who is...she?

fourteen

GIRLFRIEND POV

i sat by the window, my gaze fixed on the golden light filtering through the trees outside. it has been a week since the night that shattered everything happened, leaving a hollow space in the heart of my girlfriend, Alexia. the vibrant, carefree woman i have known was now gone, replaced by someone who flinched at every unexpected sound and seemed to shrink within herself.

i wish i could just take it all away from her, undo everything that had been done that night, but all i could do now was be there for her. and that's what i did.

---

alexia hadn't spoken much since the incident. words seemed to catch in her throat, weighed down by the burden of her pain. i didn't push her. i knew that she needed to feel safe, that the walls of silence were a temporary refuge, not a permanent prison.

when alexia finally started to speak, it was in fragments- half-formed sentences and unfinished thoughts. i always listened, never interrupting, my heart breaking with every word she spoke.

"i feel....like....as if...i'm not me anymore," she whispered one night as she lay in our bed, her body visibly shaking with every word.

"you still are you, pretty girl." i said softly, my voice steady even though my emotions swirled inside. " you're just hurting, and that's okay. you don't have to go through this alone." i said as i knelt down beside her

she turned away, her face hidden in the pillow. i didn't try to force her to face me. instead, i gently placed a hand on her back, slowly rubbing small circles. she didnt flinch away. that was a start

----

days passed, each one marked by small victories and setbacks. alexia would sometimes sit closer to me on the couch as we watched her comfort movie, a shadow of a smile on her lips as the aroma filled the room. other days, she would withdraw, her eyes distant, as if lost in a place only she could see.

i learned to navigate this new reality with patience. i made sure to give her space when she needed it, but i also stayed close, a constant presence that she could rely on. i kept our home quiet and calm, a sanctuary where she could just feel safe. when she felt overwhelmed, i would sit on the couch with  her, holding her hand or just sitting there in silence, letting her know that i was there without saying a word.

one evening, as we sat on the couch, alexia reached out and took my hand. it was the first time she had initiated contact since the incident. i squeezed her hand gently, not wanting to break the fragile moment.

"thank you" she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "for not giving up on me"

my throat tightened, but i forced a smile "i'll never give up on you, alexia. we're in this together"

she looked at me then, really looked at me, and for the first time in what felt like an eternity, i saw a flicker of the woman i initially fell in love with. it was faint, but it was there- a glimmer of hope. it would be a long journey, i knew that. there would be more hard days, more nights where alexia would wake up screaming from nightmares she couldn't escape. but i also knew that we would get through it together, one day at a time.

as we sat there, hand in hand, the sun setting outside our window, i realized that love wasn't just about the good times. it was about standing by someone's side even when everything was falling apart. it was about being there when words failed, when all that was left was the quiet understanding that some wounds took time to heal.

and so, in the quiet, we found a way to start healing. together.

a/n

if you or anyone you know if struggling with the aftermath of sexual assault, i encourage you to seek support if you haven't yet already. it's a difficult journey, but you don't have to go through it alone

~ AP11VM11 ❤️