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Alette's POV

"So, would you like to talk about what happened Faye?" Dr. Esa asked gently, after we had made some general small talk at the beginning of our session

I looked down at my lap, playing with my fingers.

"I'm n-not sure," I told her honestly, not knowing what it was that I wanted to talk about.

"That's okay," she soothed.

"I-it's just that, I've b-been trying to forget about it by repressing it this whole time," I sucked in a breath, "But it's hard, because I keep thinking about what could have happened if Reece hadn't come to save me. Or what would've happened if I listened to Tai in the first place," I rambled.

"Well, let's start by mitigating those thoughts, and focusing on the facts yes?" she said, "Let's just think about your reality and what really happened, rather than what could've have happened."

I took in a shaky breath, steadying myself.

"U-um so Tai told me to stay inside, a-and I didn't want to be b-bother so I t-took the garbage out. Then a..."I gulped, "A m-man grabbed me and he touched me w-without c-consent. H-he hurt me and he made me feel disgusting," I closed my eyes, trying to calm my breathing down, "B-but then Reece came and saved me," I finished, opening my eyes and looking at her.

She smiled brightly at me, "Good job Faye! See now if you focus on your reality, you won't struggle with all the extra overwhelming thoughts."

I nodded at her slowly, my breath evening.

"What else has been going on Faye?" she asked me, putting her pen down and sitting back.

I bit my lip, turning slightly red, "I-I have a d-date today," I mumbled shyly.

"Oh hey no way! That's fun, are you excited?" she wiggled her brows making me giggle.

"Y-yeah I'm so excited," I said softly.

I bit my lip, holding myself back.

I couldn't.

"He is so kind Dr. Esa," I gushed, smiling like a fool, "I told him about my past, and he doesn't think differently of me. He makes me feel so comfortable in my own skin, and he's smart, and he's gentle, and he's giving, and he's patient, and he is such a good listener, and I l-"

I cut my sentence off, my eyes widening.

Dr. Esa raised an eyebrow, a knowing look in her eyes.

I cleared my throat, "U-um y-yeah I have a d-date and I'm excited," I mumbled, feeling my face heat, thinking about what I had almost just said.

Dr. Esa nodded, ignoring my slip, "So do you feel more secure in pursuing something with him now?"

I hesitated, and then nodded, "I'm definitely more secure now, because I know, through his actions, that there is something worth pursuing. Also..." I said, feeling distressed all of a sudden, "It has to mean something. It just has to. Everything he's done, I know now that it has crossed the line of friendly. So if he says at this point, that he was just being nice, well...I would be very mad at him," I huffed.

Dr. Esa chuckled, "Based on what you've told me, I don't think you're wrong at all for assuming that he's being more than just friendly, and there is something there."

I smiled, nodding along with her words.

"It's okay to take a chance on things, even if you don't think they're going to work out. Getting hurt sometimes is just a part of growth. Now I'm not saying that you should put yourself into bad situations, or put up with toxic relationships just for the ounce of happiness they may give you, but it's okay to let people in. You don't have to shut yourself off completely to protect yourself. We would all turn into cold and cruel people if we became so distrusting and distant from others. There's bravery in vulnerability." she said gently.

I nodded. Cutting off bad, unfulfilling and unbalanced relationships was important, but always being guarded wasn't healthy.

"Well Faye, you can let me know when you want to do another session okay? We'll go at your pace," she said, and I smiled at her.

"Thank you Dr. Esa."

We said our goodbyes and I made my way out of her office. I held onto my phone like shield as I walked out of the building.

Being away from the city had made recovery easier, but being back and immersed in all of the sounds and people was terrifying.

Aresius had dropped me off to my session this morning, giving me a claiming kiss.

"My brave girl," he had said as he dropped me off.

I had moved all my stuff back to Grams' house a few days ago, once Dr. Munroe had cleared all my tests.

I truly didn't want to leave; I wanted to be with him.

But technically, we weren't together.

The thought sent a pang through my chest.

He had been busy with work, but he made sure to call or text me at least once a day, usually checking up on me, and dropping by in the evenings, where Grams would rope him into having dinner with us.

He would then hold me as I went to sleep each night, his giant frame hanging off the edge of my bed.

