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“You took four years of my childhood from me, and I’ve been living in a prison in my mind every damn day of my life since. So, if you don’t want to risk spending the next seventeen years of your life behind bars, you’ll get on a plane and never come back!”
“Time can’t heal when it doesn’t pass by.”
(For all who read this letter, let it be known that I, Caoimhe Young, on the night of April 5th, 2000, witnessed my boyfriend, Mark Allen, raping his eleven-year-old stepbrother, Gerard Gibson, while I was supposed to be babysitting him. Let it also be known that eighteen months before witnessing this rape, Gerard Gibson disclosed to me that he didn’t feel safe around Mark, and that he touched him inappropriately. And finally, to my deepest regret, let it be known that I, Caoimhe Young, believed my boyfriend’s word over that of an innocent child.)
“Don’t make him relive his worst memories in the middle of a school dance.”
“It shouldn’t have come out like that,”
“Bullshit,” Lizzie screamed, still spitting her pain like venom. “You’re such a fucking liar, Claire!”
Girl stfu this is what pisses me off the most about her you say Mark raped your sister but don’t believe he did anything to Gerard? who was literally a vulnerable child and lived with him like bro a rapist is a rapist if they can do it to one person it’s not insane to think they’ll do it again
“Because I’m fine, Claire! Do you hear me? I’m okay, dammit. I am always okay, Claire!”
“Because I’ve a feeling there’s an unmerciful beast of a flanker inside you just waiting to come out…”
“Gibs!” Was Feely crying? “Gerard!” My walking heartbeat.
“I believe you.”
“You’re the best friend I’ve ever had, and I love the fucking bones of you, ya mad eejit.”
“Love these boys with our whole hearts, and hope and pray that they’ll pick themselves back up and show us that they’re worth the pain. That they’re worth fighting for.”
“The way I see it is two innocent families were ruined by one monster,” Hugh continued hoarsely.
“Do you think he’ll hate me forever, Hugh?”
“I don’t think he knows how to hate, Claire.” He sighed again. “He’s been given so many reasons to hate the world, but it’s just not in his nature.”
“You loved her once.” “Yeah, Hugh, we both did, and look where it got us.”
“I’m the one who’s been living it.”
“I won’t apologize for what I did because I love you. Do you hear me? I love you, Gerard Gibson. I love the boy you were, and I love the man you’ve become.”
“I love you,” he whispered, lips trailing from my cheek to the curve of my neck. “It’s always been you, Claire-Bear.”
GERARD
“I don’t watch you sleep, Claire. I listen to you sleep. The entire house does.”