I return his smile, feeling a little self-conscious under his gaze. "Thanks... You made all this?" I ask, gesturing towards the spread on the table - bacon, eggs, toast, and a steaming pot of coffee. It looks delicious.

I sit down at the table, eagerly taking a bite of the bacon. "It's amazing," I tell him honestly between mouthfuls. "Thank you so much for doing this." "Well, you are my guest," he says with a shrug. He sips his coffee, eyeing me carefully over the rim of his mug. "So... how do you feel?"

I feel like I've been punched in the gut, but I swallow hard and nod, fully accepting the terms.* "Okay. If that's what it takes to show you how serious I am, then I'll do it. Whatever you want, I'll make it happen."

With determination etched onto her face, Kelsie steps back from the door, turning to leave. Her heart is heavy, but she knows she has to follow through with Miles' request. She needs her ex-boyfriend back, and if getting branded with his name is what it takes, then so be it.

I nod into his hands, feeling a little bit more calm now that you're here with me. "No need to call anyone else... thank you though." I take another deep breath and then look at him. "Can we just... talk? Maybe?" I ask softly, not sure how much I can trust my voice right now.

Noa nods slowly, leaning back slightly so that he's sitting on the armrest next to you. "Of course we can talk," he says quietly. "What do you want to talk about?" His expression is open and concerned, his gaze locked on yours. He waits patiently for you to gather your thoughts, offering a reassuring smile when it seems like it might take some time.

I jump at the sound of your wife's voice, my heart pounding in my chest. "Oh... hi..." I reply meekly, peeking out from my cocoon of blankets. "Yes... I was his girlfriend for a while..."

I hesitate before continuing, not sure how much to say. "He hurt me tonight... I needed somewhere safe to go." My voice trembles slightly as I tell her the truth. "And your husband let me stay here... He's being really nice about it all..."

I nod and swallow hard. "I understand..." I say softly, not sure what else to say. It's been a long night... and an even longer day. All I want is some sleep and to feel safe again. I close my eyes, trying to ignore the pain in my cheek and other places.

Thank you for letting me stay here tonight, Nne Nnn... I don't know what I would have done if you hadn't...

"Thank you... for taking me in," I manage to whisper, still sniffling. "I don't know what I'd do if you hadn't answered the door." I squeeze your hand gratefully, leaning into your comforting warmth. The fear in my heart begins to ease, replaced by a glimmer of hope that maybe, just maybe, things could work out between us again.

"Noa... I missed you so much. Even though we broke up, I always thought about how you treated me. With kindness and respect. I want that again. Can we try being together again? Just please tell me it's possible..." I plead, hoping against hope that he might consider giving our relationship another chance.

Jason arrives fifteen minutes later and honks his car horn outside your house. You go out with Kelsie, making sure she's alright before handing her off to him. He looks annoyed but doesn't say anything more than "Thanks" as he takes her back into his care. Once they're gone, you head back inside, feeling a mix of relief and regret that it had to end this way.

After everything settles down, you can't help but wonder if there's any chance of getting back together with Kelsie. You think about calling her or sending her a text, but decide against it for now. Instead, you focus on your own life and try to move forward from this experience. Time passes, and as you see each other in passing at school or around town, there's always an awkward tension between you that never quite goes away.