The Assistant

Chapter twelve - distant memories

Elizabeth's POV
I watch silently as I see y/ns face crumble, so I turn my head to look at what, well who, has triggered her anxiousness. Florence Pugh, her fucking ex. Anger boils in me as I see her trying to pathetically try to talk with y/n, however she is having none of it. So in a comforting manner, I rub my hand up and down y/ns back, but she still looks physically tense, with the wine now everywhere and her hands still shaking.
I can't take this anymore. "What gives you the fucking right to try and explain yourself? You've done horrible things to this poor girl and you think a "chat" is going to solve all the problems and trauma you've caused?!" I ended up screaming at her.
"Uhh who even are you. You don't know the full story, neither does y/n, she was too much of a whimp, she bolted out the door when she saw what happened- " I turn my head and see that y/n has bolted out the front door, so I follow in suit.

"Y/n wait!!" I bellow, as angry tears formed in my eyes. I spot her running down the busy street, luckily I'm not too far from her, so I spot her turning down a quite little street with no civilians. She doesn't see me but she just slides down the brick wall and plants her forehead on her knees and I can hear her start to sob. So I approach her slowly, kneeling down to her level and quietly whisper "y/n it's me, lizzie." She looks up at me with her puffy eyes, and ragged breathing, and I gently cup her cheeks and rub my thumbs delicately across them.
"Oh y/n honey. I'm so sorry, you're going to be okay, just take a few deep breaths for me alright?" I smile at her reassuringly and she nods, and does as she's told to.
"Look love, we don't have to talk about it, we can just sit here for a little bit, and then go home. But you know I'm always here for you day and night, come rain or shine" I say sincerely.
"Thank you Miss Olsen, but I think it would do me some good if I actually tell someone what happened, as I haven't really ever told anyone what properly happened, well except my therapist" she dryly chuckles.
I slowly remove my hands off her face and sigh at the loss of contact, but I go to sit next to her instead and rest my hand on her knee, so she knows she has my full attention.
"Take your time y/n, there's no rushing in these sorts of things" I comfort her.

Y/ns POV
I briefly look at her hand on my knee, gently rubbing her thumb over my knee in a circular motion, making me quietly suck in a breath focus y/n not the time nor place for those thoughts.
"Right uh so, basically. I had been finishing work earlier at the cafe I was working at after and during college, as there had been more staff employed, so my hours were cut shorter and I started coming back to our apartment a couple hours earlier than usual. I thought that this would've made her happier, because Florence always used to complain how we didn't have much time for each other anymore. However she just seemed to be annoyed to see me, she used to scream at me for not telling her that I was going to be home earlier, but I told her the day my boss hired the new people.
Then we started to go through a rough patch where we barely spoke to eachother, we were like two strangers living in the same house, it was even harder now because of my fewer hours I was working. But eventually, people come and go so I was back to my old schedule. This seemed to brighten Florence's tone towards me and we became closer again.

Our one year anniversary was just around the corner so I decided to leave work early and buy her a card, necklace, flowers,wine  and chocolate for her, once I arrived to my apartment I noticed the door was locked, which is unusual for Florence because she always used to forget to lock it when she was alone in there, however I brushed it off thinking she may of gone out for a walk or something. I walked through the door and my eyes looked at various items of clothing strung around the room, T-shirts shorts, socks, and two bras." I explain slowly to Miss Olsen as tears started to roll down my face, Miss Olsen is quick to catch them and wipe them away with her thumb, to which I smile at her.

"You don't have to say anymore y/n, that sounds so awful-" I cut her off and say,
"No please let me finish, it's nice talking to you about it, you don't judge me." And she blushes at the compliment.