Summary

Part VI resumes with Ailey. She spends the summer living with Uncle Root before returning to Routledge College for her sophomore year. She is now dating Abdul, although he treats her poorly and hits her. He apologizes and tells Ailey he had a difficult upbringing, which he uses as an explanation for his behavior. Ailey’s roommate, Keisha, confides to her and Roz that she was molested when she was a child. Ailey brings Abdul to a family barbeque; afterwards, he is upset with Ailey after he sees her interact with David. Abdul hits her and rapes her. She is reminded of Gandee molesting her as a child. Ailey soon after breaks up with Abdul and begins to date another boy at school named Pat. This relationship is healthy, but Pat’s father looks like Gandee, and this upsets Ailey enough...