Arranged love

normalcy is good

Juliet's Pov

I've been home for weeks now, it's heart April, and spring has set inn for full after a cold and gloomy march. The winter coats were tossed in the back of the closet a few days ago and exchanged for lighter spring jackets. Scarves, gloves, and hats were packed away and put in the closet until fall comes along and we have pulled out lighter clothes that are aching for us to use. When the seasons change, we get a fresh outlook on things, and with everything that has happened to me, I like the fresh start it brings.

Today I'm getting out of the house and going back to work. I've been debating it for a while now and I think I'm ready. will has already gone back to week; he did after one week home with me because the company needed him, and I said it was fine. he did my work while I was held captive and has been doing it now until I was ready to step my foot back into the office.

I'm starting a bit later than will and keeping my day shorter to start slowly. The last thing I want to do is overwhelm myself and get into a bad space mentally. I'm walking a delicate line mentally, so I don't want to push myself too far.

People like me who are kidnapping victims working their way back into their regular lives all react differently, at least that's what I was told in the one session I did with a psychologist. My family pushed me into it, so I caved but it wasn't my thing, so I only went once. Therapy isn't for me, I'm not in the mood to dig up everything that happened so she can use her time on someone else who could benefit more from her help.

What I did get out of the session was that the emotions of being rescued come in waves and everyone reacts differently. Sometimes people have a hard time in the beginning but then it fades as they work to get their life back, but for some, it starts off easier and then it gets worse. Then there is every variable inside that again. I have no idea where I fall on that spectrum though, and I'm not going to obsess about it.

I get into my town car and look out the window on my way to the office. People of all ages are walking the streets. Kids on their way to school, adults on their way to work, and couples taking a stroll together. There is nothing drastic happening on the streets today, but I can't help but feel unsafe. It's a constant looming feeling ever since I got home, and I can't seem to shake it off.

But when we stop at a red light, I spot someone I know, Patrick. He is probably on his way to class at Columbia, but he is standing close to a man I don't know. His arms are around his neck while the guy has his arms around Patrick's waist. They seem close, and I'm left wondering if there is something more between them.

I've never heard about Patrick having a girlfriend, and any question about dating gets avoided whenever someone brings it up. He is a private person, at least that's what I concluded as the reason why he didn't want to talk about it. I failed to think about the possibility that he kept it hidden or other reasons. Sexuality is a topic constantly being debated in our world where people have all kinds of views about who to love and what they think the social norms should be. But I think you can love who you want to love. Boys and boys, girls and boys, or girls and girls. If you're not harming anyone it shouldn't matter.

It doesn't harm me if my neighbor, the barista who makes my coffee, or my brother-in-law is gay. It's a beautiful thing if you know who you are and who you are attracted to. Thankfully there is more focus on it in society now, with pride and all that, to show support for those who feel different than what was considered the social norm a hundred years ago. Loving who you want to love should be a human right in my eyes, but sadly not everyone feels like that.

I'm not going to bring it up to Patrick because I don't want to force him to come out if he doesn't want to. I don't even know if it was a romantic relationship between those two, but if it is I'm of course going to be happy for him. He knows that he can always come to me if he wants to talk, and when or if he is ready, he will talk. I have never really had a conversation with the Hiltons about their views on other sexualities than straight, but I hope that they are open-minded. It would suck if they weren't, and Patrick would suffer from it. Everyone deserves the room to express themself however they want.