American Girl

Vermont

Bryce Marek loved to ski. When her boyfriend, Matthew Whiting, asked her to go away for the weekend, she suggested the Killington Resort in Vermont. She had many fond memories of skiing there with her father during her childhood. In fact, she held those winter weekends dear to her heart.

After her parents divorced, Bryce rarely saw her father. He quickly moved in with Crystal Murphy following the separation, and her mother remarried. She continued to live with her mother, although Greg Janson gave her the creeps. Greg smiled too much and habitually touched her when he spoke to her.

Mother wouldn't listen to her when she complained. Wrapped up in her new life, mother rarely paid attention to Bryce. She couldn't understand her mother at all. Smart and sophisticated, she was a junior partner at a Boston law firm. Greg, on the other hand, rarely worked. Instead, he lounged around the house in his underpants, drinking beer. Bryce found him repulsive.

Over the years, Greg's touching became more exploratory. Bryce dreaded coming home from school in the afternoon. Not only did her stepfather's undressed appearance concern her, but his hands roamed over personal parts of her body. She wanted to live with her father, but her mother stood in the way. She knew how to manipulate the system and constantly thwarted her father's attempts at custody.

The skiing weekends in Vermont provided some relief for Bryce. She liked Crystal, who always smiled and welcomed her to her father's new family. At times, she longed to talk to her stepmother about Greg's behavior. However, when she tried, she became shy and tongue-tied.

As soon as Bryce graduated from high school, she took summer courses at Bentley University. Packing up her belongings, she moved out of her mother's house and away from Greg "The Octopus" Janson. Her mother protested vehemently, but Bryce stood her ground.

Bryce found freedom at the university, where she also met Matthew Whiting. Matt shared many of her courses, and soon, they began studying together. Before long, they became a couple. Bryce loved Matt, but she flinched whenever he touched her. She willed herself to accept his affection but couldn't stop flinching.

"Is there something wrong?" Matt asked, reaching out to touch her hand.

The couple sat side by side in the library. Several books lay open on the table in front of them. Matt reached out to touch Bryce's hand; Bryce withdrew hers quickly. Instead of responding, she stared at the middle distance.

Matt sighed, his firm shoulders collapsing. Bryce turned sorrowful fawn's eyes toward him. She couldn't talk to Crystal about Greg. How could she tell Matt what troubled her?

"All right," Matthew conceded, returning to his studies. Silence prevailed between the couple.

Bryce gnawed on her bottom lip. She longed to please Matt, but she couldn't. Before she left home, something terrible happened to her. The Octopus gave her a special graduation present—one she would never forget...or forgive. Tears formed in her eyes; she fought to hold them back.

"I want to go back to the dorm," she suddenly stated. Snapping the books closed, Bryce gathered them and returned them to their shelves. Her back became rigid when Matt put his hands on her shoulders.

"I'm here for you if you want to talk about it," he whispered, his voice soft and low.

"There's nothing to talk about," Bryce answered, slamming the books in place.

"You can get counseling if you'd like," Matt calmly suggested.

"Who says I need counseling?" she fired back. Without waiting for an answer, she marched from the library.