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Lena was half-asleep on the couch when the banging started.
456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWh80uLu4fO
At first it was distant. Like part of a dream.
456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlLiNFdXP5l
But it got louder.
456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfqrxFUUHt9
Her eyes snapped open.
456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVzD6DsPLyi
More pounding.
456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡybHgoVStZr
“Lena! Open the door!”
456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdUJGfRORex
She blinked, disoriented, the blanket twisted around her legs.
456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnLmlo4Qnad
Marcus.
456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqsIz85Tn20
Of course.
456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUeIupf7qNG
She clenched her teeth, pulling the blanket over her head.
456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4FtpSwbA1B
“Go away,” she mumbled into the fabric, knowing he couldn’t hear.
456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8KCut0JQud
The knocking kept going.
456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuN2soT3FHi
Then it stopped.
456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxA0AVynm3v
For a second she felt relief, sagging back into the cushions.
456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxeou29zHRu
But the door handle rattled.
456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQvYtCpanA5
“Lena, I swear to God, if you don’t open this door”
456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGpMuadJR0U
She growled under her breath. Forced herself up.
456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn0dAcgWVdS
The room tilted. She hadn’t eaten since yesterday.
456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj3ooEQjhUp
She shuffled to the door. Undid the lock with shaking fingers.
456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe7uQ2kblB2
The second the latch clicked, Marcus pushed it open.
456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVgqApMiWo6
He looked her up and down.
456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjERfbeOoO5
She was in the same sweatshirt she’d been wearing for three days. Hair matted on one side. Face pale. Eyes sunken.
456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpTQ0b4dalh
“Jesus, Lena,” he breathed.
456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLc4A7Asmi5
She scowled. “Don’t start.”
456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfOtSfft7Ie
Marcus stepped inside, closing the door behind him.
456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzvzF5rw5vx
“I’ve been calling you for two days. Are you kidding me?”
456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjHeB7DljLT
She turned away, dragging herself back to the couch.
456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5mvfib8I7s
“I didn’t feel like talking.”
456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpFMGVd87jn
“Clearly,” Marcus snapped.
456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrYGEA3d8zt
He followed her into the living room, taking in the mess. Old takeout containers, mugs with mold blooming inside them, piles of dirty laundry.
456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMkm5TvM5K7
He pinched the bridge of his nose.
456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5B3Z7kIR4E
“Have you even been outside?”
456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJyKPeZUx2V
Lena didn’t answer.
456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVW3smlRLK4
Marcus’s voice cracked a little. “Talk to me.”
456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡewDsIDUr7i
“I don’t want to.”
456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC7naw9h1pm
“Tough shit,” he snapped, voice suddenly hard. “You don’t get to shut me out like this.”
456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBTggh00gkI
Lena flinched.
456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQfFCOGszjA
He saw it.
456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaEo6FhrLkv
He exhaled shakily, lowering his voice.
456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCfalbr3YgO
“Look,” he said, softer now. “I’m not here to judge you. I just—God, Lena. You scared me.”
456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0Ot38vdaqq
She sank into the couch cushions like she was trying to disappear.
456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUtDnrL33Lo
He crouched down in front of her, elbows on his knees.
456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDpZ33e2jw9
“Tell me,” Marcus said. “Please.”
456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFKd34Km9Qr
Her lip trembled.
456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTrRdsKGHxm
“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.”
456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwOqm5o9rZv
Marcus closed his eyes.
456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlXxEXrMODI
When he opened them, they were wet.
456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdRyyn6G5Fd
“I know,” he said quietly. “I know it feels like that. But you don’t have to do it alone.”
456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAs6wm5LN20
She let out a bitter laugh. “Don’t make this some cheesy intervention.”
456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzZ0w3IxIsH
“It’s not cheesy.”
456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCysPSq3jCD
“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.”
456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg1IN45n32v
He didn’t back away.
456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt4wGWkW0S4
“I’d rather watch you fall apart than not see you at all.”
456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUli9TxPZrc
Lena’s breath hitched.
456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9MvdA8pJ82
Her eyes filled.
456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4iVN7tDfcA
She wiped them angrily on her sleeve.
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Marcus reached out carefully, resting a hand on her knee.
456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWIn2MtndLk
She didn’t push him away.
456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZOPdWuCI1u
They sat there in silence.
456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZVR2FF5NAI
Outside, the city was still dark from the blackout.
456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6EgAj7cAP5
Inside, it was quiet in a way that wasn’t empty anymore.
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456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnMY4Vzu4OG
456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMsPxYOJrBI
456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1F5zTsNrIK
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. 💛
ns216.73.217.39da2
and then Add to home screen.