"To be trusted is a greater compliment than being loved."

― George MacDonald.

Irene's POV.

Unknown number: Hey Irene this is Mia! DO NOT MESSAGE BACK! Alex tracked me down, I think your dad told him about me and he's been sending people to check if you're here every day. Stay safe. Love you. I promise I'll call you whenever I can and we're safe, don't worry.

Oh my god, what the hell do I do now to fix this?!? I put Mia and Lucas in danger too now. I'm a fucking walking disaster. Maybe I should just go back and save everyone from this trouble.

I look over to Reese sleeping on the couch, he's been so helpful and nice than anyone I met so far. He sure is a stranger but my life has been full of strangers including my own family. I should just leave before he wakes up to avoid getting him into trouble too.

Alex would just torture me that way instead of those few people who considered me a friend. Then I might succeed in one of my attempts to cut myself and die. Yeah, fucked up mental health.

Its only 1:30 AM and I obviously can't attempt to get out of here with my sprained ankle at this hour. Plus it's still raining. Ughhh!

I should just try getting through the night and sneak out at 6 AM or something. Hopefully, my leg hurts lesser by then. Keyword, hopefully.

~•~•~•

I take deep breaths, trying to bear the increasing pain in my ankle. If things could get any worse, I couldn't even find any ride back so far. Luckily, I managed to drag myself to the diner where I and Reese ate last evening. Reese.

Sighing I sip on my coffee. I hope he understands that I had to leave and doesn't feel bad about me not saying a proper goodbye. Leaving a letter and money for the hotel expense wouldn't have done justice for how grateful I am to have met him but knowing the guy just a little, tells me he wouldn't have let me go back without a rational explanation. Or he would've just offered to drop me back which would end up putting him into trouble because that way Alex would know he helped me.

I did leave a kiss on his cheek before I left, I do like him and there's no denying it but I only knew him for a day. Also, I don't think he'd like a girl like me or trust me even. He's a nice guy who deserves a nice girl who doesn't come along with a ton of baggage.

Woah Woah Woah! Stop there Irene, you're thinking way too much about Reese and you can't just like him only after like 24 hours of meeting him. You don't even know him well enough!

It's already 1 pm and the rain clouds seem to be coming back which means I can't get out of here. My stupid stupid ankle hurts and I can't walk fast enough to get to the next possible diner or wherever I can stop to take a break. All the pain just to walk back into my fucking death trap.

I order for my fourth espresso as the rain starts hitting the window that I'm sitting next to. Forcefully staying up after taking a painkiller last night ended up with me having one hell of an everlasting headache. Sinking back into my sofa seat, I rest my head against the window closing my eyes.

The thought of marrying Alex has been giving me serious nightmares. I can't even stay in touch with Mia because that would put her into more trouble than she already is because of me. I was just so stupid to think, I could escape Alex and live just fine. Just so fucking stupid and selfish.

A tear slips down my cheek and quickly wipe it off before someone notices, "Really thought I'll let you go just like that?"

My heart skips a beat as I hear a familiar voice and my head snaps to look at Reese staring at me with a raised eyebrow. I can't even tell whether I'm relieved to see him or worried that he walked back into possible trouble with Alex.

"What are you doing here?!" I whisper shout as he scoots in next to me on the sofa.

"How about hey Reese, I'm sorry I left you hanging with a letter to read and money? Seriously Irene? Money?" he gives me a disappointed and angry look.

"I'm sorry but I didn't want you to go through any trouble because of me," I reply looking down at my hands. "I thought we agreed to be friends last night?"

Now when he says it that way, it makes me feel guilty.

"I just had to leave, I thought I could get away from Alex but now he's coming after Mia who's my only friend and my best friend in search of me. It'll all just be easier if I went back, you don't deserve to get into trouble with Alex either. You should go... really, just go and forget about me," I finally look up to meet his confused gaze.

"Irene, you don't have to worry about me and... Alex doesn't deserve you. You can't just sacrifice everything to go back to that guy. He can't keep searching for you forever," he takes my hand rubbing circles on it.

A tear slips down my cheek as I find myself feeling safe once again, "You don't know him, Reese."

"Then tell me?" he asks wiping the tears off my face.

"Why did you come back? You don't even know me enough to come back all the way here," I ask him completely ignoring his question. I just need to know why he came back.

"I almost didn't come back because I was mad at you for leaving and then I couldn't just let you go back to the guy who seems to have tortured you for too long already. So I figured you would be heading back and you couldn't walk too far because of your ankle, then coincidentally found you here," he gives me a small smile making my heart flutter.

He's just too good and I don't deserve all his concern towards me. I sigh letting out a breath I didn't realize I was holding and look at my hand which Reese is rubbing comforting circles on right now. Why is he being so nice to me?

I sip on my espresso which is now just warm as Reese orders food for himself. "I don't think the rain is going to stop anytime soon so we've got all the time you need to talk it all out before we hit the road again."

Shaking my head, I respond, "I can't come back with you. I can't let you just walk into trouble with Alex,"

"Look from what you said yesterday, it doesn't seem like the guy has been treating you right and you don't deserve to go through whatever hell he's been putting you through. I've been with you for only a day and you're a good person Irene. Just talk it out and then decide what you want to do." If the situation was any better and I didn't have to worry about Alex, I would've kissed this guy by now.

But for now, I can hug him. Reese though surprised wraps his arms around me, "Thank you."

I sit back straight with a probable blush staining my cheeks but I just look down letting my hair be a cover. I've never felt this protected and in a way, even this scares me. I can't let anything happen to him because of me.

~•~•~•

So, hope you guys are keeping well during this pandemic. I'll be available for direct messaging from now on and there are updates coming up really soon too. 

Have a great day/night!

With love,
-Ana...❤️