Grace and Rose had been staying overtime during their night lessons, since they had to prepare for their upcoming exams. So, Grace offered to walk Rose home because it was already late and she knew her friend was afraid of the dark.
As they walked along the quiet, dimly lit streets, Rose chattered away, talking about their classes, friends, and her plans for the weekend. Grace listened attentively, occasionally nodding and smiling, but mostly she was just happy to be there with her friend. She enjoyed the quiet companionship of their walk.
The air was crisp and cool, and the only sounds were the rustling of the leaves on the trees and the distant hum of cars on the nearby highway. The streetlights casted long shadows on the pavement, and occasionally a cat darted out from under a parked car or a group of teenagers laughed loudly in the distance. But mostly, it was just the two of them, walking side by side in comfortable silence.
As they neared Rose's house, Grace grew more and more reluctant to say goodbye. She didn't want to go back to her own empty house, with its creaking floors and ominous shadows. She wished they could keep walking forever, talking, laughing and enjoying each other's company.
Finally, they reached Rose's doorstep, and Rose turned to her friend with a smile. "Thanks for walking me home, Grace. You're the best."
Grace smiled back, her eyes shining with warmth and affection. "Anytime, Rose. Don't mention it."
With a final wave, Rose disappeared into her house, leaving Grace alone on the sidewalk. She stood there for a few moments, watching the shadows dance in the moonlight, and then she turned and started back towards her own home. The walk was still long and dark, but somehow, she felt quite satisfied.
Grace continued on her journey home, and as she walked along the quiet, deserted streets, she felt a growing sense of unease. It was almost as if someone was following her, lurking in the shadows just out of sight.
She tried to shake off the feeling and quickened her pace, but the hairs on the back of her neck prickled with a growing sense of danger. She glanced over her shoulder, but saw no one behind her. Nevertheless, she couldn't shake the feeling that she was being watched.
As she approached a dark alleyway, a man suddenly stepped out from the shadows and grabbed her by the arm. Grace let out a scream as the man spun her around and pressed a sharp object against her throat. The metal of the knife cold against her soft skin, causing her to whimper in fear.
"Come with me." He growled, his voice low and menacing. Just enough to make her understand that one wrong move and he would probably slit her throat open. Her body was compelled to follow him; her heart hammering painfully in her chest, as he led her deeper into the dark alley and away from the walkway.
"Please let me go, I don't have any money, I'm a student." She whispered, but her captor refused to let her go. "I just want to go home." He slammed her against the nearby wall, as soon as she said this. Then he slapped her.
Grace's eyes flew open, and she gasped for air. It took her a few moments to realize that she was safe in her own bed, her heart still pounding with the memory of her unsettling dream. She lay there for a long time, shaken and in terror, trying to calm her breathing and reassure herself that it had only been a dream.
She thought memories of that night had been buried and long forgotten; but they still came to haunt her. There was a bitter taste in her mouth, she couldn't help but feel disgusted. It felt like his hands were all over her body, it was repulsive. She got up and dashed across her room, heading for the bathroom, where she threw up all the dinner she'd had.
She collapsed on the ground, drained, violated and vulnerable. Tears of frustration built up in her eyes, and she pressed her palms tightly against her mouth and cried.
"Good morning!" Rose yelled crushing Grace in a back-hug; She jolted in shock.
"Hey, Rose."
"Hey, what happened to you? Your face is all swollen and red. Have you been crying?" Rose eyes narrowed with concern, it had been a while since she saw Grace being emotional. Ever since a tragic incident that happened two years ago, she had tried to be more tough. So it was very strange to see Grace's face all puffy and red.
"No, it's nothing, I just have a stomach ache." She lied, forcing out a smile to make herself look a little bit believable. Rose was not having any of her excuses, she knew something was up with her friend but she decided not to press her further. They just walked side by side towards class, Rose feeling deeply troubled.
Grace sat in her seat for her math class, but her mind was somewhere else entirely. She had been feeling absentminded all day, ever since she had woken up from her nightmare in the middle of the night. Her heart pounded in her chest, as she relieved the traumatic experience that had haunted her for two years.
As her teacher droned on about algebraic equations, Grace tried to focus on the lesson, but she found herself staring blankly at the whiteboard, her mind wandering aimlessly. She couldn't shake the feeling of unease that had settled in the pit of her stomach, a feeling that had been building up inside her all morning.
Suddenly, the sound of a chair scraping against the floor broke her out of her trance. Grace looked up to see her teacher, Ms. Johnson, standing next to her desk with a concerned look on her face.
"Grace, is everything alright?" Ms. Johnson asked softly, "I've been calling you to get me the roll call, but you were just staring at me without speaking."
Grace shook her head, unable to find the words to express the turmoil she was feeling inside. She wanted to tell her teacher about the nightmares that had been plaguing her, the memories that wouldn't let her go, but she couldn't.
Maybe her peers would mock her.
Ms. Johnson seemed to understand her hesitation, and she didn't press her any further.
"I know it's hard, Grace. But if you ever need to talk, I'm here for you. Sometimes, it helps to just get things off your chest." She said, her voice gentle and reassuring.
Grace nodded, her eyes brimming with tears, as she was touched by the teacher's kindness. Rose then held Grace's hands and mouthed the words "Is everything okay?" So I just squeezed her hand to reassure her.
As the bell rang, signaling the end of class, Ms. Johnson gave Grace a small smile and a pat on the back before she made her way out of the classroom. Grace sat there for a few more moments, taking a deep breath and trying to collect herself.
"You know you can tell me anything, right?" Rose asked softly and Grace nodded.
"What happened is that, I had a dream. A dream about that day." She whispered.
Rose stared down at the table. "Those memories will keep haunting you, and this is all my fault." Rose admitted with a guilty look on her face.
"I can't believe you're still blaming yourself for what happened!" Grace said, her eyes flashing with frustration.
"But it's true! If I hadn't asked you to walk me home, It wouldn't have happened." Rose retorted, her voice shaking with emotion. This was the reason she never wanted to mention it to Rose.
Grace shook her head, her dark hair falling in front of her face. "That's not how it works, Rose. You can't control every little thing that happens in life. What happened to me wasn't your fault."
Rose looked down at her hands, her eyes filling with tears. "But I still feel responsible. I should have known it wasn't safe to walk home at night. I should have insisted that we take a different route."
Grace reached out and took Rose's hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze. "Look, I know you feel guilty, but blaming yourself isn't going to change what happened. What's important is that we're here for each other now, and we're going to get through this together."
Rose looked up at Grace, her expression softening. "I just hate seeing you suffer like this. It breaks my heart."
Grace nodded, her eyes brimming with tears. "I know. But the best thing you can do for me right now is to be my friend. To listen when I need to talk, and to be there when I need a shoulder to cry on."
Rose smiled, wiping away her tears. "I can do that. I'll always be here for you, Grace."