u/SomeAbbreviations396

My older sister and I missed the school bus one morning. We knew our parents would be upset, so we decided we'd just walk to school instead.

About 15 minutes into the walk, a white pickup truck pulled over beside us. The driver was a white man who looked to be in his early 30s. He was driving in the opposite direction from our school.

He asked if we wanted a ride.

While my sister talked to him, I looked through his open window. I noticed a pistol in the truck, very dark tinted windows, and that he kept insisting we get in even after we hesitated. At the same time, a young woman in another car had started recording the interaction.

To my surprise, my sister started taking off her backpack like she was actually going to get in.

I grabbed her arm, pulled her away, and told the man, "We need to get our steps in anyway. We'll just walk." He kept trying to convince us, but we continued walking.

Not long after, my little brothers' bus came back and picked us up from the side of the road. The bus driver spent the entire ride lecturing us for trying to walk to school, and when we got there, the principal called us into the office to explain the dangers of getting into a stranger's vehicle.

I didn't find out until much later that the woman recording had actually been livestreaming the interaction on our community Facebook page. I can only assume people shared it quickly because everyone seemed to know about it almost immediately.

I'll never know what that man's intentions were. Maybe he truly wanted to help two kids who had missed the bus. But maybe not.

Looking back, I still remember noticing his hand move toward the gun when I first tried to decline the ride before I pointed out that someone was recording. I'll never know what would've happened if we had gotten into that truck.

What I do know is this: if something feels off, trust your gut. You don't owe a stranger a ride, a conversation, or an explanation. Your safety is more important than being polite.

My older sister and I missed the school bus one morning. We knew our parents would be upset, so we decided we'd just walk to school instead.

About 15 minutes into the walk, a white pickup truck pulled over beside us. The driver was a white man who looked to be in his early 30s. He was driving in the opposite direction from our school.

He asked if we wanted a ride.

While my sister talked to him, I looked through his open window. I noticed a pistol in the truck, very dark tinted windows, and that he kept insisting we get in even after we hesitated. At the same time, a young woman in another car had started recording the interaction.

To my surprise, my sister started taking off her backpack like she was actually going to get in.

I grabbed her arm, pulled her away, and told the man, "We need to get our steps in anyway. We'll just walk." He kept trying to convince us, but we continued walking.

Not long after, my little brothers' bus came back and picked us up from the side of the road. The bus driver spent the entire ride lecturing us for trying to walk to school, and when we got there, the principal called us into the office to explain the dangers of getting into a stranger's vehicle.

I didn't find out until much later that the woman recording had actually been livestreaming the interaction on our community Facebook page. I can only assume people shared it quickly because everyone seemed to know about it almost immediately.

I'll never know what that man's intentions were. Maybe he truly wanted to help two kids who had missed the bus. But maybe not.

Looking back, I still remember noticing his hand move toward the gun when I first tried to decline the ride before I pointed out that someone was recording. I'll never know what would've happened if we had gotten into that truck.

What I do know is this: if something feels off, trust your gut. You don't owe a stranger a ride, a conversation, or an explanation. Your safety is more important than being polite.

My older sister and I missed the school bus one morning. We knew our parents would be upset, so we decided we'd just walk to school instead.

About 15 minutes into the walk, a white pickup truck pulled over beside us. The driver was a white man who looked to be in his early 30s. He was driving in the opposite direction from our school.

He asked if we wanted a ride.

While my sister talked to him, I looked through his open window. I noticed a pistol in the truck, very dark tinted windows, and that he kept insisting we get in even after we hesitated. At the same time, a young woman in another car had started recording the interaction.

To my surprise, my sister started taking off her backpack like she was actually going to get in.

I grabbed her arm, pulled her away, and told the man, "We need to get our steps in anyway. We'll just walk." He kept trying to convince us, but we continued walking.

Not long after, my little brothers' bus came back and picked us up from the side of the road. The bus driver spent the entire ride lecturing us for trying to walk to school, and when we got there, the principal called us into the office to explain the dangers of getting into a stranger's vehicle.

I didn't find out until much later that the woman recording had actually been livestreaming the interaction on our community Facebook page. I can only assume people shared it quickly because everyone seemed to know about it almost immediately.

I'll never know what that man's intentions were. Maybe he truly wanted to help two kids who had missed the bus. But maybe not.

Looking back, I still remember noticing his hand move toward the gun when I first tried to decline the ride before I pointed out that someone was recording. I'll never know what would've happened if we had gotten into that truck.

What I do know is this: if something feels off, trust your gut. You don't owe a stranger a ride, a conversation, or an explanation. Your safety is more important than being polite.

You light a candle, but your hands linger a second too long.

You cut the chicken, but ever so slightly cut the wrong thing.

