Her Sisters Keeper

7

"Just so no one is confused, this chapter begins with the continuation of the flashback from the last chapter.

Don't forget to comment and vote y'all. That's gonna help keep the chapters coming.

Any questions, just ask away🙂"

~••••••~

Hearing a knock on her door, Mackenzie got up and answered it. Seeing August standing there, she didn't say anything but allowed him to enter her apartment.

It's been three days since her outburst at the beach and it was on his mind a lot. So much that it was affecting his work.

"What's up?" She finally spoke.

"You tell me? I've been calling you but you've been ignoring me."

"I've been studying. I have finals next week."

"Okay. So you couldn't have just told me that?"

"What do you want August?"

"I want to know why have you been avoiding me? Why you blew up on me like that at the beach? What's up?"

"I'm not avoiding you. Like I said, I've been busy."

"That's bullshit Mack." He stared at her. "I don't understand you sometimes. One minute we're good then the next, you just get so distant. Is it something I'm doing?"

"No."

"Then what is it? I don't keep anything from you so why you keep being so closed off. It's been two years we've known each other."

"I was abused as a child okay?" She yelled at him. "My stepfather used to physically and emotionally abuse me and even though we are friends, I can't bring myself to letting you in because I don't trust any man at all."

Hearing all that she said, August was still stuck on her admitting to being abused.

"Why didn't you tell me?" He approached her.

"Why? For you to think I'm damaged goods?"

"Mackenzie I would have never thought that about you."

"Oh really?"

Removing her top and track pants, she stood in front of him in her bra and underwear, revealing all the remaining visible scars. Though she felt exposed, she just stood there.

"This is why I don't wear revealing clothes. This right here." She pointed at the left side of her belly. "He poured hot water on me because he tripped over my bag in the Hall way and busted his lip. These." She extended her arms for him to see. "These are from when he burnt me with the cigarettes he smoked all because I would cough from the second hand smoke."

Standing there in complete shock, August had never experienced anything like this.

"And this." She turned and showed him the scar on her back. "He stabbed me all because he claimed I was being disrespectful and those are just what still remained. They don't account for the sprained wrists and bruised ribs I've had or the nights I was sent to bed hungry as punishment. This is what I had to live with after watching my father walk out on us and to this day, I still don't know why." She began to cry.

Hugging here instinctively, he allowed her to cry and let it all out.

"I'm sorry I can't trust you how I want too."