At a very young age, my uncle would constantly touch me. I either 6 or under because I didn’t go to school yet. I believe I remember this because of trauma, I know this is real because it happened to my sister too, however, the way he touched me was worse— I was younger and more easy to manipulate. He would stick his finger in me, even AROUND my parents— he’d hide this by giving me a piggy back ride. I was clueless. My parents would drop me and my brother off at his house to baby sit us along with his niece. I broke her toy phone and my uncle called me into his room, I was scared I was going to get in trouble. Instead, he laid me down, lifting up my pink floral dress, and rubbed the tip of his p*nis in between the slits. My parents found out eventually—when he tried to do that again in OUR house when they were PRESENT! They told our other aunts and uncles but they didn’t believe them. So they didn’t report him, they didn’t do anything but forbid him to see me of any of my siblings. I still see him till this day. They don’t think I remember but I do, I do remember, and it sucks. My parents and sister know he’s touched me, but they don’t know he’s touched TOUCHED me—if that makes sense. I hate myself that I can’t even tell my family this, but there would be no point…they’ll allow him around me anyway. I am now 18 and one of my distant cousins told my aunts and uncles he’s trying to touch her, they believed her… I was a child yet, they didn’t believe my parents… now he’s not allowed to any gatherings. I still can’t tell anyone in fear I’ll burst into tears…

unfortunately i am in love with one of my friends. i met this person last october, which means we have known each other for about 5-6 months. in that span of time, i found myself literally falling in love. i don't know why. i feel the need to just be around him or something like that. and he's my friend, we go to the same school and we're in the same friend group; it's inevitable we see each other and talk to each other every day. we do call each other outside of school, but never alone with just each other. there will be times where we are the only ones in a call and we would be waiting for other people to get on and join. in the time that we wait, sometimes there are long intervals of silence. it's not awkward, i don't think. he might be playing a game, and i'll be on a game myself or listening to music. it's nice silence, i know they're there, and he knows i'm there. i want to think that's how it is. we both know we are there. this person has made me question myself so damn much. my emotions and feelings. it's confusing and frustrating. he makes my stomach and head feel fuzzy when i see them or think about them. it's so foreign, despite being a few relationships prior to this situation. he makes me feel literal butterflies. there was one night where he kept me up til midnight talking about his problems in life. (i was okay with hearing about it.) that included his relationships. he ended up talking about this girl he really liked and she also went to our school. apparently they used to like each other and i found what he described their relationship to be very sweet and wholesome. he wrote a song about her! when he told me that it didn't make me upset. but when he told me about how she ended up breaking his heart, recently too, that made me quite upset. the girl ended up ghosting him basically and the next time he saw her she was holding hands with some guy. he was mad and sad, that's what he told me. a part of me just wanted to comfort him and tell him whatever i thought would fit the conversation, even though im not really good at giving advice. another part of me felt selfish, and i ACTUALLY thought "i would never do that." as of now, i'm still unable to find a word that describes exactly what i feel; admiration? love? i don't know. and to be honest, i'm scared to know. if everything does work out and we end up... dating, i want to be better for him. it's odd to say that. it feels weird saying something so... i don't know. he makes me feel so many things i can't describe. it makes my head fuzzy. i've only told one other person about this and they told me to just find out more and get closer to him. but the thing is, i'm too scared to. in too scared of confrontation and face-to-face serious conversations related to this. he might want to not talk to me anymore. help.

• July 21, 2023