Secret Lives - Preview

The verdict came back not guilty. Infuriated as I was, I stormed the bench where Judge Ramona was seated, my eyes filled with anger. My life flashed before me and my chest rippled with fear as I recounted the day Mr. Brunson had his way. I thought about the lies he told in order to get out of it. My eyes flooded with tears as I recapped the birthday surprise my best friend Michelle had in store for me. How she made me—at the tender age of nine—take my clothes off and get on top of her.

Ironic as it may be, I worshipped Michelle. But to have her perform sexual acts on me disgusted me to the point of not wanting to ever be touched again. Then as I looked deeper into Judge Ramona’s eyes, Keisha appeared savage as a hunter thirsting for flesh. I shook briefly at visions of her making me take my clothes off only to hide my head in shame when her mother caught us in the act. “This can’t be,” I screamed out loud waiting for him to change his verdict. “This ain’t gonna happen,” I said drifting into another world.

I envisioned the wildness in Kenyon’s eye as he not only snapped my back but raped me while I was already in pain. It seemed the reflexes trying to hold my lips together caused me to yell out again. “That idiot did this to me!” I wept longer. He left me helpless lying on that squeaky bed that he got from a rummage sale while he ventured off to his J.O.B. I thought about all who wronged me and now of all things, they were letting a rapist go because he told me he wasn’t interested in sex with me. He took advantage of me and left me dejected on my bed daring me to say a word. Page 2...