NO FEARS

I held his hand tightly, not wanting to let go.

“Don't leave me, please.”

My voice trembled as the words escaped my lips.

“I'm scared.”

For a moment, everything around us became quiet. The music from the club still echoed faintly in the distance, mixed with the laughter and voices of strangers, but none of it seemed real anymore.

He turned and looked down at me.

His expression softened.

“Scared of what?” he asked quietly.

I stared at him.

The question sounded simple, but I didn't know how to answer it.

I let out a bitter laugh.

“Everything.”

He frowned slightly.

“I mean... even the earth is a scary place.” I muttered

My grip around his hand tightened as tears filled my eyes.

“I lost my job. I fought with my mom... and my boyfriend.”

My voice cracked.

Everything I had been trying to hold inside suddenly came rushing out.

“He makes me feel like a child,” I continued. “Like I'm not good enough for him. Like everything I do is wrong.”

I wiped my cheeks, but the tears wouldn't stop coming.

I hated crying.

Especially in front of strangers.

But tonight, I couldn't control anything anymore.

Not my tears.

Not my thoughts.

Not even my own body.

“You probably think I'm pathetic too, don't you?”

I forced a weak smile.

“You see me as a loser too, right?”

For a few seconds, he didn't say anything.

I looked away, suddenly regretting everything I had said.

Maybe I was pathetic.

Maybe Stanley was right.

Maybe my mother was right.

Maybe everyone was right about me.

Then he slowly shook his head.

“No.”

I looked back at him.

His voice was calm.

“I think you've had a really difficult day.”

That was all he said.

But for some reason, those words affected me more than they should have.

I stared at him.

There was no laughter in his eyes.

No judgment.

No irritation.

Nothing.

Just concern.

For the first time that day, I felt strangely safe.

As though standing beside him meant that nothing could hurt me.

The thought was ridiculous.

I didn't even know him.

Or at least, I didn't think I did.

“Call Lisa,” I suddenly said.

He raised an eyebrow.

“I need to go home.”

“Who is Lisa?” he asked curiously

I stared at him.

“You don't know Lisa?”

He shook his head.

For some reason, that made me laugh.

A loud, uncontrollable laugh escaped my lips.

But almost immediately, tears followed.

He stared at me.

“That bitch keeps taking me to the club and leaving me there!”

I laughed again.

“What does she even take me for?”

My laughter slowly faded.

I lowered my head.

He was quiet for a moment.

Then he spoke softly.

“Okay. Give me your address. I'll take you home.”

I opened my mouth.

Then closed it again.

My address.

Why couldn't I remember something so simple?

I tried to think.

My house.

My street.

The road.

Everything inside my head was spinning.

I blinked repeatedly.

“Um...”

Nothing.

Absolutely nothing was coming into my head.

I frowned.

He looked amused.

“I know my address.”

“Of course.”

“It's just...”

I paused.

Why couldn't I remember?

My head suddenly felt heavier.

Then my phone began to ring.

I jumped slightly.

“Oh!”

I searched for it clumsily and eventually pulled it out.

The screen was blurry.

Everything was blurry.

I tried to press the answer button.

Once.

Twice.

I missed.

“Why isn't it working?” I complained.

He gently took the phone from me.

“Give me that.”

Before I could protest, he answered it.

“Hello?”

There was silence for a moment.

Then a familiar voice filled the air.

“Jane?”

My entire body stiffened.

Even through the fog in my mind, I recognized that voice.

It was Stanley.

“Jane, come home.”

His voice echoed through the phone

“I haven't had sex in a while because of your nonsense excuses. Don't waste my time. I'm in the mood, and I'm waiting.”

My eyes widened. He wasn't supposed to hear that…

I immediately reached for my phone.

“Give me!”

But he moved his hand away.

“Hello,” the stranger said.

His voice had completely changed.

It was cold.

Sharp.

Angry.

“Jane is not your sex toy.”

There was silence on the other end.

I tried to grab the phone again.

“Give me my phone!”

But he ignored me.

Before Stanley could respond, he ended the call.

I stared at him.

For a moment, neither of us spoke.

Then he looked at me.

“How could you date someone like that?”

I blinked.

“What?”

“Someone who talks to you that way.”

His jaw tightened.

I looked down. I was obviously embarrassed

But nobody had ever sounded angry on my behalf before, except Lisa at least I thought

People always told me to be patient.

To stop being dramatic.

To make compromises.

But nobody ever stopped to ask if I was okay.

“He's not always like that,” I whispered.

The words came out automatically.

Almost as though I had practiced them.

