Free Never Too Late : A Romantic Story by Rachel Sabor

Amy sat on the steps leading up to the side exit of The R abbit Hole, and did her best not t o cry. She found it difficult. Her arms wrapped around her legs, which were brought up to he r chest. Her forehead rested against her kneecaps.
    She knew others - namely the group that was smoking right next to her - were watching an d commenting, but she didn't care. Let them say whatever they wanted. Let them think whateve r they wanted. Let them make their rash judgments. It made no difference to her. She was here , and she was alone, and she welcomed whatever harshness would follow. At least it offere d something to bite back at.
    Brad wasn't even here. He was inside The Rabbit Hole, talking to someone prettier than her . He always spoke to people prettier than her. "You can't expect me to not talk to them," h e would yell at her. Amy tried to explain that her problem wasn't that he spoke to them, bu t involved what he would later do with them, but he wouldn't listen. "You're just jealous.
    Jealous and clingy." She would insist she wasn't, but Brad would just tell her off and g o back to his good time.
    This was how things worked with them. How they had always worked, and - in a fit of col d realization which stung more than any of Brad's words, Amy realized - how they always would.
    She'd met Brad two years ago, and he had been everything she wanted and needed. Someon e solid, someone unfazed by anything or anyone. Strong, confident; full of life and action an d passion. Only as the months had ticked by did Amy realize that those were convenient covers.
    Brad was nothing but a spoiled, head up his own butt, brat. He looked down on anyone o r anything that didn't match with how he viewed the world. There was no empathy in him, just a desire to do things that made himself happy. Even Amy knew she amounted to little more tha n something he interacted with, and had no real feelings for.
    She knew, but she returned to him like an addict to their fixer. She knew what he would do , even if she sometimes had difficulty making herself realize it. Brad was an abuser, no t physically but emotionally, and all the magazines and articles she read on the internet tol d her those kinds of people were just as dangerous.
    What was worse, Amy knew she'd go back to him. It was as if she didn't have a choice. The ma n was a vampire, and Amy his thrall. It sunk through her, as it had so many other times; th e deep, bottomless sensation of hopelessness mixed with unhappiness. It bled her out, exhauste d her, and made her lethargic. Nothing would change, she told herself. Nothing ever would. Sh e said these things even as she ignored the small part of her logical brain that screamed a t her to get herself together. It told her not to fall into this trap, to not beat hersel f down. But she ignored it.
    It was easier. Simpler.
    "You okay?"
    She looked up. Someone had walked out the side exit and stood next to her on the steps. H e wasn't particularly tall, but he was handsome. Not in the Brad Pitt kind of way, but in th e nice smile, decent hair kind of way. He had deep green eyes, and they regarded her wit h something short of pity, but not quite worry. He wore what she guessed was supposed to be a cheerful smile. His dark grey shirt was pressed, and his pants fit well. His shoes wer e dressy, but not too classy. He held himself well, she thought. Or rather, felt, since all o f these observations were made in the space of a few seconds.
    "What?" She asked.
    "I asked if you were okay?" He leaned against the rails of the steps. "You don't look s o great."
    She frowned up at him. "Thanks."
    "Hey, I'm just saying," he said with a shrug. "Crying on the steps isn't the best place to d o it, you know."
    "Leave me alone," she snapped.
    He held up his hands defensively. "Sorry, sorry. Sometimes I don't think before I talk. I just saw you and thought you might need help or something. Are you okay?" He looked back a t the door he had just left. "Did anyone in there