Through Pain We Survive

Chapter 49

***TRIGGER WARNING- violence mentions***

Sitting in the living room, Mira Lynne and Cat were watching YouTube. Cat had told Mira Lynne about Random Encounters and was showing some videos to her.

"Oh my goodness! These are some fantastic videos!" Mira Lynne was impressed with the musicals.

"Yeah. These guys are really sweet. Makes me want to buy a few of these games they're making songs for!" She laughed, smiling.

"I hear you! As dark as some of the games are, they seem to put a lighthearted spin on most of them."

"Yeah! It would be an understatement to say I'm invested in their stories."

"I can tell." Mira Lynne smiled. Looking at Cat, her smile faded. "There—there is something I've been wanting to ask you. If it's too personal, feel free to tell me to mind my own business." She turned off the tv.

"Oh? Sure thing. What's up?" Cat looked over at her, but after a moment, she looked back down. "Ah... Sorry..."

"That's actually something I've noticed. You can't make eye contact for long. Plus, you jump any time the phone rings, you are scared to open the door, you're wearing long sleeves in warmer weather—" Mira Lynne stopped to gather the courage to ask. "Cat, are you hiding from someone who is or was hurting you?"

Cat plastered a smile on her face. "Of course not."

"Cat, I've known you for a while now. I know that's a fake smile." Mira Lynne took another breath. "Cat. Please be honest with me. Please."

Cat looked down, and hesitantly took off her jacket, resting it in her lap.

Mira Lynne saw the bruises. "Oh, Cat. What happened to you?" Mira Lynne looked sorrowfully at Cat.

"My ex... Damien... He... He did this to me."

"Oh my gosh. Cat. What happened?"

"I... I..." She bit her lip, tears threatening to fall.

"Oh, Cat," Mira Lynne said. "He was the one at the restaurant a while back, wasn't he?" Cat gave her a look. "I heard some other servers talking about what happened when he stopped by with another girl."

"...I blew up at him. Screamed at him. I'm not proud of it."

"You had every right to be angry with him from what I've heard." Mira Lynne took a breath. "Do you want to start from the beginning, tell me how you met and what all lead up to you hiding?"

"Um... Maybe if you ask questions about specific things I can avoid crying?" She wiped a tear from her cheek.

"Okay. We'll start with how you met."

~A year and a half ago~

Cat sat down near the front of the row. A young lady with blond hair entered and sat in the front row. She eyed her for a moment, before taking out the book she was reading and settling down.

Another person came in, a tall man with brown hair. He sat down next to Cat, offered her a smile. "Could you not sit so close to me? I don't know you," she said quietly.

"My apologies. Oh, have you read the book before?" He asked.

"I have. Multiple times, in fact," she responded, still looking down.

"I hope this teacher isn't a drag. Some people they have teaching these classes are just wanting to prove everyone wrong or they're needing to teach this class to get more credentials." He shrugs.

"That seemed... Rehearsed..." Cat muttered, going back to her book.

"You saw right through it. Analytical. I like that," he muttered. He stood up, grabbing his bag, and headed to the front of the room. "Hello, and welcome. My name is Damien Grant, but please, call me Damien. I do hope I can get to know each of you better as this class progresses." He stared at Cat for a moment, then looked away.