𝘈𝘭𝘭𝘶𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 {To be edited}

❥𝗔𝗽𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝗶𝗲𝘀

❥𝗔𝗽𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝗶𝗲𝘀

"Would you mind if we talked about Ricardo?" Veronica's voice is serious but also gentle.

Flattening my hands on pants, "Sure." I tell her as I rub my hands up and down my thighs.

"How did Ricardo come into your life?" Her comforting voice makes me relax a little bit.

"Well, he has always been in my life because he's business partners with my dad and Victor," I move my hair off of my shoulders. "He would visit Lucero and I sometimes, but we were never alone with him my mom made sure of that," I continue and feel my eyes water at the memory of my mom always protecting us.

Veronica looks at me and gently nods her head signaling me to continue. "When my mom died, my dad was hardly ever at home and Lucero was busy with school along with sports. So, I needed someone to watch over me," I take a deep breath and look around the light brown colored office.

"Apparently, Ricardo has always wanted a daughter and offered to watch over me. My dad gladly accepted and so Ricardo would pick me up from school and take me back to his house," I begin to fidget with my hands. "I-I know it's not my dad's fault...I know-"

"But, you have some resentment towards him because if he was there like a father should be there then none of that would have happened," Veronica cuts me off and says the exact words I was thinking.

I hesitantly nod and play with the fabric of my pants. "What happened when Ricardo took care of you?" She grabs the box of tissues and hands it over to me.

"At first, nothing..nothing happened. Then there were days were he was extremely affectionate with me," I whisper the last part ashamed of what happened to me. "He would make me sit on his lap while I ate and when I did homework, u-until one day that w-wasn't enough for him." I stumble upon my words.

"One day after I finished my homework, he took me to his room and told me since I was ten..I was considered a big girl," I sniffle and look away feeling the tears forming in my eyes. "He said we were going to play a game when in reality..he t-touched- I'm sorry," my voice cracks and I reach for a tissue bringing under my eyes.

Veronica leans forward and shakes her head. "Don't be sorry, Amara. Take your time," She whispers and nod, blowing my nose into the tissue.

"I-It only happened twice. I didn't tell anyone because he threatened to fire my dad and make sure to put us on the streets." I blow a puff of air and tuck a strand of my hair behind my ear.

"What happened after the second time?" She asks.

"I told dad that I was old enough to take care of myself. It didn't take much convincing which I found weird, but at least I got away," I half smile.

"When did you tell your sister?" She begins to write down on her notepad.

"I-uh, I told Lucero what happened to me when I was nineteen and it was already late to report a crime that happened nine years ago," I say.