[A Wattpad Story] Falling in love is a bittersweet tango for high school friends Lydia Coleman and Jake Somersby.
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Gorgeous swimming champ Jake Somersby wants his best friend, Lydia Coleman, to become his girlfriend. They're meant for each other...
Mood: swipe left and tap the media box above to listen to Best Part by Daniel Caesar and H.E.R.
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Lydia
Eight months later.
Here I was, sitting in our tiny London studio apartment, enjoying my life with Jake. I felt as if the stormy tides subsided and we were finally sailing on a calmer sea.
Jake and I talked about the rape that happened years ago and how the emotional damage affected my self-esteem and trust in men. That, combined with the experience I had with Marc, was a bad mix that distorted my view on relationships.
It was no excuse for how I treated Jake over the years, and he said that I led him on even before the rape happened. He was right, and I was truly sorry for everything I did and said to hurt him.
He accepted my apology and he confessed his deep regret for the pain he caused when he abandoned me for Elsie and Tiara. He said the only way was forward and not backward. Being raised by loving Christian parents, he understood the meaning of unconditional love. He didn't resort to judgment and blame.
Jake was relieved that I was opening up about the damages inside me, and how I was feeling. We were both glad that I signed up to get the help that I needed.
Getting help for dealing with trauma was not just acute. The physical bruises healed, but the emotional wounds were much more complicated. For some, like myself, I needed help with letting go of the pain and to stop destroying myself and others around me.
"Your feelings are important to me, Missy. Your voice also needs to be heard," Jake said.
I attended weekly counseling sessions for a group of rape victims at a local church down the road. Everyone in this group, myself included, faced their personal demons and rebuilt their self-worth. This journey toward greater healing was my solace.
I was getting the help I needed for not just my sake, but I also did this for Jake. Everything I did or said affected him and he deserved the best of me. He had already seen the worst.
Looking back, I literally hauled my life to this city with two suitcases and a backpack. Although it was hard to leave home and the first few months were the toughest, the move was worth it.
A good man like Jake was worth than a career, fame, fortune or anything else.
I worked part-time at a local bookstore, which gave me some pocket money and something to keep my mind busy while Jake was at work.
A daily part of life in London, commuting by train to and from work.
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