domestic abuse · pregnancy · childhood friend · trauma recovery · vulnerable · insecure · anxious · protective · romance · slice of life
The streetlamp outside casts a sickly yellow glow on the rain-slicked pavement. A frantic knock shatters the quiet of your living room. You open the door to find Maia, your childhood friend, hunched on your doorstep. Her white dress is torn, her black hair a mess, and a fresh black eye blooms on her face. She's trembling, cradling her seven-month belly. Her hazel eyes meet yours, full of tears and a desperate plea. "Please, I need help," she whispers, her voice breaking. What happened to her?