“I have to go to class, but are you sure you’re okay with being alone?” Amira said to me as she ran around my apartment gathering her books. She had decided to stay with me after she noticed how badly I was dealing with my situation when we were at the bakery. To be honest, I was relieved that I wouldn’t have to be alone with my thoughts as much anymore.

“I’ll be fine. It’s just for a few hours. I need to get used to being alone again anyways.” I answered. Amira smiled half-heartedly and waved to me quickly before she rushed out the door. I sighed and glanced out the window from where I was settled on my couch, wrapped in my favorite blanket.

“Another beautiful rainy day,” I mumbled sarcastically. I sat in silence for a few minutes while I stared blankly through the window.

If you ever need someone to talk to, or just hang out with you when you don’t want to be alone, you can call me, okay?

Louis’s offer kept repeating itself in my head. Would it be weird to call him? It would be weird. He’s probably got famous person stuff to do…

But it couldn’t hurt right? I mean, he did offer in the first place…why would he do that if he didn’t mean it?

Fuck it. I’m calling him.

I threw the blanket off of me and searched through my purse until I found the napkin that he had written his number on. I grabbed my cell phone and dialed his number. My thumb hesitated over the send button for a split second before I told myself I was being stupid and to just fucking call him already.

It rang a few times and I was afraid Louis wasn’t going to answer. As I was about to hang up the ringing stopped.

“Hello?” Louis’s voice came through my phone’s speaker.

“Uh, hi Louis. It’s Dahlia,”

“Oh, hi! How are you?”

“I’m okay… no, I’m not really okay. I know you offered to hang out with me if I didn’t want to be alone but you were probably just being nice and I understand if you’re busy or you don’t feel like hanging out with me – ”

“I would love to hang out with you. Text me your address and I’ll be right over.” Louis said, cutting me off mid-rant. I smiled in relief.

I sent him my address and looked down at what I was wearing. I had been in the same sweatpants for longer than I wanted anyone to know. I guess its time to put on some clean clothes. I should probably shower too, since I couldn’t remember the last time I had done that. I hopped into my shower and let the hot water wash over my bruised skin. I glanced down at my stomach where there were several large bruises healing. I groaned. I remembered why I didn’t shower as often anymore. I hated seeing my normally pale skin purple and yellowing. After about five minutes I turned off the water and wrapped myself in a towel.

I dug around my dresser until I found a clean pair of black leggings and an old faded long sleeve tee shirt. I grimaced at my reflection in the mirror; when are these damn bruises going to go away? Before I could really do anything about them though I heard a knock at my door. I threw my wet hair into a messy bun as I walked towards the door.

I glanced through the peephole in my door to make sure that it was Louis and not someone else – another habit I’ve picked up. He was standing patiently outside in the hallway and had a white paper box in his hands.

“Hey, sorry I’m late, I stopped at the bakery down the block,” Louis said after I opened my door. I smiled.

“Its okay. I didn’t even noticed since I took a quick shower. What did you bring?” I answered, eyeing the box with anticipation as I let Louis into my small apartment. Confectionaries occupied a large part of my heart. Instead of answering me, Louis simply opened the box and let me peek inside.

“Red velvet! Those are my favorite, you know,” I stated, smiling up at him. He smiled back at me.

“Mine, too!”

He set the box down on the counter as I grabbed some paper plates and napkins. It was quiet as we ate the cupcakes.

“I know you probably don’t want to talk about it, but I’m gonna ask you anyways. How are you, really, Dahlia?” Louis spoke quietly, his eyes downcast. I let out a sigh.

“I can’t really eat. When I sleep I have nightmares. I’m embarrassed. I feel dirty.” I said honestly. No point in pretending when Louis knew exactly what had happened.

“You shouldn’t feel embarrassed or dirty. None of this was your fault, I hope you don’t think it was your fau – ” Louis cut his sentence short when he looked me in the eyes. I knew it was written all over my face then. I did think this was my fault. He got up from the chair he was sitting in and walked around the counter, pulling me into a hug.

“C’mere. It’s not your fault. You didn’t deserve this.” He said quietly. Tears sprang to my eyes as I clutched him back.

“Why are you so nice to me?” I whispered, afraid my voice would crack.

“Because you need someone to be there for you. And I’m here.”