The white haired boy parked his motorcycle at a nice looking cafe. I couldn't read the sign 'cause it was in French but I could see the inside and it looked so beautiful. He opens the door for me and does the cliche gesture of waving me inside. It was funny but sweet, I giggle and go inside after kissing him on the cheek. As soon as I entered I could smell a bunch of sweet and savory scents. One scent that stuck out the most was cinnamon combined with fresh baked bread. This place was amazing, it was perfect. Now I felt fear. This is how it started with Michael. At first, he was so sweet, he would buy me nice stuff likes clothes and even jewelry and he would even take me out to eat at nice places. Then when I promised I would stay with him it all went downhill.

He would come home late with the scent of alcohol on his breath. He would snap at me to make dinner and then leave him alone. He would tell me I had to sleep on the couch and when he started passing out there I had to sleep on the floor. He would demand I make him dinner before he got home and if dinner wasn't ready when he got home then I would get beaten. He would come home later and later and drunker every time. If he was too inebriated to eat when he came home then dinner would have to be thrown away. I wasn't allowed to eat that kind of stuff and he would only eat freshly cooked food. The only thing I was allowed to eat where these small bags of chip he would buy. He said I couldn't eat much because I had to stay in perfect shape. I couldn't understand why until he told me I had to work at Love Planet 'cause he was quitting his job. After that, I wasn't allowed to eat at all.

I started shaking like a leaf, suddenly unable to move. What if I was wrong? What if I'm not in good hands?
"What's wrong, are you okay?" The boy asks and wraps an arm around my shoulders.
"I'm fine," I whisper quietly. He feels my forehead and said, "Oh no, I think you've got a fever." I guess without realizing it I have made myself sick with worry and fear.
"I'll take you home so you can rest," He said and tried to get me to move. I didn't move but he didn't have to try again 'cause within seconds I felt so sick I got dizzy and passed out.

When I woke up, I was in a bed. It was so comfy, I haven't slept in a bed in forever. I curled into a ball but as soon as I did that I felt something cold and wet fall off my forehead. Why didn't I notice it on there in the first place? I sit up and rub my eyes, looking around. I was in a place I've never been before. It was an apartment. I didn't know why I was here or even who brought me here. Until I remembered the boy with white hair. This is his apartment. I look around frantically, not seeing him anywhere but I see all my clothes sitting on the floor next to a bureau. I then look down at myself and see I'm only in my panties and a t-shirt, but not any of the ones that the boy bought me. I knew it was his.

I wanted to rip it off me and run out of here, wanting to be far away from here so in case he is like Michael I won't have to deal with more abuse. I wanted to rip it off but it felt so soft, it felt nice against my skin. I inhaled the scent of him and it was actually comforting. I remembered the promises he made, that he would never hurt me and to keep me safe from Michael and that he would never let him hurt me. He even threatened to kill Michael. I actually thought he would have done it in the store when he had struck me. The boy, he promised to keep me safe, Michael never promised to keep me safe, he never made any promises to me.

I actually thought about staying here but I immediately shook the thought from my head. No, I can't, he'll just turn into the evil bastard Michael turned into. He didn't even tell me his name. But I'm already here, what if he won't even let me leave. Oh god, I'm trapped! I'm trapped here! I got out of bed and was gonna run to the door but I immediately collapsed, feeling sick and weak. I heard the boy come rushing in, he knelt down beside me and asked if I was okay. I couldn't speak, I got so nervous I started shaking. He picked me up and said, "Let's get you back in bed." As soon as he laid me in bed I tried to get back up. He didn't try and make me lay down again, instead, he asked me if I needed something.

I didn't want to say I needed to leave, scared of how he'll react. Suddenly I felt like I was gonna throw up. I tried to tell him but I could barely talk above a whisper.
"What? What's wrong?" the boy asked, bringing his head closer and turning it so he can hear me. The feeling of wanting to throw up was stronger now, I couldn't bear it. With all the strength I could muster I pushed him away and jumped up from the floor, only able to make it a few centimeters before falling and throwing my guts up.
"Gardenia!" The boy cries out, immediately by my side. Oh god. I started crying, scared he'll strike me for throwing up on his floor. I was expecting a blow but instead, he picked me up and said: "Shh, it's okay, I'll clean it up, just try and get some rest." He laid me down on his bed and put the cold washcloth on my forehead again.

For the next 5 minutes, I watch him clean up my mess then disappear into another room. If I'm going to escape then I have to do it now. I sit up but that's all I can manage to do, I look out the window and see it's raining. I just now realized how hot I am. I get down on all fours and crawl towards the window, using all my strength to make it. But after a bit, it's too much and I just lay down on the floor. The boy comes back in and I hear him set some stuff down, one sounds like a glass. He walks over and says "I'm assuming all your attempts to get out of bed was to open the window?" I just look towards the window and close my eyes. He walked over to the window and opened it, putting something in it as well. I open my eyes again and see an air conditioner in the window. He turns it on and it starts making a humming noise and blasting cold air. Now the boy's attention is on me.

The boy picks me up and says "Okay, the window is open and the air conditioner is going, hopefully, you'll stay in bed now." As soon as he lays me in bed he hands me a glass of juice and says "Here, it won't make you better but it'll help." I slowly take a sip, it was sweet but bitter. It tasted like cranberries and grapes. I drink only a little and set the glass down, looking up at the boy whose name I still don't know. He takes his shoes off and gets in bed with me, pulling me close. I don't know why but I feel safe in his arms, I like it. I look at him again and he says "Don't worry, I'll stay with you till you get better." He says it sweetly and kisses me softly on the lips. At first, I'm surprised but then I melt into the kiss. I break the kiss and rest my head on his chest, thinking that maybe I actually can trust him. He stroked my hair and said, "I love you, Gardenia."
"I love you too," I say softly. The boy chuckles and says "I just realized I never told you my name. I'm Dante."

Dante, Dante. The name sounds familiar but I don't know from where. I don't care. I'm convinced he won't hurt me, that he'll stick to his promises and keep me safe. I close my eyes and within an instant I'm asleep.