You shower, but the water is too hot.

You go on a run, and the cars speed by.

I didn't realize how big the flame had grown.

The cut was an accident, I swear!

I didn't notice that my back was turning red.

I simply like the breeze of the cars driving by.

But you know it's a lie.

You felt the flame. You smiled at it.

You knew where the blade was. You just shaped it as a pretty little accident.

You put the water that hot. Saw the steam build.

You step closer to the road, tempting fate.

You know it's a lie.

But you don't dare let them know.

It's not their burden.

You light a candle, but your hands linger a second too long.

You cut the chicken, but ever so slightly cut the wrong thing.

You shower, but the water is too hot.

You go on a run, and the cars speed by.

I didn't realize how big the flame had grown.

The cut was an accident, I swear!

I didn't notice that my back was turning red.

I simply like the breeze of the cars driving by.

But you know it's a lie.

You felt the flame. You smiled at it.

You knew where the blade was. You just shaped it as a pretty little accident.

You put the water that hot. Saw the steam build.

You step closer to the road, tempting fate.

You know it's a lie.

But you don't dare let them know.

It's not their burden.

BACKSTORY

​

I got sa'd when I was a child 2-5 years old. I believed my brother had too.

​

When I was 12, he accused someone I loved being responsible, and I knew that that person was not involved. He got us away from it. And, he said it had happened to him too.

​

(Recap of a VERY long story 😭)

​

NOW

​

I am now about to turn 16, and he and I have been texting. I reached out to figure out if he was actually married or not, I had seen somewhere that it had been true. It was. It just broke my heart to know that my best friend, brother, and the only person I had felt truly safe with had gotten married without me ever knowing.

​

He and I have been going back and forth with:

​

"How have you been?"

​

"I need some advice."

​

"Went swimming today."

​

"How much does a damned house cost..."

​

Kind of texts.

​

His husband seems kind. He and I haven't spoken directly. I doubt he knows the truth of why we were in foster care.

​

It feels empty anytime we text because we still haven't spoken about the MASSIVE elephant in the room... I don't want to bring it up cause I don't want to start an argument again. But, I don't know if I can just keep talking to him without an explanation.

​

To this day, he hasn't explained his actions to me. He hasn't apologized for the way he involved my trauma in that situation or for the impact it had on me.

​

Am I being unreasonable for feeling like I need some acknowledgment of the past before we can have a meaningful relationship again?

BACKSTORY

​

I got sa'd when I was a child 2-5 years old. I believed my brother had too.

When I was 12, she accused someone I loved being responsible, and I know that that person was not involved. He got us away from it. And, he said it had happened to him too.

​

(Recap of a VERY long story 😭)

​

NOW

​

I am now about to turn 16, and he and I have been texting. I reached out to figure out if he was actually married or not, I had seen somewhere that it had been true. It was. It just broke my heart to know that my best friend, brother, and the only person I had felt truly safe with had gotten married without me ever knowing.

​

He and I have been going back and forth with:

"How have you been?"

"I need some advice."

"Went swimming today."

"How much does a damned house cost..."

Kind of texts.

​

His husband seems kind. He and I haven't spoken directly. I doubt he knows the truth of why we were in foster care.

​

It feels empty anytime we text because we still haven't spoken about the MASSIVE elephant in the room... I don't want to bring it up cause I don't want to start an argument again. But, I don't know if I can just keep talking to him without an explanation.

​

To this day, he hasn't explained his actions to me. He hasn't apologized for the way he involved my trauma in that situation or for the impact it had on me.

​

Am I being unreasonable for feeling like I need some acknowledgment of the past before we can have a meaningful relationship again?

​

​

I have a job interview in about 2 days and have no idea what to wear. 😭

​

I know you are meant to wear formal-ish attire, but the place I'm hopefully being hired is at Circle K.

​

6his would be my first job, and it's an assistant manager position.

​

Some options I have are dress pants with a blazer (feels overkill for a Circle K), a simple modest blue dress, a nice button-up shirt with black jeans (print and plain), a regular plain shirt I can tuck into black jeans.

​

Does attire really matter for a Circle K? Am I COMPLETELY overthinking this, lol?

I have a job interview in about 2 days and have no idea what to wear. 😭

​

I know you are meant to wear formal-ish attire, but the place I'm hopefully being hired is at Circle K.

​

6his would be my first job, and it's an assistant manager position.

​

Some options I have are dress pants with a blazer (feels overkill for a Circle K), a simple modest blue dress, a nice button-up shirt with black jeans (print and plain), a regular plain shirt I can tuck into black jeans.

​

Does attire really matter for a Circle K? Am I COMPLETELY overthinking this, lol?

I miss you. But, I shouldn't. You punched a hole in a wall so you wouldn't hit me. You made me question my own worth. Told me I was doing everything wrong, I never did anything right.

