Garfield finished his Biology class, which was his last class for the day. He was listening to a song through his headphones as he approached the residential hall. Meanwhile, he was noshing on a bag of Sour Patch on his way to the dormitory. He arrives at the fourth floor, the topmost floor in the building. As soon as he makes a turn down the hallway, he hears yelling.

Now, he doesn't mind it as much until he nears his dorm, which is room number twenty-nine. It was in the moment he stood in front of the door, he realized who the yelling was coming from. He gingerly opens the door, finding Rachel holding her phone to her ear. She's standing at Garfield's desk, leaning over a bit, using her hand to support her body.

"You haven't talked to me in years, what is your reason for calling me now?!" she snarls.

Garfield quietly places his backpack on the floor. He doesn't know exactly what to do with himself in the moment. He's walked into a room of rage. The tension radiating from Rachel is strong, and he knows better than to somehow worsen her bad side.

The person over the line replies, and Rachel responds almost immediately.

"I don't care! You left Mom and I, we tried to contact you and you ignored us, and after all that you've done to us, we were still willing to let you live under our roof."

The person answers back, saying something like, "Why are you so mad? You know anger won't fix this."

"I am trying so hard not to be mad at you, but guess what? I am. I am extremely upset. Just when I finally start to do good in life, that's when you finally care. I have the right to be this angry with you. That's all you taught me, anger and hostility. The way you talk to me, neglect me, and push me to the ground!" she grips the edge of the desk.

"All of my life I wanted to have a father to look up to. Some girls idolize their fathers as if they were superheroes," her voice cracks.

"I wish that instead of all of this pent up anger and pain, that I had more positive emotions to guide me. I wish I had a good example to lead the way and take care of me. Fathers aren't supposed to hurt their daughters, they have an obligation to protect and support them. They're supposed to love them. You've left Mom and I with so much hurt, all because you're selfish and you only think about yourself, no one else. You don't think, "Hm, If I do this, how will it affect Arella emotionally? How will this impact Rachel in the long run"?"

The person replies, but Rachel cuts them off.

"Don't interrupt me while I'm talking. You know what, I don't even know why I'm talking to you. I'm done, and do not talk to me until you come up with an apology that isn't half-assed!" Rachel ends her call by slamming her finger on the screen, then throws her phone on her bed.

She slides her body on the mattress, burying her face in the surface. Right after, Rachel lets out a muffled scream of anger. Her scream fades into racking, broken sobs.

Garfield sits on the edge of the mattress, rubbing his hand across Rachel's shaking back. He can't exactly find the words to say, so he decides to stay quiet. Garfield reasons that sometimes, not everything needed a reply. The only thing a person may need, is a listening ear.

Rachel continued crying for a few more minutes, then her cries dissolve into harsh sobbing spasms. She turns her head, so only one side of her face is pressed against the mattress.

Rachel speaks hoarsely, "That, was my father."

Garfield's frown deepens, "Oh. I'm sorry."

"Don't be," she sits up.

"It's always been a fight with him. He was never there for Mom and I when we needed him, and he just used us to his advantage. He cheated on Mom, and after she filed a divorce, he started drinking. Mom was willing to help him out of the addiction, but he rejected. Then... he abused us."

"He did what?" Garfield's eyes narrowed, his teeth forming a clench.

"He abused us. Not physically, thankfully—but emotionally, verbally, and mentally." she sighed shakily.

"Rae..."

"I should have told you this a lot earlier in our relationship, but I wasn't ready."

"It's okay, you can tell me what you need to on your own timing. But, just make sure you know that your personal things matter in our relationship, more than any other things."

Rachel evades eye contact, "Remember when I had that awkward phase after we had sex for the first time?"

"I do."

"Part of it was because I was scared. I didn't feel secure at the time, I felt like I was going to be used and manipulated. I thought that you would care much about me only if it was for your own benefit. I thought I was going to be left behind." she confessed with a fragile tone.

"Rae, listen," Garfield tilts her cheek towards his, "I didn't know you had these security issues."

"Again, I chose not to talk about it, so there's no other way you could have known."

"Well... I totally understand why you feel this way. I promise, I'm not gonna do anything to hurt you. I'll do anything in my power to make you feel good, to make you feel happy. You know that," he shoots a quick wink, and she smiles faintly.

He cards her loose hair behind her ear, "In all seriousness, I will take care of you. I'm putting this promise on my life. I don't plan on leaving you either."

Rachel tightens her teeth on her quivering lip, her eyes growing glassy. Garfield cupped her cheek in his hand, brushing her cheekbone with his thumb.

"It hurts either way. Having someone showing me no affection while having someone show me affection..." Rachel sniffled, taking a short pause.

"Talk to me."

"I never had the chance to experience love, or lots of good feelings. So, when I do go through them, I never really know how to handle them. I think that I don't deserve them, or shouldn't feel them, because that's what my father always told me. Don't get me wrong, Gar. I do, love loving you, but it's a little hard sometimes."

"And that's fine by me, Rae. I'm gonna help you through this. Only under one condition."

Rachel shyly raises her eyes to Garfield's.

He whispers tenderly, "You have to trust me."

The girl froze as her eyes grew hard, appearing mentally paralyzed.

"Rae, can you do that?"

Nothing.

Garfield's face strains in discomfort.

"Rae. Rae, come on, baby. Don't make me pay for his mistakes."

Rachel whimpered, placing her hand over Garfield's, which was still on her cheek.

Warm tears slip down Rachel's face. She's vulnerable, something she despised being in front of people. Rachel's in this state in front of Garfield again, and she hates and loves it at the same time.

She dreads it, because she's showing what is under her rigid composure; but she cherishes the moment, because Garfield always knows how to deal with it.

"I... I trust... you."

"No, no, don't say it for me, say it for yourself."

Rachel sighs, and Garfield strokes one of her tears away.

"I trust you, Gar."

"Are you sure?"

"I am." she looks him in the eye with a weak smile.

"Okay. I know this isn't easy for you, and that there are gonna be days it's gonna be tough. But, I'm gonna be right here with you. I'm going to love you in all of the ways you need." Garfield embraces Rachel affectionately.

Rachel's skin was cold from all of the mental tension she was enduring. It felt as if she was thawing right onto Garfield; or melting into him... if that made sense. The warmth was cozy, but it stung.

Rachel hesitates for a bit, then caresses Garfield back.

Rachel snuggles her face into his neck, and pulls him closer.

"Thank you."

"My pleasure." he eases away, and kisses her violet hair.

Garfield got up, and walked to the cabinet. He grabs a bag of Lays, and pours a glass of water.

He hands the glass and snack to Rachel, "Here. A snack and some water after a long cry."

"You're the sweetest." her mouth bends into a frail grin.

Garfield sits on the bed once more, then Rachel leaned on his shoulder. He wraps his arm around her body, keeping her in his warmth. Garfield showers Rachel in a series of soft kisses as she eats her snack.

"We're gonna take this one step at a time, Rae. One step at a time. I'll make sure to help you trust again... and to love again."