Wynter's P.O.V.

"You can do this." Asher whispered in my ear and I licked my chapped lips.

"I don't know." I mumbled nervously.

"They'll love you." Asher kissed my cheek softly and I smiled. He gave me a gentle nudge, hands on my hips and I rolled my eyes.

"Now, one of my favorite clients, she's quite dear to my heart, Wynter Adams." The room erupts in applause and I smile at Dr. Primson gratefully as I stand in front of them.

Them.

A bunch of teenagers that was once like me.

Broken, abused, suicidal, bullied,

They were all beautiful.

And I was going to help them see that.

"Hi..I'm Wynter." I say softly and clear my throat.

"Sorry, I'm still getting used to this speaking thing." I say with a small laugh.

"YOU GOT THIS, WYNTER!" Spencer yells, next to Asher and Asher punches his arm.

"I'm here today, to talk to you guys. All of you. I want you all to know you are special.
Sure, I sound like every other person who's talked to you, but trust me, I know what you're feeling, perhaps I've felt even worse." I explain and all the teens and kids in the room grow quiet.

"I'm here today, to tell you my story." I say with a sad smile.

"I was born, June 24, 1998, into a happy family. My loving sister," I point to my sister who's tearing up. "My mother and father, obviously. They were very happy.
We were happy."

"When I turned two, my father started beating my mother, he became a heavy drinker, after he lost his job, and blamed us for everything. We were instructed to stay in our room and hide when he was beating her, unfortunately, the hiding stopped working after a while." I pause, and look briefly at Asher, he nods.

"I turned five, my sister was nine, he started beating her as well. He would dip his belt in water and beat her nonstop. She would scream but we couldn't help her. I had to stay where I was." I took a deep breath before continuing.

"One day, when I was ten, my father was drunk and I was thirsty. So I sneaked into the kitchen to get some water, my father noticed this and grabbed me by the hair. He told me that my mother had left us, and that it was all my fault. He told me to stand by the living room couch..- I'm sorry." I stop and take slow breaths, feeling the trauma all over again.

Dr. Primson stands up form her seat and rushes over to me.

"You don't have to finish, if you don't want to." Dr. Primson whispers and I gulp nervously.

"I want to." I whisper shakily and she squeezes my hand before returning to her seat.

"I'm sorry..So I stood beside the living room couch and he grabbed another beer. He demanded me to take off my skirt. I refused and he told me he would kill my sister if I didn't. I had no choice in the situation, and being ten, I was scared for my life. Naturally, I took off the skirt and my father laughed as I cried. Then he raped me." I interlace my hands and look down at them.

I look back up to see Asher's hurt eyes watching me so instead, I look away, meeting Dr. Primson encouraging, sorrowful stare.

"He told me my voice was pointless, that I was useless, that I had no say in anything and that no one cares what I say or can hear me cry for help."

The teens were watching and waiting for my next move, and there was a girl crying while everyone listened carefully.

"That day I screamed and cried for the last time, then when I woke up, I made a vow to never use my voice again." I explained.

"Everything that occurred then, still haunted me when Dr. Primson found me. It still haunts me now. I didn't talk for seven years, I began self harming and four months ago, I attempted suicide. I believed the lie, that I was worthless and that I didn't have a voice." I smile sadly.

"But I'm going to be completely honest with you, I wouldn't be living today if it wasn't for a certain someone." I smiled and Spencer got up from his chair and made his way to the back the room. I give him a thumbs up and the light switches off.

"Nina Benson. Nina Benson was my first reason to live," A picture of Nina smiling shines on the wall through the projector.

"Nina was my first friend, one of the first people that I loved. She made me see what happiness and joy was and how much you needed it in life. Nina taught me to be strong, she was the strongest person I knew, she had a smile on her face all the time and loved everyone." I laugh softly, feeling the tears start in my eyes.

"Nina was a fighter, and she made me want to fight as well." I smiled sadly at Spencer and he smiled back.

I swallowed the lump down my throat.

"Two months ago, Nina died from leukemia. She was seeking treatment but it was too much, she grew tired and she..died in her sleep.
Nina told me before she died that I was her first best friend. She was amazing, she never even asked why I couldn't talk, she just always said hello. Nina gave me life, without even knowing it." Then I looked at Asher.

"My second reason to live, is Asher Linn.
Asher Linn is a total badass and thinks he is gods gift to the world, but he's soft and fragile. He's been through so much, but he still moves forward, Asher and I were put in a therapy session together by Dr. Primson and we never thought we would get along, or benefit from each other. Till one day," I stopped to laugh slightly and Asher smirked from his seat.

"We compromised and made a deal.
He was the first to tell me I was beautiful.
He was the first to show me my worth.
He is the first boy I ever loved." I smiled.

I crossed my arms and grinned, looking at all of the teens and kids in front of me.

"You may be wondering, okay, you got reasons to live, so what? I'm telling you this because this is what I want you to do."

"Find a reason to live, and whether it's a person an activity or art, find a reason. And when your done pass it on. But when you pass it on,
I want you tell the next person this," I smile with happy tears running down my face.

"Tell them it's the Nina Benson Project, meet with them everyday, always smile and fight, be strong. Because if you do this, not only does it make you a better person, but hopefully we can make the world around us better too." I smiled again and said thank you.

I walked towards Asher and the room erupted in cheers and applause.

I wrapped my arms around his waist and he lifted me off the ground, hugging me tightly.

"I told you it would be a great idea." Asher smiled down at me.

"I guess it was." I smiled back at him.

"Has anyone ever told you, you have a lovely voice?" Asher grinned cheekily.

"Has anyone ever told you, you have a lovely smile?" I wink and he laughs, wrapping his arms around me again.

He rests his chin on my head and sighs.

"We made it, Red." He whispered almost, inaudible.

"We made it." I closed my eyes.

"You kept our deal." Asher pulled back and put his hands on both sides of my face.

"Of course and look at us now!" I laughed and looked down, but Asher made me look up at him.

"Look at us.. better together."

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
IM SO HAPPY!
This was all so new for me and I'm just so glad it worked out.
Thank you all for supporting this book.
And checking it out. This chapter gave me so many feels and this book is just SO EMOTIONAL.

THANK YOU FOR READING

-E

QOTC
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