He was gone when woke up in the morning.

It was nice that he cared enough to do that, but I preferred sleeping in his bed.

I blushed at the thought, and tightly wrapped my arms around myself. A car pulled up in front of me, and I smiled in relief.

"Get in cupcake, we've got an appointment to get to!" Josephine screamed, rolling the passenger side window down.

I giggled getting into the car, and putting my seatbelt on.

Josephine had texted me late last night that she would pick me up from my appointment with Dr. Esa, so that she could help me get ready for my date.

She was just the best.

I gave her a hug over the middle console of the car, complimenting her pretty outfit.

"Are you excited Faye?" she teased, pulling away from the curb.

I blushed, "Maybe," I mumbled.

She squealed, "This is so freaking exciting!"

And I laughed, her happiness infectious.

"I made an appointment at the salon for you by the way, to get your nails done and maybe even..." she glanced at me quickly, "A haircut?"

Her tone was apprehensive, and I took a deep breath, looking out the window.

Mama used to cut my hair until she passed away, and I didn't want anyone else doing it for years, causing my hair to grow out. When I turned 17, I finally let Grams touch up my hair every few months, chopping the split ends out.

Josephine knew that I felt as though letting someone else cut my hair would hurt my memory of Mama.

But I think it was time.

I looked at her, "I think I-I'm ready," I told her softly.

She squealed again, and then stopped herself, "You're sure? No rush Faye, you can do what you feel comfortable with."

"I'm ready Jojo, I feel like," I shrugged, "I don't know, I just feel like I'm moving into a new phase of my life."

"Mercury is in retrograde or whatever," Josephine sang, and I laughed at her antics.

She parked outside of Wabi-Sabi Spa and I grinned excitedly at Josephine. Tai's mom, Mrs Williams, owned this place, and I had only been here once before, despite her telling me to come each time I saw her.

The single time that I had come here, Josephine roped me into getting pedicures. It was horrible and I laughed the entire time.

It felt really strange.

Before we could get out of the car, a call rang on the Bluetooth display. Josephine picked it up, rushing out, "Hey Tai, what's up? Alette's here!"

"Uh...hi Alette..." Tai said awkwardly.

"Hi Bow Tie!"

"Um Jo can you check your phone, I sent you a text, I'll talk to you later. Bye!" Tai hung up the call.

How odd.

Josephine picked up her phone, and checked it, her brows furrowing as she typed a reply.

"Everything okay?" I asked her.

She quickly locked her phone and shoved it into her purse, giving me an exaggerated smile, "All good cupcake! Let's go."

With that, she unbuckled her belt and got out of the car.

Double odd.

I shrugged it off, getting out of the car. Josephine hooked her arm around mine and we walked inside the elegantly decorated spa.

"Hello beautiful ladies," Mrs Williams greeted us, once we entered, waving excitedly.

We said hello to Tai's mom and she didn't waste second before rushing us into a room for a special skin treatment.

My eyes widened and Josephine reassured me, "It's your day to get pampered Faye-girl!"

I didn't have time to react before a lady started prepping my skin. The next little while passed in me getting a facial, a manicure, and a pedicure.

When that was all done, I sat down in the salon chair, and Tai's mom stood behind me.

"Ready Faye?" she asked and I nodded.

I was ready.

She made the first cut on my wet hair, and I let out a breath. Josephine squealed and I smiled.

She continued cautiously with snipping pieces of hair and I stared down at my nails. I had gotten them painted a nude pink colour, with tiny light grey flower on the each of the fourth fingers.

She continued cutting my hair, and I avoided looking in the mirror until she was finished blow-drying.

I finally opened my eyes, and looked at myself.

The change wasn't that big, just a few inches off, and now my hair rested below my shoulders, just by my armpits. She had cut a few pieces at the front slightly shorter, and they framed my face. My hair looked lighter now that it was blow-dried making it voluminous and straight, rather than my usual wavy, curly updo. My face looked as though it was glowing, and my nails were absolutely perfect.

"Oh I love it," I gushed softly, disbelievingly staring at myself.

Mrs Williams gave me a hug, "I'm so glad you like it Faye!"

