Ugly Duckling

Nora wrote her cell phone number on a piece of toilet paper and gave it to me.

"Call if you ever wanna talk, alright?"

I nodded and watched as she disappeared into the safety of Jesse's bedroom.

After promising not to tell a soul about her secret if she kept quiet about mine, we spent a few minutes talking.

She said she did her "destruction" the day after her uncle raped her.

I cried, then told her the story of my father doing the same thing to me for eight years of my life.

She gave me a hug and some words of sympathy and remorse before scribbling her number on the toilet paper with eye liner.

I left the bathroom smiling.