SENSITIVE CONTENT: TRUAMA & SEXUAL ASSAULT

I woke up at 12 pm, still feeling tired, but I had to get up. My body felt sluggish, like it hadn't had enough rest, and my mind was clouded with a thousand thoughts. I washed my face, brushed my teeth, and tried to shake off the fogginess that lingered from a restless night. I could tell the day was already slipping away, but I couldn't afford to waste any more time. I needed to leave my apartment, to face the world outside, even though my energy levels felt far from ready for it.

I got dressed and left my apartment, trying to ignore the slight headache that had started to form behind my eyes. As I was locking the door, someone bumped into me.

I turned around, startled, and saw a girl holding a bunch of boxes. She looked flustered, her face flushed and breath coming in short bursts as she tried to balance the stack of boxes in her arms. "Oh, sorry, didn't see you there," she said, clearly out of breath, her voice a bit rushed.

She quickly put the boxes down on the floor and extended her hand. "I'm Evelyn, nice to meet you!" she said before shaking my hand. Her handshake was firm, but her enthusiasm made it feel slightly overwhelming. She looked very hyper, almost as if she were bouncing on the balls of her feet, her excitement palpable.

"My name's Mia, nice to meet you too," I said, managing a smile, despite the grogginess that still clung to me. She seemed so full of energy, it was almost contagious.

"I'm going to be your next-door neighbour. Isn't that crazy?!" she exclaimed with a grin, her eyes wide. She seemed genuinely thrilled about it, which made me chuckle inwardly. Wow! She's really excited, I thought, as she pulled her hand away, her smile not faltering for a second.

"Nice to meet you, Evelyn. I have somewhere to be now, bye," I said, politely, though I was already looking forward to getting out of this interaction. I turned and walked towards the elevator, hearing her wave goodbye behind me, before the doors slid closed.

I arrived at my therapy session and took a seat in the waiting room. The sterile smell of disinfectant hung in the air, and the soft hum of a distant conversation blended with the sound of the ticking clock on the wall. I always found these moments in waiting rooms to be the hardest. The silence, the stillness, and the knowledge that soon I'd have to face things I'd rather not talk about. I couldn't help but feel a sense of dread creep over me.

After what felt like an eternity, Lila finally came in and greeted me with a warm smile. I tried to smile back, but my nerves were already getting the better of me. I was so anxious about talking about my past again, especially since I'd thought I had moved past it. Why does it always come back? I wondered, as I sat down on the couch. The flood of emotions started to build up again. I suppose what has been lost or erased sometimes with dark intentions can return when least expected.

The silence between us was broken by Lila's soft voice. "What's wrong, dear?" she asked, her tone full of concern. She had this ability to make me feel like I could trust her, even when I was scared to open up. I almost broke down in tears right then and there, my chest tightening with the weight of the words I needed to say.

"I-it happened again," I whispered, trying to steady my breath. "His voice... it's echoing in my head again." I paused, feeling the lump in my throat rise. "I can't make it stop," I added, before the tears finally came, spilling down my face in a rush.

Fifteen years ago:
I remember this day as if it were yesterday. I was 10 years old, and my uncle told me to dress nicely and come out. He said he'd take me to the park and get ice cream afterwards. I was so happy, so excited about the idea of spending time with him. He was always so kind to me, or at least I thought he was back then.

But the next thing I knew, we were no longer heading for the park. We were walking down a dark alleyway, and something felt off. The air felt cold, the streets were eerily quiet, and I couldn't understand what was happening. My heart raced as I realised what he was really doing. He was... undressing me.

I screamed as loudly as I could, my voice echoing off the narrow walls of the alley. But no one came. No one heard me. I was just a child, powerless against an adult who was supposed to protect me, not hurt me.

"Don't worry, I'll be gentle," he said, his voice cold and indifferent, as though what was about to happen was just another routine. Those were the last words I heard before everything went black, before I lost all sense of time and place.

