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The next few days were actually quite peaceful. Michael picked up a few more shifts at the garage so he wasn't around as much. It left me with time to focus on my studies, practice with Ichigo, and spends more time with my other after school activities.

I could feel my spirits lifting. Things were starting to get better. And maybe it was the space between Michael and I that I was feeling so good. They say that absence makes the heart grows fonder, and it wasn't until I rejoined the world of the living that I even realized I was absent from my life.

However, as all good things, especially in my life, it came to an end.

It was February, Valentine's day. I should have known that the day was going to be bad. I awoke with a nightmare.

There was noise. Noise and blood everywhere. I heard screaming and lights flashing. I heard the sound of bone crushing and gunshots firing. Strangers taking me and being cold. My heart hurt. It was in so much pain and I didn't know why.

I awoke, covered in sweat, struggling to breathe. My heart was going a thousand miles per hour.

I brought my knees up to my chest, holding myself close, I began to cry. I was shaking with fear, insane with worry. But I didn't know why. I didn't know why I felt compelled to cry, or shake with worry. I was feeling emotions that my five year old self was feeling and I didn't know why she was feeling them.

I don't know for how long I cried, only that I stopped when I fell back asleep, feeling unsafe and insecure. When I awoke for the second time it was by my alarm and I didn't want to go to school. But I couldn't afford to skip class. Columbia was my future and I skipped for only a nightmare then I wouldn't get very far.

Or at least that was what I thought. The truth was, I didn't have anyone to tell me that it was okay. Anyone to listen to my nightmares. To help me fight my battles.

School is uneventful because I don't see any of my friends. As usual, Renji and Rukia take the day off of school to spend the entire Valentine's Day with each other. Ichigo wasn't there that day either, for some reason that I'm sure I'll never know. So in truth, I was quite lonely that day.

But when I get home from school, I am surprised.

"Happy Valentine Orihime!" Michael tosses rose petals in my face. The room seems to be draped in red, pink and white as the streamers decorate the entire apartment. There's flowers everywhere along with red, white and pink balloons. It looked like the inside of cupid's heart.

I was so happy.

"Oh my God, Michael! It's so beautiful. I love it. When did you have time to do all of this?" I asked, my heart fluttering.

"I took off of work and I've been here decorating all day. I'm glad you like it." he smiled, walking up to me. He grabbed my hips and brought his lips down to mines. I stand on my toes and meet him. He pulls back from me, staring into my eyes, smiling.

"Go and put on something sexy, okay? I want to show my girl off tonight." He murmured in my ear. I pulled away from him, our hands lingering together for I didn't want to let him go. I didn't want to let that moment go.

I went to my room and delved in my closet for something sexy. The only problem being that I didn't own anything sexy. I didn't do sexy. I had no idea how. I didn't own short or skimpy clothing. Nothing tight or revealing. I didn't own those clothes, I wasn't that kind of person.

The closest thing that I had was my 8th grade promise dress from 3 years ago. It was red and fell a few inches above my knees and was tight around my bust and hips. As expected, I grew a bit from when I was in the 8th grade. I grew bigger boobs and hips and also a few inches.

I look in the mirror at myself in the dress, hoping that I didn't look as ridiculous as I felt. I smiled as I was assaulted by old memories of my middle school.

My aunt was still with me. And I wasn't desperate to get into Columbia just yet. Renji and Rukia had just gotten together, and most importantly, Ichigo had asked me to the dance.

As friends of course, but I felt that if my aunt hadn't told me that she was going to move the next day that things could've progressed with us.

He had asked me to go, saying that it could be cool, go and check it out to see what it was about, since neither of us had dates and Renji and Rukia were going anyway. I blushed and smiled, accepting his offer, mentally doing flips and cartwheels in my head.

In truth a few guys did ask me to the prom, but I turned all of them down in hopes of going with Ichigo. Although Ichigo and I didn't necessarily go as romantic dates, but we did have tons of fun. Dancing together, drinking punch, even taking pictures together. It was one of the best nights so far.

And at the end, when his dad gave us a ride home. He walked me to my apartment door, we lingered there, staring into each other's eyes, waiting for the other to make a move, tension thick in the air. He moved close, so that our breath mingled together. I licked my lips nervously, waiting for him to kiss me, knowing that it was soon.

But then the door opened behind me and my aunt gushed and gushed about how adorable we were, Ichigo in his suit jacket and dark jeans and me in my pink dress, my orange hair in curls. She gushed and gushed and squealed over us, making the both of us embarrassed.

