She stared at the condensation running down the glass. The heat was beating down on her and she could feel her head starting to swim in alcohol. Looking over at her friend lounging in the beach chair next to her, she knew she had to tell her. There would never be a perfect moment. They might not be a lone again for a while. Now was the time.

“Hey.” She swallowed the lump in her throat. “I don’t know how to tell you this.”

Her friend sat up, taking her sunglasses off and resting them on her saltwater dampened hair.

“What’s up?”

“I know we’re on a fun trip, having a fun time, and nothing should be that serious, but I need help.”

“Hold on, let me prepare.”

Her friend sat up straighter, took a sip of her drink, and looked at her, giving her her full attention.

“So, you know how you’ve been making fun of me for not taking my t-shirt off when we’re at the beach?”

“Yeah, you’re already too pale. You need some color.”

“Well, there’s a reason.”

She took a deep breath and took off her shirt. She was now only in her bikini, but she felt completely naked. The bruises that have been covered for weeks, maybe months are now out in the open. The finger marks that the sleeves perfectly covered. The purple and green marks that made their way across her ribs to her stomach. She couldn’t look at her friend as tears bloomed in her eyes. She gripped the shirt in her lap as she struggled to get the words out.

“He-he’s been hurting me. And not just physically. He’ll scream and call me names like ‘bitch’ and ‘whore’. He controls what I wear. I can’t go anywhere unless he knows who’s going to be there and where i’m going to be the entire time. I’m not allowed to go on trips without him. And I’m so thankful Josh wanted to take him out so I could have time alone with you. I-I just can’t do it anymore.”

She breaks down in sobs, digging her palms into her eyes to try and rub the memories out but they’re burned in. No matter what she’s doing, she can’t escape the yells, the crashing of furniture, the feeling of being shoved into a wall.

Suddenly she feels arms wrapping around her. She flinches then hears, “You’re okay, I’ve got you.”

She leans into her friends embrace as she fully collapses into sobs, letting go of all the fear and pain she’s been dealing with alone for the past year.

Once she is able to calm down a little, she looks up and sees her friend is silently crying. They lock eyes and all she says to her is “I’m sorry. Let me help you.”