Black Iris

Believe me.

Rose

The air was surprisingly crisp for a summer evening. Beneath my fingers, the chain of the swing set was cool at the touch. I ran a hand along the links, tracing my fingers over each joint in the metal, before returning my hand to my lap.

It was a clear night, and when I glanced up, I could just make out a through stars through the light pollution.

I stared at them a few seconds then shut my eyes and leant against the chain.

"We need to stop meeting like this."

I kept my eyes shut. The voice might have shocked me, had I not already expected that she would come. Hoped that she would come.

I heard her step toward me, the wood chips of the playground crunching underfoot as she moved to the swing beside me. When she sat, the chains creaked slightly, the groan of reluctance to be used.

I heard her let out a small sigh. Then, in a quiet voice, she asked, "How are you feeling?"

I shook my head and opened my eyes. "I don't suppose you've watched the news this evening?"

"Yeah," She murmured.

"It has been just so hard to go through all this after the care we showed to Ophelia," I quoted bitterly, glancing across at Charlene. "That's the words she used. Fucking, care. Weeks of abuse, and torture, was all just care."

I bit my lip, emotion welling up inside me. "I mean, fuck, what did I expect? For her to take my side and stand up for herself? Even after she told me she would?"

"Wait, you've had contact with her?" Charlene asked, confused. I shrugged.

"No, I just mean—" I tried to backtrack, but one look at Charlie's sceptical face made me sigh. "Fine, yes. She reached out to me a few weeks back about connecting to take Blake down. I went to her apartment, but nothing ever came of it. I guess because it was all a scam."

"No shit it was all a scam," Charlie said, incredulous. "This is a known manipulator, a mentally unstable person who has physically and emotionally abused you in the past. Why the fuck did you think you could trust her?"

"Because," I tried to rationalise, but struggled to voice my thoughts.

"Because what?" Charlie pressed.

"Because she's a victim too, and I thought this was her finally standing up to him."

"But you were wrong," She muttered. A heavy silence fell over us as I slowly nodded. Charlie shook her head. "Listen. I don't know much, but I do know that, while she may be a victim, she is still abusive. Most abusive people are victims themselves. Being abused does not excuse abuse, it just explains it."

"So what, I should have given up on her?" I muttered bitterly.

Charlie sighed. "No, not give up. But recognise that it isn't your fight. If and when she is ready to stand up to Blake, she will. But please, for everyone's sake, don't do things like go to her apartment."

I shrugged. "Bit late for that now."

"Yeah, really," she muttered. Then she let out a sigh and shook her head. "Fuck, I get it, though."