When I first saw you I knew something was up. A beauty like you shouldn't have lost that twinkle in her eye, shouldn't have her head held down so low when she brings so much light to those around her. I could tell immediately you'd been having a few rough weeks just from the way you held yourself, the way you moved and looked around with that straight, sullen face.
When I found you I couldn't help myself, but I had to help you. I saw you picking at the skin on your nails, blankly gazing at the weeds growing in the park. Something was clearly up, and perhaps you wanted to be left alone to your thoughts but I came and sat with you. You didn't seem to want to open up to someone else, you didn't want to go through it all; it took some convincing but I managed to get it out of you in the end.
A terrible breakup, with your fiancΓ©e no less. You'd found his messages to those other girls, managed to track them down and get the truth from them. All his late nights at work, all the spontaneous trips to see long lost friends from school, your sleepless nights waiting for him to return to you as you lay in bed cold and anxious without him... you told me everything. A childhood sweetheart after being friends growing up - you couldn't help but notice the changes within each other and things went from there. Things were good from there, but eventually he started to wonder if there was more he was missing out on. Clearly, he found that answer.
Had you ever wondered that too? Maybe you should have. With your entire world being one person, there's a lot to miss out on. A lot of places you could have gone, experiences you've missed out on, not to mention all the people you could've met. As we talked I saw the light inside you burn with that angry flame as you let out your frustrations. It's better to talk to a stranger who isn't going to go behind your back and spread rumours, who isn't going to judge you, just a sound board to straighten out your thoughts and let you know that it wasn't your fault.
I could tell you felt worthless, you were desperate and sad after what he did to you. Part of you was desperate for revenge, something to put him in his place after what his infidelity. You wanted to toy with his feelings as bad as he had with yours. I let you talk and talk and talk, and you let me in on the misery he'd caused you. I just wanted to lend an ear, a shoulder to cry on when there wasn't another around. You felt as though you didn't have friends now after the breakup after your friends group had merged together after bring together so long - they were his, they preferred him anyway, you thought. I assured you that wasn't the case, and that he's the bad guy here. Anyone who sides with him after knowing what he did wasn't worth your time anyway.
I knew you didn't have all day to be moping around in the park and neither did I. I gave you my number there and then, telling you that I was around and willing to listen. I didn't take yours, the ball was in your court. I'd be here for you if you wanted me and if not, then at least I'd done one good deed.
I didn't get a reply until the next evening. It seems that you'd been giving it some thought, mulling it over, and decided to give me a shot. Worst case it was some free therapy after what had happened to you. We decided to meet somewhere public again - after all you didn't know anything about me. A little coffee shop downtown that'd been your favourite for a while, they had a library where you could take the books home or donate old books to their shelves. Over the years the better books had gone missing and been replaced with lacklustre paperback novels filled with pages of cheesy made-for-tv romance plotlines but that didn't bother you. You had your own books anyway, you were just there for the ambiance and the coffee, and now you were here for me too.
I wasn't sure if I'd ever get to see you again after that first time, but I sat there waiting for you to arrive and I have to admit you looked even better than I remembered. You'd glammed yourself up just enough that it wouldn't be too obvious, or so you thought, but I saw that little move to impress me as you strode over to the booth. After ordering our coffee we immediately picked up from where we left off and talked about what had happened since last time. Piece by piece of it all came together as I learned about your family and friends, pulling on the threads of the conversation to unravel the bigger picture of who you are. That's not to say it was entirely one sided; with the chapter of your life dominated by him coming to a close you started to work your way into a new one. I told you about myself and my own friends and family, what I kept myself busy with and the sort of things I liked.
Every now and again the conversation would go back to him, but I took the chance to grab your hands and hold them tight as I looked you deep in the eye to tell you it was going to be ok. It can't hurt you any more when it's over and clinging onto the ghost of your previous relationship wasn't going to help you. Of course it'd take time to let your wounds heal, to piece it all together in your head and look back on what went wrong, but there's no use sitting around feeling miserable forever.
Eventually the discussion grew lighter and lighter and I even managed to get a smile out of you, coupled with an infectious giggle. I couldn't help but stare as your eyes lit up with a warm delight that took me out of the coffee shop into a place with just the two of us. There was nothing else but me and you and the growing familiarity between us.
A few nights later you called me, crying over the phone about him again. He didn't seem to want to just let you go, he was intent on ruining more than he already had. You could have called one of your friends, maybe your parents, or vented to someone on the internet. No, you called me. I felt honoured but there was a hesitance to your voice that told me you felt like a bother, as if you weren't worth my time or that you were annoying me with the same problems again. You didn't mention it, but I reassured you nonetheless that I was glad you called, that I was happy to hear your voice and walk you through your problems.
It sounded like he'd gotten inside people's heads and made you out to seem like some sort of toxic monster, giving reason to the things he did. I'm sure he still knew you better, but you assured me it was all misunderstandings and exaggerations, some of it entirely made up. A few of your friends had seen through his manipulations and machinations, but you seemed genuinely upset at losing some of the people in your life. They're not the sort of company you should keep if they'll simply toss you aside like that, I reasoned, but you cried and cried into the night. I stayed on the phone with you until you fell asleep and listened to your breathing subside into a gentle huff before I hung up.
Soon after I decided it'd be a good idea to give you the opportunity to meet some new people. I invited you to join me with my friends, but promised that if you didn't like them you wouldn't have to see them again. Knowing them they'd love you immediately, knowing you it would be a good opportunity to get him off your mind. I had offered to pick you up but you decided you'd make your own way there. That didn't stop you texting me the whole way, asking about who everybody was and what we'd be doing. It wasn't anything much, just a board game night and silly talk with snacks. Light-hearted fun, and much needed socialisation away from the people causing you so much heartache.
I waited outside for you to show up amid a light drizzle and took you inside to get dry. You were dolled up again for me with flawless makeup and I could tell you'd just washed your hair by the way it shone like spun gold, but the most beautiful thing about you was your smile. I told you before we went in what I thought and you blushed a hot red, showing me that beautiful grin once more. I know how scary it can be to meet new people, especially so many all at once. I took your hand as we made our way inside, hiding it behind me as we crossed through the door. With one hand around your waist I gently ushered you inside to meet their smiling faces and waving hands. One by one I introduced them all but you'd had a briefing on each of them beforehand, and they'd had one on you. I told them to be gentle, to be kind, and take their time with you.