Steve and I had been dating for about 5 months, kind of, there was someone I would have much rather have been with, Steve had moved in temporarily while his house was being renovated, I had been a little resistant to the idea for a little while, but when I saw how unlivable his house seemed, I finally succumbed, and agreed.

I walked in the door, trying to stay as quiet as possible figuring that Steve was up in his room asleep, it was about 11 p.m. Shift had run late today, and Ed had offered to take us all out to wind down, I jumped, and nearly pulled a gun on Steve, when I turned the light on in the living room and saw him sitting there.

"Steve…" I whispered confused, but then I saw the anger in his eyes. "Is everything okay?" I walked closer to him keeping my guard up, and that's when I smelled the alcohol.

"No. Everything isn't okay, Julianna." He said, he was obviously intoxicated, so I kept about 2 feet between us as a precaution. "Where have you been?" He asked.

"Work." I replied carefully, "Shift ran late." I left out that I had went out with the guys after shift had ended, my gut feeling told me I shouldn't mention it.

"You're lying." He growled, standing and taking a step towards me, I didn't take a step back, knowing I could easily take him, "I called when you didn't come home, and they said shift ended an hour and half ago. You were with them." He said, acidly

"Them?" I asked incredulously, having a pretty good idea of who he was talking about.

"What!? You think I don't see the way some of them look at you!?" He said loudly.

"First of all, Steve, they are my team." I said, keeping my voice calm to hide my anger, but I couldn't help but say sarcastically, "I didn't realize I had to check in with you."

I wasn't expecting it when he stepped forward and hit me across the side of my face hard enough that my mind went fuzzy for a few seconds, "Oh my God, Jules! I'm so sorry!" I heard, then it was black, he must have hit me hard enough to knock me out, when I woke up, it took me a few seconds to get my bearings, I was...in my bed. I looked at the clock, I had been out of it for about 2 hours. Had it all been a dream? I touched the side of my face and was rewarded with a sharp pain, "Ow…" I whispered, nope, not a dream. I turned on the lamp, and shielded my eyes when the bright light made my head throb worse, when my eyes finally adjusted, I looked around for Steve just in case, but he wasn't in there, but what I did see was a note and a glass of water on my bedside table.

I need to go kick him out, now. The thought ran through my head. But, my curiosity got the best of me, and I picked up the note, it read:

Julianna,

No words could express how sorry I am. I have never done anything even remotely similar to that before, and I am so, so sorry. That was not me, and I don't know where that anger came from, I would do anything to take it back, anything at all, but I understand if you never want to talk to me again. I will understand if you wake up and decide to come over now and kick me out, I am already packed, and will be expecting it if you decide to, but the absolute most I can ask as of now after what I have done is that you don't report me, because the consequences of that will be me losing my job, and this is the only job I have, it's like yours, if I lose it, I won't get it back. But, I will understand if you do. Please, Julianna, as your friend, I beg that you give me your forgiveness; I promise this will never happen again. I am so sorry.

-Steve

I walked over to his room, my full intent being, kicking him out of my house, for good. I was not going to take being hit. But, something in me changed when I saw him lying there on the bed, one of his legs hanging off the side of the mattress, his face peaceful as he slept, I couldn't wake him, I would wait until the morning, I told myself, then I went back to my room, and took the advil he had laid on my bedside table with the note, when he had carried me in here, I walked into the bathroom, and daringly took a look at the side of my face, there was an ugly bruise forming to the right of my right eye, luckily my eye wasn't swollen, this would still be hard to hide though.

When I woke in the morning, my head was throbbing, I took advil to try to relieve some of the pressure on my brain, I looked in the mirror after a few minutes, trying to recollect what had happened last night, and when I did the sight wasn't the best. The upper side of my right cheek and up to my temple was a black and blue bruise. I sighed, I could try as hard as I wanted to, my makeup wasn't going to cover this, and even if it did, sometime during the day it would wear away. I put on the same amount of makeup I always did, dabbing it a bit more heavily on the wounded area. My face still looked pretty badly bruised, but it looked…better.

I walked down the stairs, and prepared myself to see Steve, but he wasn't there. But on the table was a vase of flowers, and a little stuffed animal, and yet another note. I picked up the half folded piece of paper,

Julianna,

I'm sorry I am not here to talk to you this morning. I was called in early, but I will be here tonight, because I'm sure you want to talk to me…or yell at me.

Again, I am so sorry

-Steve