I paced around my room. I was finding it hard to breathe. My phone sat on my bed. I realised once I got home that Richard had tried to ring me thousands of times and left so many messages on my phone. I didn't know what he wanted or why he was doing this. I just wanted to be left alone.

There was another ding to notify me a message had come through. I picked up my phone and screamed at it.

Richard: I'm coming over right now!

I called Alex. When she picked up I was a sobbing mess.

"Bailey what's wrong? I literally only saw you an hour ago. You couldn't have missed me that much."

"He's coming," I whispered. "Richard said he's coming over now."

Alex hung up. I tried to call back. She texted me to say she was on her way to my place as fast as she can. I sighed and collapsed on my bed. My day has gone from great to awful in a span of an hour. Literally I was crying an hour ago because I had met my crush. And now I'm crying because my ex boyfriend was on his way over to my house.

Alex pulled up in my drive way. I looked out the window. She stayed in her car. She texted me her plan.

Alex: I will stay here until he arrives. When he does I'll give him an ear full and send him on his way to where he belongs. Don't worry babe. I'm here for you. Just breathe.

Bailey: Thank you Alex. I'm so scared. Please don't get hurt by him. If he lays a finger on you I'll be rushing down there.

Alex: He won't because he's too much of a pussy.

I was halfway through my reply back to her when I heard someone coming up the stairs.

"Bailey, you there?" It was Richard. He must have come through the back door.

I quickly erased the message to Alex and sent that he is in the house and almost in my room.

I heard the front door slam open, followed by a yelling war between Alex and Richard. I was absolutely terrified.

I suddenly got swept into a dark space. The floors disappeared and the walls collapsed to be replaced by nothing. I was trapped in a dark space. Memories of all the vicious fights between Richard and myself came flooding back. I felt my body moving backwards but I had no control over it. I felt my body lowering itself to the ground in the corner of my room. I was shaking badly.

I heard my name being called.

"Bailey."

But I couldn't see anything apart from this black space.

"Bailey."

I tried to reach for the voice.

"Goddamit! Bailey come back! It's alright!"

The black slowly disappeared. I found myself flinching at the touch of Alex. I looked up at her with sad eyes.

"Hey it's okay. Shhhhh it's alright. It's just me," Alex slowly pulled me in for a hug.

"Is he... Is he gone?" I asked with a shaky voice.

"No."

I jumped at the sound of Richard's voice. He was sitting on my bed looking down at me with sad eyes.

"I came up to check on you. But was rudly stopped by someone," he glared at Alex. "By the time I managed to get to your room, you were shaking and not responding to either of us."

"I wonder why," I whispered. "Just go away please."

I sighed. There was complete silence in the room. Richard got up and took a step towards me. I looked up at him.

"Why," I asked quietly. "Why after all this time did you contact me?"

Richard looked around the room.

"I missed you. You've been on my mind a lot. And I really want to apologise for everything I said and did to you and for the way I left..."

I felt a tear slide down my face.

"You have no right. You made me into a fragile mess after you left. Do you want to know what I see every time I look in the mirror?"

Richard shook his head no but I was going to tell him anyway.

"You called me fat and ugly so many times that when I look in the mirror, I no longer see a skinny and handsome person. I see a fat and ugly person."

Richard looked taken aback.

"I self harmed. I got drunk every weekend. I wanted to die."

I started crying.

"But you know what? I was glad you left. Because I no longer had to cover up bruises you left on me. I no longer had to deal with your bullshit. You Richard, are an abusive person and I hope to God you'll stay out of my life!"

Richard looked around the room. I started balling my eyes out. Alex hugged me and tried her best to soothe me, but to no avail. I had been holding onto all these emotions for too long now and it was time I let myself get all the emotions towards Richard out so I could move on.

"Just leave before I call the cops," Alex said. She got up and escorted him out the front door. She asked him to hand over my spare key and if he didn't she would call the cops. He did so without hesitation and left.

I prayed to God that today would be the last day I ever saw him. I climbed into bed and after Alex had left, I laid in silence thinking of the better things that had happened today. I gently fell asleep with a smile on my face. I missed the new message that popped up on my phone.

1 new message from Unknown Number.