Big Brother

My friend one time confessed to me that she was being molested by her own brother-- well, actually, foster brother. I was so shocked that time. I never thought that something like that happens to her (I don't know if it still continues) who is a cheerful and carefree person. As she relates this to me, she was close to tears and her fists were all white 'cuz of her tight clench. Then I later realized, all of that was just to mask her problem so that she wont worry us, her friends.

She told me that everything started when she was eight years old, her brother was in college then. As soon as she met her new family, she already noticed N____'s, her brother, odd attitude towards her. However, being an innocent child she was, she didn't even suspected the slightest. And also, she said, N____  was really a scholarly type, and looks very decent; he never looked suspicious to her even if the way he looked at her was so different.

Then one time, her foster parents and her younger brother went to the province to visit a sick relative for two days and one night, and N____ was trusted enough to be left alone with her. That was when he already made his move. He did it when she was about to sleep. But, she said, he didn't take her virginity yet until she was in sixth grade. He molested her for countless times, and up until that time that we're in eight grade or second year. He was a monster.

But, she refused to tell this to her parents. She told me, if she tells this them, she'll only end up ruining a good family, and they are the only once she had left ever since her real mother died.

Weeks after her confession,  it was already the getting of our report card, and parents and guardians were required to recieve our cards personally. I was surprised to see her with her brother. What more surprised me was that when she talked to me, they looked pretty normal together. We were having a conversation when N____ coughed and said shadily that they have to go and stared sharply at my friend. She slowly nodded. When she left, I wanted to chase them and spit at her brother's face, but I just stood there, analyzing what I saw just then, because for a split-second as she was walking away, I thought I saw her glance back at me with fear all over her eyes as if she was mentally telling me,

'Help me....'

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I wish I was able to help her. But I knew well that there was nothing I can do then. How can I help her if she herself doesn't make a move to save herself from her ********* brother? I haven't seen her since we graduated and I don't have any news from her now. Wherever she is, I hope and pray that she's still alright.