River shook her arm a bit and wiggled her fingers. Her wrist was really sore after the man had grabbed her and tried to pull her with him. What had been on his mind, no one knew. He had been on drugs and even though her work environment was a drug free zone, someone slipped through every once in a while. Like this man had. He hadn't been high when he entered but he had taken god knows what in the bathroom after getting inside.

She worked evening shifts at a shelter for homeless people and most of them were kind people but like with every other human being out in the world, there was always bad seeds. The man tonight had been a bad seed. Luckily they had a guard working who had been fast to get her out of the man's grip and kick him out. She was alright. A sore wrist and shaken up inside but that was all. She had still been sent home early because of it.

She walked up the stairs to the third floor to the apartment she shared with her boyfriend Elias. Technically it was his since he already lived in it when they met three years ago. Exactly three years ago today. It was their anniversary and she had to work. So maybe being sent home early was a blessing in disguise. She needed to cuddle up in his arms and be comforted after what had happened.

She stopped in front of the front door and immediately felt like something was way off. She had been feeling like this for a long time, longer than she cared to admit, but all her senses were on edge right in that moment. She unlocked the door and as soon as she opened it, she heard it. Moans, screams, the begging for more.

She should have turned around and run straight back out but her feet forced her to move to the bedroom. There Elias was, buried balls deep in that orange haired woman from his work. Becky Lynch. The woman that always went out of her way to be so kind to River when they were at a party at his office. That lying cunt. That was all River could see her as.

"Elias," she said lowly.

Despite her voice being low, both of them heard her and looked towards the door in shock. He jumped off Becky and was fast to stand in front of River, completely naked and still with a hard on.

"It's not what it looks like," he said.
"It's not? Because it looks a lot like you're fucking her," she said.
"Let me explain," he said.
"No thanks, I've seen what I needed to see," she said.

She ignored Becky that had left the bed and started dressing in record speed. Instead she walked to the closet, grabbed her backpack and started packing some of her clothes. Behind her Becky escaped the apartment to avoid further drama while Elias stayed.

"It's our anniversary today. Three years," she said.
"It's your fault," he said.
"Excuse me?" She stared at him in shock.
"You're never home and you're always complaining," he said. "If you would just try and be better. Be a better girlfriend and a better lover in bed, maybe, just fucking maybe I wouldn't have to seek pleasure somewhere else."
"I'm always home!" She started crying. "I only have my work. Besides that, I don't go out. I give you sex whenever you ask for it and however you ask for it. Never once have I said no to you."
"You're just not good enough," he said.
"So break up with me!" She shouted.

She zipped the backpack, not sure what she had actually packed in there. She just needed to get out and away from him.

"Fine, run to your brother like you always do. We'll talk in a couple of days when you've cooled down," he said. "Worthless whore!"

She walked past him with her head hanging low. She hadn't been planning on telling him where she was going but of course he knew. She was so transparent that he always knew her next move before she even did. It was a wonder even to her why he had stayed with her for that long. She was boring and not enough which he had just proved by fucking that fiery woman from his work.

She hoped her brother was home. He was a fireman and his shifts changed a lot. She didn't call beforehand. She just went over to his house. She felt a stone drop from her heart when she saw the lights on. He was in for a surprise though since she came knocking around 10 PM at night. The door opened not even a minute after she had knocked on it and she looked at him through tearfilled eyes.

"River? What's going on?" He asked.
"Roman," she sobbed. "He cheated on me."

He pulled her in for a hug and guided her inside his house. There was always safety and love inside these walls and she always felt welcome unlike any other place. Her brother never judged her or looked down on her. He was always there for her.

"Do you need me to go over there and kick the shit out of him?" He asked.
"No," she answered.
"Let's sit down and talk about it," he said.
"Not tonight," she shook her head. "I just wanna sleep."
"Of course, we'll talk tomorrow then. I got an early shift and I'll be home around dinner. I'll bring food so you won't have to worry about anything other than calling in sick for work," he patted her shoulder. "Go crash in your room."

Technically it wasn't her room but he always called it that when she spent the night which had happened more times than it should whenever her and Elias were in a bad place. And they were in a bad place a lot. Roman had voiced his opinion about her no good boyfriend many times but she never listened to him. Without Elias, who did she have? Who would ever want someone like her?