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Lena was half-asleep on the couch when the banging started.
458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfwUCU1dXJs
At first it was distant. Like part of a dream.
458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfbKPmkKjs5
But it got louder.
458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmcqCqivVAq
Her eyes snapped open.
458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKAYKxohiEl
More pounding.
458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAjONp36doU
“Lena! Open the door!”
458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ83vF4kTTgL
She blinked, disoriented, the blanket twisted around her legs.
458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxnQMhvbs2x
Marcus.
458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7EOuKmKSvh
Of course.
458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd1IWqxXduD
She clenched her teeth, pulling the blanket over her head.
458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡflqlWPP9z8
“Go away,” she mumbled into the fabric, knowing he couldn’t hear.
458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMBexRyOxL0
The knocking kept going.
458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0mPs8i0dGG
Then it stopped.
458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQiqTJVTfK1
For a second she felt relief, sagging back into the cushions.
458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2WHfl53tcT
But the door handle rattled.
458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX4jlGAlZP7
“Lena, I swear to God, if you don’t open this door”
458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFnas09ssyV
She growled under her breath. Forced herself up.
458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPXEmBmki2X
The room tilted. She hadn’t eaten since yesterday.
458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpbmyYPgW7m
She shuffled to the door. Undid the lock with shaking fingers.
458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB39f2e0rCl
The second the latch clicked, Marcus pushed it open.
458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡozaarZz03t
He looked her up and down.
458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhCOradXE7V
She was in the same sweatshirt she’d been wearing for three days. Hair matted on one side. Face pale. Eyes sunken.
458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡorqF5Z4Ita
“Jesus, Lena,” he breathed.
458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwwmAj96qIk
She scowled. “Don’t start.”
458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCzMOklVICS
Marcus stepped inside, closing the door behind him.
458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡulu0EnBTKh
“I’ve been calling you for two days. Are you kidding me?”
458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY3MX1PAjUk
She turned away, dragging herself back to the couch.
458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvu00luS6dJ
“I didn’t feel like talking.”
458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ75E21mB4vR
“Clearly,” Marcus snapped.
458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtG5o1tBHO8
He followed her into the living room, taking in the mess. Old takeout containers, mugs with mold blooming inside them, piles of dirty laundry.
458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhIrgRt9J3G
He pinched the bridge of his nose.
458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡabsR1y5PDm
“Have you even been outside?”
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Lena didn’t answer.
458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0vKXGpwVO2
Marcus’s voice cracked a little. “Talk to me.”
458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzYeXatoL7e
“I don’t want to.”
458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLiIqBtOu5d
“Tough shit,” he snapped, voice suddenly hard. “You don’t get to shut me out like this.”
458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0vri3lyR8a
Lena flinched.
458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8LhGOy08jS
He saw it.
458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvhcV5lBuwm
He exhaled shakily, lowering his voice.
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“Look,” he said, softer now. “I’m not here to judge you. I just—God, Lena. You scared me.”
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She sank into the couch cushions like she was trying to disappear.
458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdDEZSBWE0R
He crouched down in front of her, elbows on his knees.
458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMc2GzLaByg
“Tell me,” Marcus said. “Please.”
458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFNvOqV4ass
Her lip trembled.
458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLsmzZDOzCG
“Everything feels… heavy,” she whispered. “All the time. Like there’s no point in even moving. I don’t want to do this anymore. I don’t want to try.”
458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUKsKRehhBP
Marcus closed his eyes.
458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZS3xLJHfrl
When he opened them, they were wet.
458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxXtZHAPdCx
“I know,” he said quietly. “I know it feels like that. But you don’t have to do it alone.”
458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZy4jiGyPGO
She let out a bitter laugh. “Don’t make this some cheesy intervention.”
458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbGrXDsxCVu
“It’s not cheesy.”
458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMvoHjUmOxS
“It is,” she snapped. “You don’t get it. I’m so fucking tired. And I don’t want to make you watch me fall apart.”
458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLXuZzgEMax
He didn’t back away.
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“I’d rather watch you fall apart than not see you at all.”
458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9UqYbk924Y
Lena’s breath hitched.
458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz6oXikGERO
Her eyes filled.
458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4rAipeT25c
She wiped them angrily on her sleeve.
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Marcus reached out carefully, resting a hand on her knee.
458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8dElJ92G32
She didn’t push him away.
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They sat there in silence.
458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFmvwsEKZZ2
Outside, the city was still dark from the blackout.
458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4tUSzTbhNH
Inside, it was quiet in a way that wasn’t empty anymore.
458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3WhM2IA2zk
458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5yHwlM2Twk
458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡws2PJ05lvR
458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8WS5HZaoCJ
AUTHOR’S NOTE
This is a fictional story, but the feelings are real. If you’re struggling, you don’t have to go through it alone. 💛
ns216.73.216.204da2
and then Add to home screen.