'Sarai.Sarai? Why does that name sound familiar?’ I couldn’t stop wondering about this girl. She was small, slender, beautiful by all measures, yet there was something else about her I couldn’t quite place ‘why does she seem so… familiar?’.

“Uhmm.. so Sarai, do you want to talk or anything” I wanted to know all about her, I needed to know who she was. I wasn’t at all sure where to go from here… ‘does she need a ride home? Or does she just wanna talk? Maybe she just wants to sit in silence? Does she want my company? Should I just leave her alone, maybe she needs some time to herself’ I didn’t know how to talk to her, I was tongue tied.

“Ha ha ha ha” she openly giggled through watery eyes.

“ I’m not really sure what I’m supposed to say-” sheepishly I bowed my head to look at the creamy bowl of butternut squash soup.

“It's okay. Honestly it'd be odd if you knew what to do. I'm okay,really this isn't the first time he's done something like this however it is the first time I've fought back, and it’ll be the last time he hurts me” her abrupt interruption put me at ease, it was comforting to know that I didn’t have to try and fill the air between us by blurting out meaningless words.

“Good, that means you're strong. So what do you want to do from here do you need a ride to the police station or anything?” I asked speaking as honestly as I could and hoping she'd press charges on that filth.

“ Ca-can we just sit here a while longer, I'm not sure I'm ready yet” her fingers stroked the rim of the mug gracefully tracing a path, avoiding my eyes to do so.

“Sure, I understand if you don't feel ready. How'd you meet a guy like that anyway?” I asked candidly. The delicate brow above her forehead drew together as she considered my question.

“Well we met after I graduated, you see most of my friends moved away or went off to college, they moved on without me. I started working at a cheap motel down the road from my parents house to save up money for college Jackson was a co-worker of mine. At first he barely caught my eye, but eventually we became friends he understood the pressure I was under to go to college to succeed, he was comforting. After a few months he asked me out, I liked him enough so I said yes. Our relationship started off amazing, I could talk to him about anything, he was sweet, charming, funny yet all of that changed when he lost his job at the mote. He was upset all the time, that should have been my first sign, but I was naive and thought he loved me. He found a job a few towns away, and asked me to move with him. I hesitated at first, I’d be away from my family, I’d have to transfer to a different college, I’d have no support... but I loved him I could imagine us having a future- I could imagine marrying him . In the end I decided to move down here with him.

What I didn't realize was he'd just isolated me from my everyone I knew besides him I had no one I could count on. Our relationship got worse and worse he'd come home frustrated about every little thing, every time he came home I was afraid of what state he’d be in it was like walking on glass afraid of being cut . I knew I couldn't stay I was scared and alone, but I knew if I stayed he'd go too far one day and I wouldn't make it...so here we are now” the whole time she told her story her eyes found solace in the rain that trailed down the glass,as memories replayed in her head.

“I’m sorry for what you’ve been through” I patted the top of her hand trying to comfort her. I really was sorry I’d seen them ooze their way into people’s hearts and lives like oil, first hand I witnessed the abuse, the hopelessness, I was aware of what they did to you.

She didn’t shrug my hand away like she did his, tears pooled over her shoulders heaving as great sobs tore through her tiny body. I could see all the pain she’d been holding in crash and release through crystal blue eyes, seeing her like this threw my heart into turmoil. I was irate, anguished, those heart-rending tears almost made me want to break down and cry too. Before I could stop myself I moved to her bench wrapping my arms around her shivering body, she leaned into me collapsing on herself like a dying star. I held her waiting for the tears to stop and when they finally did she stayed in my arms for a few minutes, ‘ did she fall asleep?’ hastily she pulled away.

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She looked miserable, face red, eyes puffy, hair everywhere, worse than when she walked in.

“I’d like to leave now I don’t care where, but I want to leave now” her voice was gravelly as if she hadn’t spoken in years, and the desperation was prevalent, I couldn’t say no.

“ Sure, my car’s not with me here though are you okay for a walk instead?” I asked. My car was back at my friend’s apartment which was just a few blocks away. She nodded in response, I waved the waitress down for the check promptly paying and tipping then we both moved from the small diner.

The rain had stopped leaving the night sky full of stars and the moon free to light their path; the earth’s aroma wafted around the city mixing with the beautiful serene sky to creating a scene as enchanting of that in a fairy tale. Her hand wrapped around my arm as I lead her through the puddled grey streets, she still shivered as gusts of wind assaulted her skin. It didn’t take long to reach my friend’s small apartment, his blue truck wasn’t parked in the driveway so I knew he was working a night shift. I stretched up high when we got to the thick door, searching for the cold metal of the spare key on top of the door frame.

“ You’re not going to murder me right? I guess I don’t really care though” she asked.

“ No, though my friend might murder me for bringing a stranger back to his place” I gave a quick laugh thinking of my friend’s disapproval, I’d have to shoot him a text later explaining everything.

“Do you want a cup of tea?” I asked thinking of what would comfort me when I was upset.

“ That’d be nice thank you” her voice was a whisper.

Quickly I went to work on the tea, heating up the water and picking a chamomile lavender infusion. While waiting on the tea I changed out of my work clothes and into some sweats and a loose T-shirt, getting a spare pair of clothes in case she wanted to change from her wet ones.

“I got these for you, you can change in the bathroom it has a lock so don’t worry about me coming in by accident” I said as I handed her a pair of sweats with a drawstring and an old worn tee I found in the back of the closet.

“ Thanks” she grasped the clothes and moved her way towards the lit room down the hallway. The tea kettle whistle alerted me that the water was at a boil so I poured a steaming stream of water into the thick mug filled with tea,letting it steep, as I was doing this Sarai reappeared from down the hallway in the ill fitting clothes that hung from her slight frame, she looked like a kid playing dress up. Admittedly I found her a little cute, she’d washed her face from the runny makeup and fixed her hair so it wasn’t sticking everywhere ‘well she’s not not attractive’ I vigorously shook my head trying to physically shake the thought out.

“Here you go” I handed her the hot cup of tea, gingerly she sipped at it as I watched on wondering what to do next.

I didn’t have to wonder for long; Sarai calmly finished her tea then promptly passed out on the couch. ‘A little too trusting isn’t she, she really shouldn’t trust people she doesn’t know I could be a creep for all she knows’ she worried me with how trusting she was or maybe she just didn’t care, but I found that I kinda did. I hadn’t even known her for a day, yet I realized that I cared, maybe it was because she was strong or maybe it was because she was weak, but I wanted to protect this girl I felt like I knew her. I watched as she breathed in and out listening to the tiny trilling noises that came with every heft of her chest...this moment was calm, tranquil and relaxing I wasn’t alone. I pulled out my phone texting a long paragraph to my friend so he wasn’t shocked when he got home, he was a good guy so I knew he’d understand the situation. Then I washed her cup, grabbed a warm blanket and draped it across her sleeping form the last thing Sarai needed was to be cold. ‘Sarai...hmmm, Sarai. Wait a minute Sarai! That’s right! I remember now how did I not notice before?! It’s Sarai’ finally I realized who I’d picked up that night.