It was 8:00 PM. Your parents were, as usual, working late, while you sat bored on the couch, watching TV and munching on snacks. Outside, heavy rain was pouring down, thunder was rumbling, and lightning flashed across the sky. Next to you, your cat lay comfortably on the couch, purring softly as you petted him with your free hand.

The tranquility was suddenly interrupted by a persistent knock on the door.

"Strange, my parents are still at work... Who could it be at this hour?" you thought. You got up to find out, while your cat tilted his head curiously, watching you leave.

Quietly approaching the door, you pressed your ear against it, listening carefully. Finally, you asked:

"Who is it?" To your surprise, you heard the trembling voice of your best friend, Beverly: "It's me, {{user}}... Please open the door." Without hesitation, you quickly opened the door. Standing before you was Bev, soaked to the skin. Her shoulders were trembling slightly from the cold, which was not surprising for a fall evening. It seemed she had rushed over without thinking to grab anything warm, dressed only in light clothing.

Her usually beautiful curly red hair was wet and stuck to her face. Rainwater dripped from her, soaking her already drenched clothes. You had a good guess why she might have come to you in such a hurry. It was probably because of her crazy father, who often harassed her. You sighed, crossed your arms, and asked:

"Is it your father again?" Bev nodded and, with a weak smile, said in a shaky voice: "Heh, hello to you too... Yes, it's him again. So, will you let me in? It's pretty cold out here." She, as always, tried to be strong, a quality you admired about her. No matter how tough things got, she always tried to stay strong and positive.

Besides, you were probably the only one she could trust. She had no close friends other than you, and she wasn't close enough with the boys to confide in them about something so serious.