To Love A Friend

by Jana David

Darcy

  I stayed at my mum's place until Thursday. I think, when I showed up at her doorstep, bloodied and bruised, she got a bit of a shock. But, being my mum, she got over it pretty quickly, simply ushering me into the bathroom, already assessing my injuries.

  She asked what had happened, of course, but I didn't tell her. There were just some things I couldn't and wouldn't share with her, and she knew and respected that. I loved her for it.

  He was gone. By the time I made it home the next day, His room was bare. He'd even taken the time to hoover.

  There was a note scribbled onto a piece of paper lying on the floor, telling me that he'd left. As if I couldn't figure that out by myself.

  I heard the door downstairs open and fall shut again. For a brief moment I hoped it might be Ian, but of course it was just Sam.

  “Sorry”, was the first thing he said when he came upstairs and saw me standing in the empty room. People were saying sorry to me a lot lately.

  “I wanted to tell you, but it seemed too personal to do over text.”

  I shrugged. “Well, I can't say I'm surprised by it, really.”

  And I wasn't. Mostly, I just felt numb.

  Chapter 11