Introduction
This story includes trigger warnings. The main female character is an abuse survivor, both physical and sexual. There will be only her remembering and retelling of her abuse to the main male character. She started college later than her fellow students. She is a 26-year-old college senior obtaining a double major in social work and Psychology.
Some bad dreams will let you in on some of the abuse, but I dare not go into a lot of detail so as not to trigger those who have survived this.
I hope you give it a try and let me know what you think.
Trevor Harding is in the final stretch of earning his Doctorate in teaching, specializing in child psychology while also completing a dual degree in sociology. His journey takes him to Duke University, where he’ll spend his last semester teaching under the guidance of professors and faculty to wrap up his degree requirements. For six weeks, he’ll be leading Sociology classes for seniors, and it’s during this time that he crosses paths with Nala Jepson.
She’s the definition of beauty, though she does her best to keep it hidden beneath ball caps and oversized hoodies. It’s the very thing that has brought her the most pain—pain inflicted by those who should have cared for and protected her. With her strikingly pale blonde hair and wide blue eyes, people have often likened her to a delicate china doll. Her flawless porcelain skin and graceful figure are always concealed under layers of loose clothing, a shield from unwanted attention. Nala prefers to move through life unnoticed, but when she crosses paths with student teacher Trevor Harding, it quickly becomes obvious that he sees far more than she’s willing to let anyone see.
Starting college later than most of her peers at Duke, Nala, now twenty-six, is finally chasing her dreams of becoming a social worker—the kind of advocate every child needs and deserves. With a double major in psychology and sociology, she’s equipping herself with the knowledge and resilience to stand up for kids in ways no one ever did for her, turning her own experiences into the strength she’ll use to change lives.
