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I’ve asked myself the same question a million times And I always circle around the same answer

“Revenge And I don’t care if that doesn’t er person I have power over her, and she’s forced to pay h in that house, I’d say I’ considerate”

“What did you go through?” he asks softly I brushed over a lot of shit this entire tiood to talk about this stuff Ryan doesn’t ask—or care—and A with her own shitty past It never felt right to dump mine on top of hers

I don’t think I’ve ever been able to freely talk And that’s what I do with Mako I purge everything that’s been done tome since I can remee men

Then I tell him about Camilla and how for a short period of ti to escape Shallow Hill far before I planned, she was ripped away from me Sometimes I wonder if I was a horrible person infor whatever sins my soul has committed

I tell hi for food after Caive me food if I performed sexual favors I did it It was my way of survival I became what Barbie always said I would—a whore

That’s why I know Ryan isn’t wrong I am a whore I had sex with men at thirteen years old so I could eat My only requirement was they wear a condom I’d rather starve than catch an STD I was incredibly lucky I hadn’t up until that point

“Please don’t call yourself that,” he pleads quietly, but gruffly The soft tone catches uard I look at hi hi his ofet it

“What?”

“You’re not a whore, River You were repeatedly raped and were forced into those situations because you were slowly dying froer”

Fire blazes from his eyes I’m not sure how, but I know it’s not directed toward me, but for me And I don’t kno I feel about that

I open my mouth I almost say the words

Ryan thinks so

But I already knohat his response will be

Ryan’s fucking wrong