one year to love

14: strong

"Faye?" Bailey whispered early in the morning.

"Yes?" I whispered back. We had fallen asleep late last night watching a French movie and holding hands.

Bailey sat up, "We should report him."

I sat up too, "Who?"

"your friend's brother?"

"What? No, it was so long ago. It doesn't matter anymore."

"It does matter still! What if he is still doing things like that? And what about you? It is still ruining your life right now!" 

"It's not like we could fix anything, plus would cops even care about something that happened years ago? No."

"We have to do something. Did you tell anyone at all?"

"I didn't really talk about it."

"If you don't tell anyone then you're worsening the problem," she retorted. 

"Bailey sto-"

"I'm just saying, how is anything supposed to change if you don't speak up?"Bailey interrupted.

"I don't-"

"He doesn't deserve to have a good life, he deserves to rot in jail."

"Please just leave it-" 

"We can tell his family, and his co-workers, and I don't know, just completely ruin his life." 

"We're not-"

"I'll kill him. I'm serious give me his old address."

"I'm not doing any of that! Just stop, you're not helping."I yelled and she finally stopped talking. I sighed,"Bai, I can't change the past. I don't want to ruin whatever time I have left focusing on the bad."

"Okay." Bailey took a deep breath, "I just feel helpless. I don't know what I can do, Faye. How can I fix this?" 

"You can't fix it, and you don't need to. It's okay." I grabbed both of her hands and looked her in the eyes. It was clear that she was holding back tears.

"How are you so strong through all of this?"  

"I'm just trying to make the best of it."

"Do you want to go do something?" Bailey suggested, "We can go to the movies, or to a 'lights out restaurant', or go ghost hunting-"

"Ghost hunting?" I laughed, "and do you have a bucket list now?"

"I have been inspired. So... yes?"

"What's a light out restaurant?" I asked. 

"Well... basically you have a meal while there's no light..."

"Sounds...fun," I giggled, "but, honestly I'm down for that."

"Really?" Bailey squealed.

"Yeah," I smiled. Bailey opened her computer to search for the nearest one and make a reservation. 

My thoughts had filled the quiet. Because the truth was, it wasn't okay. I wasn't okay. I didn't feel strong at all, but if Bailey knew then she wouldn't be okay either. I didn't want her to remember me as someone who was fragile and weak. I wanted her to be okay. I needed her to be.