We were sitting in the semi circle waiting on Mr. Stein to get started.  "Ok todays session is on how you're moving on. Lets start with..." He was interrupted by Emily. "Oh that's a funny topic for today." Said Emily sarcastically. "Why do you say that?" Asked Mr. stein. "Because look at Brad, is that how were supposed to move on? I hate to break it to you Mr. stein but That's not moving on. That's not being able to handle what that FREAK did to him! What if we can't move on? What if we crack just like Brad did? What if we go back and kill whoever abused us. I could get my uncle as soon as he gets out." She pointed out.

                            "Would you? "Asked Mr. stein " would I What?" she asked giving him a look. "Would you go find your uncle and kill him. That's what I'm trying to tell you, That there is a way to handle this" "Like brad...? Is that how were supposed to handle this?" She asked again glaring at him. "No, Don't you see. Brad didn't move on. And he didn't handle this the way he was supposed to" He said in a higher voice. "Well so your saying the group didn't work for brad? Then why are we here?" asked Reggy. "

                                The group might of worked for Brad, but like I told you his abuser never got put away" "Wait so now your saying as long as our abusers are put away were fine? Mr. Stein...One day my dad is going to get out of jail and you know what? Punching the living daylights out of him like he did to me sounds really good!"Devin added to the discussion. I just sat in my chair quietly thinking.

                       "No, look everybody is different. Maybe in Brads mind this was the best way for him to fix the problem." Said Mr. Stein. "And do you know what? If you beat or hurt the people who did this to you, do you know what you are telling them? That violence is ok." My mouth hung open. "You are exactly right." I said. "If we do the same thing these people did to us that's what it says. But by not doing that it says that it's wrong and we have to move on. It's the only way to be truly happy here."

                           "I still don't see why we have to come back here." Said Kami "ok lets see a show of hands, how many of you think this group has helped you in some way or another?" We all slowly raised our hands. "That's why your here, it may not have been a big step but I'll take a small step. So come on, how have you moved on." Devin grinned and raised his hand.

                           "I got a girlfriend, I never thought I would have, seeing what my dad did to Kenz made me sick and I was so scared to date a girl, I didn't want to hurt them. I moved in with stable family and I'm learning to be happy again." Devin said.

                        "I moved in with somebody who wasn't my family, I thought family was everything but seeing how my actual family was, I didn't want that. I got a boyfriend. I literally thought all guys were evil I mean Carl was just so horrible." I said taking Devin's hand in mine.

                        "I go see my brothers once a week. I never thought I'd be in a good enough place to do that.  A place where I wasn't scared or hurt." Said Reggy. "

                          Today is the first day I've worn my hair up in a pony tale." Emily said. I quickly glanced in her direction. She had, she looked so beautiful. I was so preoccupied with my problems I hadn't even noticed. She did have a nice sized scar on her face, but she was still pretty. "And I told the gymnastics place I'd like to slowly get back into helping." Emily smiled.

                       "I finally told a guy yes, I accepted a date." Said Kami grinning broadly. "I also made a book for the baby telling him/her all the things I wanted for her out of life and how sorry I was I'd never get to meet her. I know she'll never read it but I feel better just writing it all."

                        "See this is progress! This is what I wanted! You guys have done so awesome this summer. I hope you take everything you have learned back to school with you. We are going to meet during the school a day or two a week just before school. Just to make sure everything is still a-ok." He said.

                         "The pizza should be here soon, but I wanted to see how you were doing with the whole Brad thing." "How are we supposed to feel one of the people we got to know really well all summer. A guy our age is in jail for murder. I mean he was my friend. I went to go see him." Reggy said. "You did? How was he?" Mr. Stein asked.

                      "Not so good. I thought he'd maybe be ok because he did this and he would accept the punishment as is. But he was really upset. I think he'd like if you guys went to see him." Reggy said. "Wow, ok well I definitely want to go visit him." I said. "So do I, I feel so bad. I mean I honestly don't blame him at all for what he did and maybe that makes me a bad person but still." Devin said. "No it makes you an honest person." I said rubbing his back.

                           There was a knock on the door Mr. Stein got up to answer it.  Mr. Stein paid him and Reggy and Devin ran over to help him. They sat the pizza on the desk at the front of the room. Kami took the plates and cups out of the bag. I started to fix the drinks. We all sat down with our pizza. "Mr. Stein, I just wanted to tell you thank you. I'm glad I came here this summer." Said Kami. We all agreed and thanked him through bites of pizza. "And thanks for the pizza, its great!" Said Devin. We all nodded and said thanks. We were done with group. Finally, this summer was also coming to an end.                     

                          By the middle of that next week Ms. Jean stopped by.  "Hi honey, I just wanted to do a check up on you. Can you show me where you sleep?" She asked. "Of course." I led her down the hall to the guest room. "This is my room." I led her in. "It looks nice. Are Devin and McKenzie around?" She asked. "Yes in her room playing with her toys." I led her down the hall way. We looked into McKenzie's room. "She has quite a bit of toys." She noted writing something down. "I do, Grandmaw got them all for me because well when I moved here I didn't have a lot of stuff." She wrote something else down. "Can I see Devin's room?" She asked. I nodded and led her back down the hall. I knew why she was asking to see there room. She wasn't here for them but if anything looked off with them then something was off with me. I'd like to say that everything checked out with there social worker then I'd be fine but I wasn't actually family so I get that.

                        She met with Devin's Grandparents and they had nice things to say about me. It's been a while since an adult had something nice to say about me. "Everything checks out. I just want to say the girl I met at the beginning of the summer is gone and in her place is somebody much happier." "Thank you." I said giving her a hug.

                    And surprising of all? I got a letter in the mail from my relatives in Tennessee. It said how much they were looking forward to meeting and getting to know me and that they understood my decision to say. They said I was welcome to come visit anytime I wanted to and always had a place to stay. Maybe they were nice after all who knows.  I wrote back and thanked them so much for offering to let me stay, but that this was my home and I didn't feel ready to leave. But i thanked them for the invite and said I would have to make it that way sometime.

                     "Well we survived summer." Said Devin taking my hand. We walked down the street. "Yes, somehow we did. In some ways I'm still shocked." "Hey and nobody die...oh...forget I said that." I smiled at his slip. "It's ok. It happens." He pulled me to a stop. "Why do you like me? I mean I am so imperfect." "Because I'm imperfect too and two imperfect things together is just perfect." I said. "I love you Jess Palmer." "And I love you Devin Hayes." "I already knew that." He winked.

                    "How could you?" I asked. "Well because one I'm awesome and two you told me the first night you stayed at my house." "What!? Did I really?" I asked. "Mhm, but don't worry I was totally flattered and the fact you checked me out." "I checked you out!?" "Oh yea me shirtless is sexy, but don't worry I was checking you out too." He winked. "Oh you are so bad you're gonna get it now." "Gotta catch me first." He said taking of running.