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Chapter 19

❖Gabriel❖

Anna makes her way to the kitchen as my eyes fall on something white that's lying next to the welcome matt. I bent down and pick it up. Anna must have dropped it earlier.
While walking after Anna I turn the paper over in my hand. My feet stop moving as soon as my eyes land on the writing on the paper.
I read it again, shocked about what it says.

"Anna," I say once I'm in the kitchen. "What the fuck is this?"
She turns around to face me with a questioning look in her eyes, but as soon as her eyes land on the letter in my hands, a look of fear appears.

"Where did you find that?" She asks, her voice soft and shaky.
"It was next to the welcome matt. Anna, what is going on?" I'm trying to keep my voice soft to not scare her more.
"I .... I can explain." She looks away from me, looking for words.

"Let's sit in the living room, then you can tell me what's going on." I say, trying to give her some form of comfort.
She nods, still not looking at me and slowly makes her way to the couch.

For a short moment I doubt if I need to go through with this. Do I really want to push her into telling me...
I look down at the letter in my hand and all doubts disappear.
I need to know what is going on. Otherwise I won't be able to protect her from it.

Anna sits down on the end of the couch and I sit on the other side, with my body turned towards hers.
She glances at me and turns away again. Her body stiff and her eyes casted down.

"To understand the letter, you need to know the whole story." She says softly.
"Take your time Anna." I answer.
"You have to promise me that you won't think differently about me once I'm finished. That you won't walk away."
I reach over and grab her hand, holding it softly in mine. "I'm not going anywhere. I promise."
Anna takes a deep breath and starts to tell me her story.

❖Anna❖

"Eventually there came a point where he would beat me almost everyday."

I've been telling Gabriel my story from the beginning. He hasn't moved at all and my hand is still resting in his.
When I look at him I see that he has his walls up. There is almost no emotion showing through, but I can see a glimpse of anger in his eyes.

"One day, he had come home drunk, and started throwing glass bottles at me until I was laying on the ground. He was calling me names like slut and whore with every bottle he threw at me." I take a shaky breath before I continue.
"Suddenly he was sitting on top of me, saying that he wanted to see if I would be a good whore, then I would be able to earn some money for him."
Tears are pricking behind my eyes as I continue.
"I was so scared. I tried to get him off. But he was to strong for me.
While I was trying to get away from him, I cut my hand on some glass, which gave me an idea. I grabbed that piece of glass and cut him in his face, giving him a big scar in his face.
That was the moment I knew I had to run."

I take a deep breath before I continue. "Once I was out of that house, the letters started. Telling me he always knew where I was and what I was doing. I used to move around a lot, scared that he would come and get me. As soon as I would get a letter, I would run.
I've kept all the letters he send me, as a reminder. They are in an old shoe box in my closet.
It took my dad two years to find me here, but by the time I got a letter, I had gotten attached to this place and I knew I couldn't keep running away.
I started a life here.  I went to college, got work, made friend... met you...
I don't want to keep running Gabriel."

I look down, afraid of what his reaction might be. But he stays silent and for a moment there is no sound in my apartment.