"Khrisana, wake up, baby. You have therapy at 9. It's almost 8 now!" Her mother's voice came firm but soft through the bedroom door. Khrisana groaned, rolled over, then sat up slowly. She hadn't slept well. Her stomach was already turning. She got dressed quickly, tied her hoodie tight, grabbed half a slice of toast, and rushed out without saying much. Everything inside her felt heavy, but she was used to that weight now. The therapist's office smelled like a place trying too hard to be calming. Khrisana sat down across from Dr. Riley, legs tucked under her. It  was only her third session, but the silence between them still felt awkward. "So," Dr. Riley said gently. "How was your week?" "Okay, I guess," Khrisana shrugged. "I mean, school's fine. I presented this group project with Amara and Jaylen. That was fun." Dr. Riley nodded, waiting. "I still feel... weird. Around boys," Khrisana muttered. "Sometimes, even if they're nice. I just—I get nervous. Like something bad might happen." "Do you think you understand why?" Khrisana bit her lip. "I don't know. Maybe. I just... don't like to think about it." There was a long pause. "I also" she hesitated, eyes lowering, "I'm not sure if I like girls. Like, that way. I've felt things. But I keep thinking, 'What if it's not real? What if I'm just messed up from... you know. Him.'" Dr. Riley didn't interrupt. "I don't want it to be because of that. I want it to be me. Like... my choice." "You're allowed to explore those feelings," Dr. Riley said kindly. "And it's okay not to have all the answers yet."

Khrisana nodded slowly. "I just want to stop feeling like I'm broken." "You're not broken," her therapist said gently. "You're surviving. You're healing." When Khrisana got home, the house was too quiet. Her mother was in the kitchen. And sitting in the living room was her aunt—the one she didn't want to see today. Her mother's older sister. The one who always had something to say. Khrisana tried to slide past, head down. "where you coming from this early?" her aunt called out, eyes narrowing didn't answer, but her mother stepped in quickly. "She had therapy," she said, a little too sharp. "She had therapy," she said, a little too sharp. Her aunt's face twisted. "Therapy? Again? Lawd have mercy, y'all wasting money on foolishness now?" Her voice rose "Unuh know she lying, right? Daddy would never do what she claiming. Yuh raising her to be soft and full of victim talk. Always blaming other people for her problems." Khrisana froze. Her mother's lips pressed into a thin line. "She's telling the truth. And she's allowed to get help." Her aunt scoffed. "Help for what? Lies? She just don't want to take responsibility for nothing. Everything's a story now." Her mother's lips pressed into a thin line. "She's telling the truth. And she's allowed to get help." Her aunt scoffed. "Help for what? Lies? She just don't want to take responsibility for nothing. Everything's a story now." Khrisana turned quickly and climbed the stairs, heart pounding, face hot. She reached her room, shut the door, locked it, and collapsed on the bed. Tears ran freely now. 

Her mother's lips pressed into a thin line. "She's telling the truth. And she's allowed to get help." Her aunt scoffed. "Help for what? Lies? She just don't want to take responsibility for nothing. Everything's a story now." Khrisana turned quickly and climbed the stairs, heart pounding, face hot. She reached her room, shut the door, locked it, and collapsed on the bed. Tears ran freely now. She was tired. Tired of not being believed. Tired of carrying the pain. Tired of fighting for space to just exist. For once, she wished someone would just hug her and say, "I believe you." But all she had was silence.