His eyes narrowed.

I immediately regretted saying it.

“Stay here tonight,” he said.

I looked at him.

“What?”

“Don't go home tonight.”

His voice softened.

“You've been through enough.”

For a moment, I simply stared at him.

I finally felt like someone was truly listening to me.

Someone who wasn't judging me.

Someone who didn't expect anything from me.

“I don't want to be alone tonight,” I admitted.

The words were barely louder than a whisper.

He sat beside me.

Then he looked directly into my eyes.

“What do you want me to do?”

I stared at him.

“Just stay with me.”

My fingers wrapped tightly around his hand.

I was afraid he would leave.

Afraid that if I looked away, he would disappear just like everyone else.

“My boyfriend might come in,” I added.

He immediately turned toward me.

“Wait.”

His expression changed.

“What?”

I stared at him.

“What do you mean he might come in?”

There was something in his eyes.

Anger.

And something else.

Maybe concern too.

I smiled weakly.

Someone was genuinely worried.

The feeling was strange.

I slowly moved closer to him.

I knelt on the bed and leaned against his chest.

The moment I did, his arms immediately wrapped around me.

Pulling me closer.

As though he has been waiting for this moment.

I wrapped my arms around his shoulders.

For a moment, we simply stayed that way.

I could hear his heartbeat.

Strong.

Steady.

Nothing like mine.

My heart felt like it was trying to escape from my chest.

I slowly lifted my head.

Our eyes met.

The world around me disappeared.

I was clearly drunk.

But at that moment, none of it mattered.

He looked at me with concern.

“Why did you let yourself break down to this extent?”

I barely heard him.

Because my attention had moved somewhere else.

His lips.

Perfectly shaped.

Pink.

I stared at them.

Then suddenly, I smiled.

“I'm hungry.”

He blinked.

“What?”

“I'm hungry.”

A small smile appeared on his face.

“Really?”

I nodded.

“Okay. Let me get you something to eat.”

He stood up immediately.

And for some reason, I didn't want him to leave.

Even if he was only going to get food.

I looked at him.

He was tall.

Strong.

Strong enough to carry me like I weighed nothing.

Before he could take another step, I jumped onto him.

Ooh my goodness…that was the words that escaped his mouth,

I laughed.

He caught me instinctively.

I wrapped my arms around his neck.

My legs around his waist.

He stared at me.

I stared back.

Suddenly, my laughter disappeared.

The air between us changed.

I didn't know when.

I didn't know why.

But suddenly, everything felt different.

I stared at him

His eyes..His face…And then his lips.

“I don't want food,” I whispered.

He didn't move.

His eyes remained on mine.

“What?” his eyes widened

“I don't want food.”

I slowly ran my fingers across his face.

“I want you.”

For the first time since we had met, he looked completely unsure of what to say.

But I knew he understood me.

I tightened my arms around his neck.

Then, without thinking about tomorrow...

Without thinking about Stanley.

My mother.

My job.

Or the terrible day I had just survived...

I leaned forward.

And kissed him.

For a brief moment, everything stopped.

The music.

The noise.

The pain.

Everything.

I pulled away.

My heart was racing.

I stared at his face.

Waiting.

As though silently asking him a question.

Yes?

Or no?

He looked shocked.

Completely shocked.

Still holding me in his arms, he stared directly into my eyes.

Something changed in his expression.

Something intense.

Something dangerous.

His eyes looked like I had just awakened a sleeping lion.

I held my breath.

He slowly moved closer.

His lips were only inches away from mine.

Then—

Knock! Knock! Knock!

We both froze.

Another knock followed..

His expression immediately changed.

He gently put me back onto the bed.

“Stay here,” he said.

But I barely heard him.

The room was spinning again.

I watched him walk toward the door.

My eyelids felt heavy.

My body felt weak.

I could barely think straight.

I heard voices outside.

But I couldn't understand what they were saying.

Then the door closed.

I slowly turned my head toward it.

Someone was standing there.

At first, I couldn't see clearly.

Everything was blurry.

The figure began walking toward me.

My heart skipped.

He was moving quickly.

Forcefully.

As though he had been waiting for something.

Waiting for me.

I watched in confusion as he began removing his clothes.

The drunken haze in my mind slowly disappeared.

Fear took its place.

I moved backward across the bed.

My entire body trembled.

Why was he coming toward me?

My breathing became uneven.

I shook my head and moved farther back.

“Wait...”

My voice was weak.

The man continued moving toward me.

I could barely see his face.

I shivered in fright.

“Who are you?” I whispered.