As I ate, my thoughts wandered, and longburied memories and emotions suddenly surfaced. For the first time in a long while, I felt like I could open up and talk about my past.
"Jackie, you probably don't know, but I've been betrayed and heartbroken before," I began, my voice trembling slightly. "I used to trust, to love, and to have hope in the people who came into my life. They made me feel happiness, made me rely on them, and then they left, leaving me in disappointment and pain."
I stared down at my plate, emotions welling up in my eyes. "Each time, I had to pick myself up, to stand on my own again. And every time I fell, I promised myself I'd never let anyone hurt me like that again. I've worked so hard to become strong and independent."
Jackie sat silently, listening intent