After almost an hour, the session ended, and Lila looked at me with a comforting expression. "Take things slow," she advised. "Don't rush through this, Mia. You need to trust her completely. Make sure that she's the right person to help you with this." Her words were soothing, but I still felt the weight of what I'd just shared pressing heavily on me.

I didn't go back to my apartment right away. I decided to take a walk, to clear my head and get some fresh air. As I strolled through the city streets, I tried to push the memories of the session out of my mind, but they clung to me like shadows. I needed a distraction, something to focus on, to feel like I was truly living in the present.

While I was walking, I saw a hungry kitten sitting by a bench, meowing at people passing by. But no one seemed to notice, no one seemed to care. My heart went out to the little creature, so I stopped and knelt down next to it. I reached out and gently patted its head, and almost immediately, it purred and rubbed against my hand, a clear sign that it had accepted me.

Every time I stopped petting it, the kitten would meow, its tiny face looking up at me, pleading for more attention. I couldn't help but smile. It was almost as if the kitten knew I needed something to hold on to, something to love.

When I finally got up to leave, I noticed the kitten's ears flattening against its head, a sign of distress. My heart swelled with emotion. I couldn't just leave it there, alone. I had to take it with me. My attachment to the kitten had already grown stronger than I'd expected. So, I carefully scooped her up and walked back to my car, the kitten tucked securely in my arms.

When I arrived at my apartment, I saw Evelyn coming out of hers. She spotted me right away and smiled, and I smiled back. This time, though, she didn't look as happy as before. There was something in her expression, a shadow that I couldn't quite place. But it was none of my business, so I just walked past her and went inside.

I sat down on the couch, still holding the kitten in my arms, and pulled out my phone. I called Gabriella, knowing I needed someone to talk to. She picked up almost immediately.
"Mia! You scared me!" she said, her voice breathless. "Why didn't you come to work today? Are you okay? I called you 22 times! What's going on?" She was firing questions at me faster than I could process, and I found it hard to keep up.

I took a deep breath and said, "Can you come over? And bring some cat food with you? I'll answer all your questions when you get here."

I could hear her catching her breath. "Yeah, sure. I'm on my way," she said before hanging up.

Ten minutes later, there was a knock on the door. I opened it, and before I could say anything, Gabriella was hugging me so tightly I could barely breathe. I felt her arms around me, and in that moment, I felt like everything might be okay.

When she finally let go, I could see the worry in her eyes, and it made me feel even more vulnerable. Without thinking, I wrapped my arms around her neck and pulled her in for a kiss. She kissed me back softly, her lips gentle against mine. When we broke apart, she gave me a soft smile, though she was still clearly concerned.

She came inside, and I closed the door behind us. "Take a seat," I said, pointing to the couch. I grabbed a bowl and filled it with the cat food Gabriella had brought, placing it on the floor for the kitten.

I sat down next to Gabriella, and she placed her hands on my knees, looking at me with a soft, searching gaze. "What are we, Gabriella?" I asked, my voice steady, but my heart pounding in my chest. It felt like a question that had been building for a long time.

She seemed a bit caught off guard, but after a moment, she asked, "What do you want us to be?"
I knew exactly what I wanted. "Will you be my girlfriend, Gabriella?" I asked, almost shouting the words in a burst of emotion. She started laughing, and I felt a mix of confusion and relief.

"Thought we already were," she said, still chuckling. I couldn't help but laugh with her. Then I suggested that we take it slow, not rush things. She agreed, and then kissed my forehead, her lips warm and reassuring.

We chatted for a while longer, but eventually, she had to leave. I was glad we had cleared things up. I felt lighter somehow, like a weight had been lifted. I walked over to the kitten, who was now happily eating from her bowl, and patted her head. It felt good to focus on something so simple, so pure. I let the rest of the day unfold as it would, my heart a little fuller than before.

*****

END OF CHAPTER 6!

Q: favorite plushie?

A: My melody plushie