​

I miss how your eyes shown at my smile. How you helped me during a panic attack. When you let me simply lean on you, without you touching me, when my asthma got too bad.

​

I don't miss when you wouldn't move your hand away from me. When you would keep me pinned when I wanted to stop. The fear that hit my gut when you put that hole in the wall. Every time you tried to play knight and shining armor. I was never a damsel in distress, I always saved myself.

​

Why was I not enough for you? You knew how I see myself. That my body is a toy, meant for the pleasure of men. I thought you'd prove me wrong. Show me that people can and will love me for my heart, not for my body. All you did was prove me right.

​

​

You were supposed to care about me. But, now we blocked each other everywhere. I loved you, cared about you, and wanted to protect you. I missed you so much. I went back 3 times... every time you cut me deeper. Telling me I did everything wrong. I did nothing right. But, you did nothing at all. Nothing to make us work. Never tried to keep me.

​

I don't care about hurting me, but I hurt you. And, I don't regret it. You liked me. Maybe even loved me. But you never bothered to learn how to love me.

I miss you. But, I shouldn't. You punched a hole in a wall so you wouldn't hit me. You made me question my own worth. Told me I was doing everything wrong, I never did anything right.

​

I miss how your eyes shown at my smile. How you helped me during a panic attack. When you let me simply lean on you, without you touching me, when my asthma got too bad.

​

I don't miss when you wouldn't move your hand away from me. When you would keep me pinned when I wanted to stop. The fear that hit my gut when you put that hole in the wall. Every time you tried to play knight and shining armor. I was never a damsel in distress, I always saved myself.

​

Why was I not enough for you? You knew how I see myself. That my body is a toy, meant for the pleasure of men. I thought you'd prove me wrong. Show me that people can and will love me for my heart, not for my body. All you did was prove me right.

​

​

You were supposed to care about me. But, now we blocked each other everywhere. I loved you, cared about you, and wanted to protect you. I missed you so much. I went back 3 times... every time you cut me deeper. Telling me I did everything wrong. I did nothing right. But, you did nothing at all. Nothing to make us work. Never tried to keep me.

​

I don't care about hurting me, but I hurt you. And, I don't regret it. You liked me. Maybe even loved me. But you never bothered to learn how to love me.

​

I am 17. I have been working out, running, stretching. I want to be able to physically keep up. My worry is being able to mentally and emotionally handle it.

I have been through a lot in life. I have seen too much. I want to become the person I never got. I want to help, maybe even save people.

I can handle dangerous situations by turning my emotions temporarily off. I can function well, maybe even better than when I have them on, on a normal day.

After the fact, though, I have a mental breakdown. The emotions are unable to turn back off.

That may just be because I was raised to not have emotions, so when something serious happens, it just flows out. But, would this affect me long term? I mean, I want to be able to help others. I need to become the person I never got.

I'm going to get a first job at a hospital, most likely transporting patients. While I have that, I'll do training for EMT. After that part-time volunteer at my fire station. After 6-12 months of volunteering, I'd apply to be hired.

I am 17. I have been working out, running, stretching. I want to be able to physically keep up. My worry is being able to mentally and emotionally handle it.

I have been through a lot in life. I have seen too much. I want to become the person I never got. I want to help, maybe even save people.

I can handle dangerous situations by turning my emotions temporarily off. I can function well, maybe even better than when I have them on, on a normal day.

After the fact, though, I have a mental breakdown. The emotions are unable to turn back off.

That may just be because I was raised to not have emotions, so when something serious happens, it just flows out. But, would this affect me long term? I mean, I want to be able to help others. I need to become the person I never got.

I'm going to get a first job at a hospital, most likely transporting patients. While I have that, I'll do training for EMT. After that part-time volunteer at my fire station. After 6-12 months of volunteering, I'd apply to be hired.

I know I’m loved.

I know people care about me.

I know I have friends.

I know I should be happy.

But I don’t feel loved.

I don’t feel cared for.

I don’t feel connected to anyone.

I feel nothing.

I know I’m loved.

I know people care about me.

I know I have friends.

I know I should be happy.

But I don’t feel loved.

I don’t feel cared for.

I don’t feel connected to anyone.

I feel nothing.

Is it weird for a 25 year old woman to flirt with a 17 year old?

I’m 17 right now and turn 18 in about 2 months.

I met her through an old friend of mine. They used to date, and my old friend was 19 at the time. They broke up later for unrelated reasons.

The 25 year old sometimes makes comments toward me that feel flirtatious or sexual. I’m not upset by it or anything, but it still feels odd to me because I can’t imagine being 25 and talking to a 17 year old that way myself. Even 19 would feel too young to me personally.