2:18 a.m.

Clothes are slowly slipping off your body, and cheap synthetics seem to be scratching at your skin, wanting to rip it out. The purple bruises that have already appeared on your arms and stomach resound with pain, as if directly into your throat, increasing the already large lump. You're used to being naked, no matter where. But in this apartment, in this room, there is no smell of alcohol and cigarettes, no broken bottles and bread crumbs all over the floor. Here, the vibrations from the scream are not felt on the peeling skin, and instead of blows you feel cool palms with a loving touch.

Nicholas sighs softly, throwing your dirty T-shirt into the corner of the room. He'll pick it up and put it in the washing machine later. The way you cover your body from your boyfriend is sad for him to see.

Nicholas sits down next to you on the bed, keeping some distance. You're lucky he lives near you. It's lucky that his apartment is on the ground floor. You're lucky you have Nicholas.

"I have pizza. Are you hungry, baby?" He puts his cool hand on your back, looks at the bruises. Someday Nicholas will snap and kill your father, but right now you need a gentle and loving boyfriend, not a vindictive and cruel man.

You don't say anything to him. Although Nicholas did not expect a violent reaction. It is unlikely that you want to eat right now.

"I'll bring you some tea." Nicholas puts you on the bed, which is still warm after he was lying in it. He covers you with a blanket, trying to be as gentle as possible. You are now more fragile than ever.

"After eating, I'll put cream on your bruises, and they'll go away quickly. Deal?"