The moment was lost, and neither of us ever spoke of it again.

But seeing me now in this dress. Seeing how much had changed.

Remembering how Ichigo's eyes lit up when he saw me leave my room in my dress. I had felt so pretty. But when I left my room and Michael saw me. I felt dirty and cheap. He leered at me like he wanted to rip my dress off. It only made the dress feel tighter and even more uncomfortable.

I grabbed my white coat and we left the apartment, his hand, which originally was placed at the small of my back, slid down to my butt in which he proceeded to squeeze, even when we were in front of people.

We went out to have dinner at a nice Italian Restaurant. Michael had ordered a beer with his food. That should have been a warning sign to me that things would end badly. When Michael drinks, he doesn't doesn't only have just one. He has several. And when he drinks too much he becomes angry and irrational and violent. But I was having such a pleasant night, aside from the groping, I ignored all of the warnings. I just lived in my rose colored world where everything was wonderful and nice and beautiful.

Before we were served desert, the waitress brought over a chocolate, raspberry brownie with walnuts and vanilla ice cream. The only problem was that we didn't order it.

"Yes, but that gentleman over there did. He said he wanted you to eat something as delicious as you looked." She winced as she relayed his message, an apology in her eyes. "If you want, I can send it back?"

I looked at Michael, to take in his reaction, fully prepared to send the dessert back. His eyes were tight, but a smile was on his face.

"No, there will be no need for that." He raised his glass of beer up at the men in cheers. "Go ahead and eat it Orihime."

I was scared. The way he said it, it was as if it was a challenge. I didn't want to eat it. I shook my head no.

"No, I insist. Now that man was kind of enough to spend his money on you so eat it." He ordered.

I shook my head and smiled. "No thank you Michael. I couldn't eat another bite." I told him, my heart speeding up only slightly.

"Just eat it Orihime. That man spent his hard earned money on you and you're going to disrespect him in such a way by refusing his kindness. Don't be a complete bitch about it and just eat the Goddamn brownie." He growled.

The waitress looked at him in shock. Her eyes were wide and her mouth fell open. I was so embrassed and hurt. He wasn't necessarily loud, but the waitress was right there. And to boot, he called me a bitch.

I closed my eyes and a tear rolled down my cheek. Quickly, I wiped it away with the napkin, standing and leaving the table abruptly before I broke down in tears completely. I couldn't be there any longer. I couldn't sit there and wait for him to embarrass and degrade me any further. He's done it in private, but never before in public. But he was drinking and drinking and my dress was far too tight and I couldn't let myself be hurt by him.

I left the restaurant, walking down the sidewalks, the heels of my Maryjane's clacking loudly against the concrete.

He came up behind me and yanked my arm, pulling me roughly into the alley, throwing me against the wall of a building.

"I don't know what the fuck is wrong with you but you do not fucking leave me in a fucking restaurant by myself making me look like a fucking idiot!" he screams, grabbing ahold of my shoulders and shoving me hard into the wall. My head banged up against the bricked walls of the establishment and for a few seconds I saw stars.

"What the fuck is the matter with you anyway, huh?" he screams. "After all of that shit I fucking did for you, you go and fucking make an embarrassment out of me? Huh?" I blinked, trying to focus on him, but my vision blurred because of the impact against the wall. He gets angrier. "Look at me when I'm fucking talking to you, you little bitch!" he back hands me across my face. I fall to the ground, holding on to my face. Pain radiating through me. But something struck deep within me. I had heard those words before.

Listen to me, you little bitch! Those words were followed by the sound of flesh cracking hard across flesh. It was a memory that was deeply rooted in my brain. It was buried.

I was brought back to reality when he jerked me up and pinned me against the wall, holding on to my shoulders tightly.

"But I should've known, look at the way you're dressed! Like a fucking slut!" He pulled me from the wall and threw me on the ground. I was unable to prepare myself for hitting the ground. My head knocked against the concrete.

Wet coughs went through my body. I had fell into something wet. I was dizzy and it was becoming near impossible to breathe.

"Get up! Get up you impossible bitch!" He screamed at me. I struggled to pick myself up. But I was so dizzy, I couldn't see straight.

"What the fuck is going on here?!" I hear someone exclaim in the distance.

I look up towards the entryway of the alley, and who do I happen to see?

Questions, Comments, and/or Concerns?