reminded him of my dad… I wonder now if he did the same thing to my dad when he was young.”

“Predators usually do have a pattern. If they get away with disgusting behavior, they start to get a God complex, feeling invincible. They believe that no one can touch them, because they haven’t been caught so far,” Robin says, then jots down more notes.

She continues to tell me some exercises I can try at home, for when the demons want to break in and make me feel worthless. I listen and Rylee takes notes on her phone. I don’t know what I would do without her here.

I don’t open up any further today, and she says that’s okay. She wants me to come back, and I think I might.

We end the session with her famous chocolate chip cookies, and I actually do feel a little bit better.

Leaving the office, I wave at the nice lady behind the counter before the door closes.

“Thank you for coming with me,” I mutter to Rylee and she gives me a smile. I can see the worry in her eyes, but there’s no pity. I'm not sure I could handle it if there was.

“I wouldn't be anywhere else,” she says, pulling me into a hug. Resting her head on my chest under my chin, I sigh and hold her tighter.

We stand like that until the Uber arrives, and then with a deep breath, I tell him to take me back to a place I never wanted to see again.

But it's time to finally put these nightmares to rest.

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

“Ican’t believe your mom gave you permission to have the party here!” Donny shouts, pulling me into a hug. He’s already three drinks in, but this is the most normal I have seen him in months.

Postponing our celebration was the right call. He needed to go see that therapist, and I’m glad Rylee was there to hold his hand. She’s always there for us when we need her. We got damn lucky that she gave us another chance.

“Yeah, she said that Dad was out of the country for a few weeks and that the place was ours,” I say as I lean behind him to fist bump Alex.

He's carrying a keg over his shoulder, and Trevor is following him with a cooler full of stuff for the barbecue.

This may be a party, but it's just for our close friends and the rest of the team. It's not some rager that's going to go down in history.

“Here, let me help,” I tell Trev as I grab the other end of the cooler and guide him outside.

Rylee and the girls are rocking bikinis and taking advantage of the pool. I try not to think about the last time I was in that water.

Let's just say, it was the day I left the football team, and my father thought trying to drown me would change my mind.

I move over to the built in outdoor kitchen and flick on the heat, warming it up. Rylee took full advantage of the kitchen with Ren, and made some sides to go with the steaks, burgers, and vegan dogs that Fatima demanded.

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