Someone was shaking me awake.

I opened my eyes to a worried Stella standing over me.

"Are you okay?? I've been knocking for about ten minutes. I didn't want to come in here but you scared me..."

I grabbed the towel she was holding out for me and stood up, wrapping it around myself.

"No you're fine. I must have fallen asleep I'm sorry." I apologized.

"It's okay honey. I was just worried, I'll let you change so we can go look at the house." She said quickly, trying not to stare at my bruises or swollen eyes.

I nodded.

Once she left the room, I threw on the clothes I picked out.

"Ella?" I asked.

She came in.

"Yes dear?"

"Do you have any foundation?" I asked, pointing towards the dark purple finger prints that were slightly imprinted on my arms.

She nodded, going over to the sink.

"Sit down dear. I can cover them for you."

I sat down in the light blue plush chair that was facing a large mirror.

"Do you care if I brush your hair and do your makeup? I've always wanted to have someone to practice on..." she asked nervously.

She never did anything wrong towards me.

I smiled lightly.

"Go ahead." I confirmed.

Relief ran through her features in the reflection of the mirror.

She grabbed a wet brush and began to brush my hair.

"I'm sorry about everything that happened to you." She said as she gently brushed my hair.

"I don't know how to react to everything." I replied honestly.

She nodded.

I studied my swollen eyes in the mirror. I looked sickly. My hair was longer than it used to be. I frowned as I remembered him holding me down by my hair.

"Your detective will be visiting tomorrow. I heard that there will be court sometime, I don't know when though."

"Do you know how to cut hair?" I asked, changing the subject.

"Yes. I help style a lot of other models a lot, I went to cosmetology school as well. Why dear?"

"I would love for you to cut mine." I suggested.

She nodded enthusiastically.

"Any specific way you want it?" She asked eagerly, as her eyes shined brightly.

"If you could cut it to at least below my chin, whatever you want will be fine." I stated.

She opened a drawer under the mirror and rummaged through it, coming up with scissors.

"I know exactly what would match you." She stated, getting right to it as she began to layer my hair and cut it off.

I closed my eyes as I waited for her to finish.

Each snip I heard felt like a huge weight was released from my shoulders each time.

I smiled as I began to feel like a whole new person, not the one that was held down forcefully by her hair, but one who would never be held down again.

____________________________________

I admired myself as I felt like a completely different person.

Ella cut my hair right below my chin as I had asked, styling my hair into beach waves.

My now short hair complimented my strong jawline that was now more prominant.

She applied dark brown eyeliner to my eyes to compliment my dark green eyes.

She had plucked my eyebrows as well.

I looked like a new version of me.

I was no longer a girl, but a woman.

"Thanks a lot Ella." I stated, smiling at her.

"You could model for my agency dear. You really could." She stated.

"I don't know if that life is for me..." I stated, feeling unsure.

"I'll let you come to work with me a few times and if you want you can try it out. If not I'll back off." She stated.

"Okay..." I told her.

"Let's go check out the house dear. I boxed those clothes up for you while you were bathing. They are in the car."

I nodded following her out of the bathroom, turning the light off on the way out.

She led me to the car outside, digging in her purse and grabbing car keys out, unlocking the black mustang outside with the roof down sitting in the driveway.

The boxes were in the backseat.

I raised my eyebrows.

"Wow. Nice car."

She nodded.

"I have a few more."

We got into the car.

"You will like the house. It's small but it seems like you." She stated as she pulled on a pair of sunglasses.

"You want a pair? It's bright out today." She stated as she grabbed another pair out of her purse and handed them to me.

I took them gratefully.

I thanked her as I now didn't have to strain my eyes due to the harsh sun.

She turned the car on, and pulled out of the driveway.

"So where is your son?" I asked.

"He's with my mother. He's staying the weekend with her."

I nodded, giving my attention to the breezy air and nice feel of the sun warming my face.

"The short hair matches you better." She complimented me.

"Thanks." I said, smiling at her.

"You're welcome darling."

