The door shut behind them, but the damage was already done and they couldn’t take it back. She lay down on the bed, crumpled, to the place that was perhaps the most comforting and her favorite, period. The shaking started before the tears did; both came suddenly. Nothing. There was nothing comforting here. The tears came like a hurricane; there wasn’t anything she could do that could hold them back.

They made her body tremble violently as they rushed through her. She clung to the sheets in the unmade bed, disastrous to her parents her were just here. Unbearable. Panic. For both of them. And her, because they can’t handle panic.
Stop. Stop. Stop it. “Stop it!” She cried out loudly, as soon as she could find a voice.

“STOP!” Louder. The pain increased with her voice. Finally, she gave up. It’s time for a break; I need a break, she decided.

She summoned her imaginary mom. If she ever told anyone, this concept would be ridiculous. Anywhere from childish to schizophrenic. But she was here, even though she wasn’t really, and she just tried to think about that. “Calm, love, calm,” the voice was so soothing. “I love you, I’m proud of you. You are strong, right now. You haven’t given in. I know it hurts, and I know they’re faulty. But I love you.”

She let her stroke her hair, soothingly rub her cheek as if she were a brand new infant. “I am proud of you.” Sanity wouldn’t be possible were this mom, this one who does it right, not here. Hell, she was imagining things. Maybe sanity left a while ago. She closed her eyes and kept breathing, and the tears were starting to subside.

She heard the door gently open, slowly open. She knew who it was. Everyone else shoved the door open so that it loudly and rudely slammed onto the wall. She heard the creak this time. Then he was right by her, kneeling by the bed, and the very real feeling of his lips touching her forehead was there. “I saw them as they left downstairs, and I could hear them when they were up here.” she sighed.

“Great.” He wrapped his arms around her shoulders. “I think the whole city could.” The tears started again as the words flooded through her head again, the slap on her face stung once more. “Is your imaginary mom here?” She nodded. “Well then, tell her that your very un-imaginary boyfriend is here,” he said, fitting himself onto the bed beside her, intertwining himself with her effortlessly, “and that I’ve got you now.” She breathed out in relief. This was real. This didn’t hurt, at all. This embrace was real and it was all she needed.