Could this actually be love?

Making friends?

TW: Mention of scars and alcohol, Arguing ⚠️⚠️
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Denise goes to school, trying to act like everything is okay.

But she can't focus on her classes and feels like everyone is staring at her bruises.

She counts down the minutes until lunch break, when she can be alone.

When lunch break finally arrives, Denise sits alone at a table, staring at the food on her tray.

Suddenly, a girl approaches her. "Is it okay if I sit here?" she asks. Denise nods, surprised.

The girl introduces herself as Hannah, and she's joined by two other students, Dylan and Luhan.

They strike up a conversation with Denise, asking her about herself and what she likes to do.

Denise is hesitant at first, but she starts to open up to them.

As they talk, Denise realizes that she feels comfortable around Hannah, Dylan and Luhan.

They don't judge her or make her feel like she's alone.

For the first time in a long time, Denise feels like she has friends who understand her?..

𝓣𝓲𝓶𝓮 𝓼𝓴𝓲𝓹.

Denise, Hannah, Dylan, and Luhan have been hanging out during lunch breaks for weeks now. They've grown close and have shared many laughs and stories.

On this particular day, as they say goodbye in school to head to their next classes, they exchange numbers.

"Let's keep in touch!" Hannah says, grinning.

"Yeah, we should all hang out again soon," Dylan adds.

Denise feels happy as they part ways, holding her phone with their numbers.

For the first time in a while, she feels like she has a support system.

As the day goes on, Denise starts to feel sad again.

She has no one to talk to during her classes, and she starts to feel shy and anxious.

She checks her phone, hoping for a message from her new friends, but there's nothing.

During lunch break, Denise sits alone at a table, feeling like she's back to square one.

She watches as other students laugh and chat with their friends, feeling envious.

After lunch break, Denise decides to send a message to her new friends.

"Hey guys, just wanted to say hi and see how you're doing! :)"

She waits anxiously for a response, feeling like she's putting herself out there.

After a few minutes, she gets a reply from Dylan.

"Hey Denise! We're good, thanks for asking. How about you?"

Denise feels a wave of relief wash over her.

She starts to chat with Dylan, Hannah, and Luhan, feeling more connected again.

As the final bell rings, Denise, Hannah, Dylan, and Luhan say goodbye to each other.

They make plans to hang out over the weekend, and Denise feels a sense of excitement to spend more time with her new friends.

"See you guys later!" Denise says, smiling.

"Bye!" the others reply, waving.

Denise walks out of the school, feeling a sense of freedom and happiness.

However, as she walks down the street towards her house, her excitement turns to fear.

She takes a deep breath and continues walking, her heart pounding.

As she approaches her house, she sees that her parents car is in the driveway.

She starts to feel sick to her stomach.

She had just finished another long day at school, and all she wanted was to get home and relax in her own space.

But as she approached the front door, she could hear her parents arguing inside.

She pushed the door open, hoping that the noise would stop once they realized she was home.

But instead, the shouting grew louder.

Denise stepped into the living room and saw her parents standing in the center of the room, their faces twisted in rage.

Her mother, her eyes glassy and unfocused, was holding a half-empty bottle of whiskey.

Her father, equally drunk, was shouting at her about something she couldn't quite make out.

Denise froze in the doorway, not sure what to do.

Suddenly, her father turned and saw her. "What are you looking at?" he bellowed, and Denise felt a wave of fear wash over her.

She turned and ran up the stairs, her heart pounding in her chest.

She could still hear her parents shouting as she shut the door to her room and locked it behind her.

Tears streamed down her face as she sank onto her bed.

She didn't know what to do or where to turn.

All she wanted was for the fighting to stop and for her parents to sober up.