A few minutes later we pulled into a dirt road trail, following the trail.

"You're neighbors are kind of far away. It's a secluded area, but there's an amazing security system and if you want I could get you a dog or something so you wouldn't feel alone." She offered.

"That would be comforting." I nodded.

We pulled up to a stone and brick simple house.

"We lived in this house before I got pregnant. It was really mine. It's not in his name but I offered, it was perfect for me when I was alone." She stated, unbuckling and stepping out of the car.

I stepped out of the car, following her up the cute stoned entrance.

We pulled a key out of her purse and opened the door, motioning me inside with a grin.

I stepped inside.

It was beautiful, tile floor led towards the living room and covered the kitchen as well.

It was very open.

You could tell nobody had been living in it for a while as dust was settled everywhere.

Coverings covered old furniture.

"Why didn't you sell it?" I asked.

She shrugged.

"I didn't have the heart to." She stated.

"I wanted to make sure that whoever lived here would take good care of it. I hope that you will dear." She stated, studying the house in sadness.

There were high rise ceilings, a chandelier in the living room giving it a classy edge.

A fireplace was in the living room, a TV mount above it.

There was a large set of windows in the living room as well.

"It's beautiful." I stated.

She nodded.

"Let's go into the kitchen. I'll tell you about it."

I followed her into the kitchen, the tile floor changing colors than it was in the living room.

It was hard to tell through the dust.

"This stove works well, it will just need cleaning. It's a semi new gas stove. The dishwasher works well, there are old dishes in the attic and stuff like that." She left the kitchen, beckoning for me to follow her.

I followed her through a small hallway leading to three doors.

One on the right, left, and middle.

She pointed up.

"This is the attic."

I looked up seeing a tiny string hanging.

"You hook a piece of metal to it to pull it down. The piece of metal usually stays on this wall, she pointed towards it.

"It's not noticeable at all." She stated.

I nodded.

" I didn't even see it until you pointed it out." I laughed.

She opened the door to the left.

"This is the guest bathroom."

It was a bathroom styled with white tile, but was very dusty.

"I'm sorry I know it's quite nasty in here." She said shaking her head.

"No it's fine. I can clean it up just fine." I assured her.

She opened the middle door at the end of the hallway.

"This is your room."

The was a queen sized bed in the middle of the large sized room, covered in plastic.

You could tell it had long bed posts with a square top outlining.

There was a vanity covered as well.

This room had slate flooring, with a vaulted ceiling with exposed wooden beams.

"This is beautiful." I commented in awe.

She nodded.

"You should see the bathroom and closet." She said, winking.

She showed me the large bathroom. There was a porcelain white tub in the middle of the room, at least it looked to be. It was circular.

A showers covered the right side, the toilet on the left with a shelf over it.

There was a window in the middle, curtain keeping out the light.

I opened the curtains, dust flying everywhere.

The window showed the view of an overgrown beautiful garden, Greek and Roman statues covering the garden as overgrown vines covered them.

"The garden needs a lot of work, I'll have to hire someone..." Ella commented.

"It gives me something to do. Don't worry about it."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. I want to do it." I stated, already looking forward to maintaining the beautiful garden.

She then showed me the walk in closet, along with an extra room that was the door on the right in the hallway. There was a lot of furniture pieces in there.

She informed me that there was a shed full of gardening tools out in the back of the yard.

We grabbed the boxes out of the car and placed them in the walk in closet floor.

"We can have the house in your name today if you would like." She stated.

"I'm very grateful for what your doing Ella. I would love to have this house." I stated, as I knew I was in love with it already.

She nodded and hugged me.

"I'm just glad to be able to help. If you wouldn't mind I could help clean the house with you today and spend the night..."

"Of course!" I stared, knowing that Ella and I were going to be very close.

"We can go shopping for some cleaning supplies and stuff today as well. We will have to leave now to get it all done though." She stated.

I nodded.

"Thank you. I'm really grateful for all of this..."

"It's my pleasure." She smiled.

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