Promise

5

I guess I've failed to mention that Minnie actually has a boyfriend. She doesn't talk about him much, especially not recently, because they got into a huge fight. That's why she was staying with me for a while.

To put it simply, Minnie's boyfriend is an asshole. He always has been and always will be. I feel so bad for Minnie because she doesn't realize how much of an ass he actually is.

They've been together for nearly a year and over the past couple of months he started to get...physical. He's starting to beat her and this is the second time he's done it. It makes me want to go to his house and light it on fire, but I know I can't.

The first time he did it, the next day he said he felt awful and said that he's had anger issues since he was a kid. Then, he got her everything she wanted to make up for it. Minnie had told me it was a one time thing and that this didn't make her love him any less. I knew that it was going to happen again. He would always grab her a certain way and his words had an unnecessary force behind them. I've tried telling her that he wasn't worth it and that she could do so much better, but she always smiled and said "he's not like this at home."

I eventually gave up and dropped the matter, but tonight, I would bring it up again. I was furious. All I could see was red.

It was kinda dark, I know, but there wasn't much I could do about it. So, I just stayed where I was and sighed.

"You can't go back home," I mumbled to her.

"What?" Her eyes widened like I had just said the worst thing in the world.

"You heard me. You can't go home. I won't let you,"

"But, Lily, I have to go home at some point. Jackson will be expecting me by morning. If I'm not home by morning then he'll be even more mad than he is right now."

I looked at her, my jaw almost to the floor. She really wanted to go back to that jerk even after what he did? No way, I wasn't gonna let that happen.

"Min, he's doing this to you on purpose. He wants you to come home so he can manipulate more. I won't stand by and let it happen," I stood up, walking to the kitchen to grab something to drink.

"But, Lils, he-"

"'He's never like this. This is the last time.' I know I've heard the same story last time. That's been proven that it's not true. Can you please try and look at it from my point of view? Maye if you did you can stop being lovesick for a minute and actually see it for how it is," I reached into the cupboard, grabbing the first glass I saw.

When I turned around, I saw Minnie glaring at me. I felt my eyebrows furrow in confusion.

"Excuse me?" She growled.

"What? I'm just telling the truth," I took the glass to the freezer, filling most of it with ice.

"You have no right to call me 'lovesick.' Jackson and I have been together for a while and there's nothing that's stopping that,"

"Minnie, he literally abuses you!" I slam the glass down onto the counter. "Can't you see that I was to help you? I don't want to see you being abused anymore. I just want what's best for you. I'm your best friend. I should be able to feel that way without consequence,"

"You know he has trouble controlling his temper!" Minnie yelled back. "God, I thought that you would be understanding! That's why I came here! I thought that you would hug me, say that it's okay and that it won't happ[en again and that I have your full support. I was going to stay here for a night or two so Jackson could think and then go home and we can be happy again,"