i think this is the first chapter under 3000 words. i'm sorry, forgive me😭
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November 30th, 2018
Rumi woke up feeling more rested than she had in months as light flooded into her room. She felt a lightness in her being, such an opposite from the heaviness of her existence that she had grown used to. She noticed the tight grip on her tired body and looked over to see Melo sleeping soundly with his mouth parted. She smiled and cupped his face, rubbing his cheek with her thumb. He visibly relaxed making her feel warm inside.
He was holding on to her underneath the blanket as if she would disappear at any moment. His fingers were tangled in her hair while his long arm snaked up her back and held her into his chest, the other arm cast lazily over her waist. She thought back to last night and felt embarrassment flooded her emotions. Melo had seen her naked for the first time and she had bruises all over her body and drugs in her system. Her eyes watered making her screw them shut as her lip quivered. It was one of her bad manic episodes. She was thankful that Melo came, but depressed and ashamed he saw her like that.
She sniffled and gasped quietly when she felt him take his arm off her waist and wipe her tears. She opened her eyes to see him smiling sleepily. Melo had forgotten what it was like to wake up with her. It felt so much better this time though. It felt like he was had made it back home after a long vacation.
"Rumi if you cryin' cause of last night stop. You beautiful to me no matter what," he told her earnestly. She sniffled and wiped her eye roughly, "I'm sorry you had to see that."
He wrapped his hands on her face, "No, I'm sorry. Fuck, I should have been here. I been a real dickhead to you. It's okay to break Rumi. You been so strong baby. You a light to everyone and Imma make sure you know that every day if I have to."
She wrapped her arms around his neck and he slipped his arms around her waist to squeeze her tightly. They didn't think anything of Rumi's lack of clothing because of his thick hoodie and sweats. His phone rang making them pull apart so he could grab it from behind him. They both read Ashley's name floating across the top and Melo just hit silent and put it down. They knew she was calling because Rumi and Melo were both absent today.
"What's up with you and her?" Rumi asked him as she created a little space between them. She didn't want to be a homewrecker, even if she liked Melo and he liked her back. They had already done too much by sleeping so intimately.
He sighed and untangled himself from her body slightly, "Ion even know. I haven't had time to sit and think bout it yet."
She nodded before saying, "I have a mess to clean up in the bathroom."
He chuckled despite how morbid it was last night, "I ain't know you could punch hard enough to break a mirror."
"I'm strong!" she exclaimed playfully making the corner of his lips pull into his famous half-smile that Rumi loved so much. Waking up next to him with the sun pouring into her room for the first time in months felt like a dream. She refrained from pinching herself.