I thanked her multiple times, and Jojo and I walked out to her car.

"Well that felt like a movie makeover scene, and you look absolutely stunning," Josephine, said.

I smiled nodding, "I love it, thank you for that Jo!"

We sat down in the car, and she began driving to Grams' house.

When we arrived, we went inside to greet Gramma.

"Oh my goodness Faye! My precious girl, you look beautiful!" she said, and I smiled shyly, "Your hair looks amazing! You look like a professional young lady."

I giggled at Grams' words, and she ushered us into the kitchen to eat a quick snack before getting ready. I nibbled on a strawberry nervously, my anxiety taking over me.

While I was excited for my first date ever, I was beyond nervous. Aresius made me feel so giddy and safe, but he was just...perfect, and it made me nervous.

Josephine and I rushed up the stairs, and bounded into my room. She threw her phone and bag on my bed, and we started rifling through my closet.

"Have something in mind in terms of outfits?" Josephine asked, as we stood side-by-side in the closet. I shrugged, not even knowing where to start.

"I think a dress would be good," she prompted, looking at my collection of dresses.

"What if...it's not like a dress type of date?" I asked, biting my lip worriedly.

She thought about it for a second, and then said decidedly, "I have a feeling it is going to be a dress type of date."

I raised an eyebrow, and she just shrugged sheepishly, "I have a feeling cupcake, what can I say?"

I giggled and nodded, deciding to go along with the dress idea. I felt as though I would feel the prettiest in a dress anyways.

"Well, how about you get inside of the closet, pick the dress that you feel the best in, and put that on hm? That might be the best idea," Josephine said, stepping out of the closet.

I nodded, the idea seeming smart, and I closed the closet door.

I rifled through my dresses, when one of them fell off of the hanger. It was a pale pink, almost a pearlescent white dress that used to belong to my Mama. It was a soft and flowy material that ended at my calves. It had a looser skirt, and a tighter top, and sleeves that ended at my elbows. There were buttons running down the front, and it was the perfect mix of slightly dressy, with a touch of vintage.

I knew this was the one.

I put it on quickly, sliding it over my head, trying not to ruin my blow-dried head.

It got caught on my hair.

I yanked my head out of it, and smoothed down my hair. I twirled to the side slightly, and the soft material swished lightly. It fit perfectly: not uncomfortably tight around my chest, and not too loose to the point where my figure was invisible.

"You ready?" Josephine shouted from inside the room.

"I'm coming out now," I called to her, taking a breath.

"Ha! Been there done that," she laughed, "Let's see your outfit cupcake!"

I opened the closet door and walked out slowly.

"Well...how does it look?" I asked Josephine.

"You look like a freaking fairy princess dude," Jojo said, her mouth slightly gaping, making me giggle.

"Thanks Jo," I told her gratefully.

She looked at her watch, "Let's get the rest of you ready, he's going to be here soon." She sat me down in front of my vanity, and I just nodded at her, not trusting myself to speak with the flurry of nerves that had just overtaken me.

I put on some moisturizer, and then Josephine helped me apply a tiny bit of makeup, around my eyes, and on a teeny pimple that had popped up to join the party once it found out I had something important to do today.

"I'm putting on a tiny bit of blush because your cheeks are always red around him anyways, and a tiny bit of colour on your lips because you're going to bite it off anyways," Josephine said, smacking a brush on my face. She curled my lashes, and finished with a coat of mascara on my top and bottom lashes.

"I'm not going to contour your face because you somehow have a tan from...just sitting inside doing nothing?" she told me, "And also because your chubby cheeks are so cute, no need to do anything to them."

She turned away to put the makeup down, and I bit my lip. When she turned around, she raised her brow, "What's with the face?" she asked, sitting down on my bed.

"U-um w-well you said I look...cute," she nodded at my words, "B-but I want to...oh I don't know," I stood up, wringing my hands.

I took a breath and looked at her, "I want to look...hot and...I want him to find me desir-"

I cut myself off, equal parts blushing and cringing.

She walked up to me and grabbed my hands, "Now you listen to me, and you listen well: you're beautiful, through and through. Every part of you is beautiful, and when someone lo-," she abruptly paused, "Um when someone cares about you to the extent that he cares about you, they will find you beautiful and desirable in the littlest of things you do." She patted my cheek when I nodded along, feeling slightly more relieved.

