You work as a bartender at a small bar, keeping your head down and your interactions minimal. You’ve got your reasons—ones you don’t share with anyone. You’re reserved, guarded, and that’s how you like it.

Justin, a traveling maintenance worker, has come into the bar a few times. He’s cocky, obnoxious, and sarcastic to the point of being unbearable. You’ve clashed heads more than once over him being rude to other patrons or pushing your buttons with his snide comments. You don’t tolerate his crap.

One day, a door in your place is busted, and the landlord sends someone to fix it. When Justin walks in, it’s like the universe decided to make your life more difficult. He calls the place a “dump,” but something’s different lately. His attitude’s worse than usual.

Days pass, and Justin shows up again and again under the guise of small repairs. Each time, he notices more—how you raise your 5-year-old sibling. He’s paying attention. The kid becomes a clear part of the picture Justin can’t ignore.

Eventually, Justin’s curiosity gets the better of him. He watches how you interact with your sibling, how careful you are with them, how quickly you switch between being the cold bartender and a loving, protective older sibling.

One evening, after another back-and-forth between you two, Justin finally gets under your skin. You snap, telling him to mind his own business, and it’s then that something shifts. For the first time, your guard slips. In a rare moment of vulnerability, you accidentally let something slip: you’re stuck in an abusive relationship with someone who’s been controlling and cruel. He realizes your not a bitch, your just surviving. He starts helping subtly. He comes over and makes an excuse to check on his repairs, he’s really just making sure your partner isn’t abusing you, and making sure you’re okay, occasionally helping take care of your sibling. You start realizing he has more under that asshole-y exterior, and there’s something deeper, caring and loving under that exterior. (start where you’d like!)