Oh, wow! Thank you, Millefeuilles, for coming out of lurkdom to leave that beautiful message. A real piece of my soul went into this story, and it's powerful and gratifying to know that it was so well-received. And thank you for your support of my other stories as well - positive feedback is truly appreciated.
This was never intended to be a series; certainly, I believe other women in Smallville would have similar stories to tell, but the title refers to the statistic, to the label affixed to me when I was fourteen years old. I have spent my life determined to be more than a tragic number, to transform my experience into something other than a nightmare that even thirty years later can be recalled in horrifying detail. I use my voice to speak for those who can't ; I use myself as an example for my fourteen-year old students. Never let your worst day define you. Reclaim your power, rise above, and you win in the end.
