Bellz
What's your favorite scary movie?
~ October 17th, 1978 ~
Harper King
Bruce's House
~ Bethnal, Green ~
17 years old
Harper King
Bruce's House
~ Bethnal, Green ~
17 years old
When Darcey suggested that they just pretend a girl hit hurt, Harper nodded her head. If it was another girl, or a peer, Harper would have definitely had the upper hand. She wasn't as rowdy or as much of a troublemaker as her brothers but she had been known to defend herself or others when need be. Darcey hated to lie, and Harper knew that...but while she felt bad for asking her to..she needed the support without bringing her brothers or Bruce into it all.
The anger Harper felt towards Billy might have felt misplaced to other people but it was real. The young woman had already felt like an afterthought in her family. It was always the King boys and little Harper...never just the Kings. They always went on jobs and were experiencing things she never got to...it was incredibly isolating already being the youngest let alone the only woman. Then he just had to go and make her feel more like she didn't belong.
Harper was feeling horribly defeated in the privacy of her room, feeling ashamed that Darcey even had to look at it like this. Just then, however, Darcey cupped her cheeks, forcing Harper to look her in the eyes. The words she spoke were said with such assurance and such conviction that Harper had no reason not to listen to her. Darcey had always been someone she looked up to, the woman was so self-assured, so confident. Awkward Harper could only dream that she would end up being half the woman Darcey was
She told her not to ever let a man make her feel less for who she was...or who she fell for. Harper nodded softly in the woman's hands as she then told her that they were all just intimidated by her. Intimidated? Harper didn't feel like they were. She was the dainty one, who they all thought would just shatter into a million pieces if someone even looked at her the wrong way. Harper tried to assert herself with plenty of attitudes, and a hard exterior but her family never did take her seriously...and how could they now? After she just let a guy force himself on her, uses her, and then abuse her when she tried to fight him off.
Darcey's words were so strong, however, that Harper was inclined to believe her...that maybe she did have the upper hand and just didn't know how to use it yet. Her words telling her to make them fear her and worship the ground she walked on made something click in her head. Despite the attitude, despite the fighting back she had been doing...maybe she was doing it all wrong. Harper had been made to feel like women held no power and trying to compete with all the men in her life it was only reaffirmed. But women did hold all the power and as she was learning...there was only really one thing those sleazy men cared about. Even though she loved her brothers...they were one and the same as any other man.
As their sister, she could use her leverage as the youngest against them. Why should she let them or Bruce tell her what she can and cannot do when she isn't allowed to do the same? And Billy, well, Harper had her suspicions and Harper's intuition was hardly ever wrong. Despite this being one of the lowest points in her nearly adult life...Harper looked into Darcey's eyes and knew she would be okay. "You're right, Darce. They have half the brains we do...sure they have all the strength but even the strongest fall at the end of the day." Harper murmured softly.
When Darcey told her that no one would lay hands on her again, promising her that she would make sure of it, Harper believed it wholeheartedly. "I don't know what I would do without you, Darcey." Harper's lower lip trembled as she hugged the woman tightly suddenly. "You are far too good to be dealing with the likes of my difficult family. But I promise I'll take what you say and use it...I'm never going to let that happen again either."