It had been a week since Kyle's attack. Addison was sitting, curled up in front of the TV, under her throw. She had lost some weight and her eyes were slightly sunken in their sockets. She was still beautiful to him. He didn't know what to do to help her through this. He sat beside her and put a hand on her knee; she jumped at his touch. She had been like this with him since the day after the attack. She looked at him as her eyes welled up with tears.
“Hey...” He began softly. “It's okay.” He wrapped an arm around her as she collapsed in his chest.
“I'm sorry.” She looked up at him. “I'm so sorry Nate.”
“It's alright. Baby, we'll work through it.” He kissed her on top of her head. I hope. He thought to himself. He knew that he was ready to wait, no matter how long but he seriously had to see some kind of progress somewhere. He wondered, somehow if she'd be better off surrounded by her family, those that pulled her through her last incident. He didn't believe that he was enough, to get both of them through this.
A month later, Nathan couldn't believe his ears. They had gotten into an argument. Their first and at the rate it was going, he was hoping that it would be their last. He knew that Addison was hurting and that she didn't mean any of what she was saying.
“Fine! If you're so tired of this all, then maybe I should just go.” Addison cried. “What the hell am I trying to do here anyway? There's nothing for me here anymore.” She told him.
“Addison, I know you don't mean that.” He had told her in a calm tone. He had grabbed both of her forearms to stop her and make her look into his face. She tried to wrestle away from him but was unsuccessful.
“I think I need to go home for a while.” She told him. “Nathan, I love you, but I can't do this anymore.” Nathan dropped his grip and felt his body wanting to go limp. Addison grabbed his face between her hands and gave him a soft kiss on the lips. “I love you. Goodbye.” Addison walked out of his house and went home.
“I can't believe you're home.” Her mother wrapped her arms around her. The day after her argument with Nathan, she took the first flight out to Rhode Island. She needed her family. Addison curled into her mother's arms and whimpered. She pulled away and her mother noticed that something wasn't right. “What's the matter Sweetie.” She asked as she grabbed her cheek.
“Mom, I think I've done something I might regret.” She sat down at the kitchen table. “Something happened in Stanford, Mom. Something great.”
“It sounded like you were pretty happy when we'd talk.” Her mother admitted. “What happened?”
“Something bad happened.” Addison told her.
“With him?” Her mother guessed.
“No, not with him. Never anything bad with him, Mom. I was raped Mom.” She told her mother. “It wasn't Nathan. It was this guy in one of my classes. Why did this have to happen?” She looked up at her mother.
“We know, Hunny.” Addison's mother told her. “Nathan called us to let us know. He was really worried and didn't know what to do.” Her mother squeezed her hand. “If you love him Sweetie, and if he loves you, then it's never to late to make a mends.
Addison couldn't sleep well that first night back at her parents' house. She lay awake, tossing and turning. “I miss you.” She whispered to the four walls of her bedroom as a tear slipped down her cheek. She grabbed her cell and dialed. The phone rang once, twice, up to five times before the voice-mail picked up. Why wasn't anyone picking up? She decided to call Nathan's cell after unsuccessfully reaching him at home. He never picked that up either. I just want to hear your voice. She told him through her subconscious. She cried herself to sleep that night. That was the same for the following night and every night after that.