She went to grab a pair of shoes from my closet and stopped, looking behind her shoulder, "Also Faye," she gave me a smirk, "Have you seen the way that man looks at you? It's like nothing else even exists."

I turned bright red and looked at my feet, my heart racing.

"I do want to say though, you make sure to let him know how fast or slow he can go yes? You don't have to do anything you don't want to, and while based on how he is, I know he wont pressure you at any point, I just want you to know, that you're the only one that is in charge of giving your consent," Josephine said, solemnly, and I nodded, my heart beating at the thought of the 'things' she was talking about.

She peaked her head out of the closet, "Just because he's taking you out, doesn't mean you have to do anything," then she got a mischievous glint in her eyes, "Unless of course, you want to," she sang, wiggling her eyebrows.

"Jo please oh my goodness," I fanned my heated face as she laughed like a villain from the closet.

Josephine grabbed a pair of matching strappy sandals, and I cooled down, putting on some perfume, and lotion on my arms; I put on my Mama's thin gold ring on the middle finger of my right hand, and the two of us walked down the stairs, and into the living room where Grams and Uncle Syl sat.

Grams gasped when I walked in, and Uncle Syl looked taken aback.

"No way that's Faye," Uncle Syl said, making me giggle, "This is the same Faye that always has flour on her nose? And her hair up in a birds nest everyday?"

His tone was teasing as he got up to give me a hug, "You look great kiddo."

I smiled, and looked at Grams, "I wish your parents were here to see you flourish into the strong woman you're becoming my precious Faye, I love you."

I felt tears prickling in my eyes and I hugged her. We sat down in the living room, making small talk, when Uncle Syl's phone rang, and Josephine got a text message. Uncle Syl looked down at his phone, then at Grams and Jo, and then at me.

"Uh...work stuff," he said, rushing out of the room.

Josephine typed furiously on her phone, seeming annoyed, but when I asked her, she locked the phone again, and brushed it off.

We all resumed talking, everyone making sure to keep the conversation simple, to help my nerves. Uncle Syl came back and joined us, his mouth filled with cookies.

How on earth this man managed to keep a toned body when he ate like a 6 year old, was a mystery to me.

"How was your paper-" Uncle Syl's question was cut off by the doorbell, and my eyes widened comically.

Was it too late to make up an excuse to not go?

"Uh yeah Aresius sorry I can't come because I have to go...knit my therapist's fish a sweater."

Was that believable?

I looked around anxiously at everyone, my eyes big, while Uncle Syl laughed at me, "You're fine you little ball of nerves, I'll get the door."

Before he could get to the door, I stopped him, "Um I t-think I should get it," I said, my stuttering increasing by a tenfold because of how anxious I was.

Uncle Syl moved back, and held his hands out, "Be my guest, I don't want to see his dumb face anyways," he said teasingly.

I gasped, narrowing my eyes at Uncle Syl, "Not nice Syl."

He laughed and I took a breath, steadying myself before walking to the door.

I touched the doorknob with shaky hands, and then steeling myself, I opened the door quickly, making direct eye contact with him.

Letting out a squeal, I moved before thinking, slamming the door shut again.

Now why in the heck did I do that?

I heard Josephine and Uncle Syl losing it behind me in the living room, and Grams trying to shush them.

"Uh Faye...maybe we should, open the door again?" Grams called gently, from where they all were in the other room.

I nodded turning red.

Nice going Faye.

I placed my hand on the doorknob, and opened the door, stepping back this time, so I didn't have the urge the shut it again.

My breath whooshed out of my chest, as my jaw went slack.

He looked stunning.

He wore dark pants, and a white linen button-up shirt. It was the only time that I had seen him wear anything other than black and grey. In his large tattooed hand, he held a bouquet of flowers.

Pink lilies.

My heart beat out of my chest as I looked up from the flowers into his eyes.

We both hadn't said anything yet.

We just stood, staring at each other, our mouths slightly agape.

And then at the same time we said:

"Hello."

I would have been embarrassed at my breathless voice, if his hadn't sounded the exact same.