The First Time

A Painful Visitor

That night, Alessia fell asleep feeling a sense of comfort she hadn’t felt in days, cocooned in the warmth of Rob’s unwavering support. However, as the night wore on, she was jolted awake by a familiar cramp in her abdomen.

Groaning softly, she turned in bed and realized with dismay that her period had unexpectedly arrived. She cursed under her breath, feeling unprepared and uncomfortable. Glancing at the clock, she saw it was still early, but she knew she wouldn’t be able to get back to sleep with the discomfort.

Trying to be quiet, she slipped out of bed and tiptoed to the bathroom. After dealing with the necessary preparations, she leaned against the sink, taking a moment to breathe deeply and gather herself. Just as she was about to head back to bed, she heard the soft creak of the bedroom door.

“Alessia?” Rob’s voice was laced with concern. He peeked in, rubbing his eyes sleepily. “Are you okay?”

She forced a small smile, even though she felt a bit embarrassed. “Yeah, just… dealing with some cramps. I’ll be fine.”

Rob stepped into the bathroom, his demeanor instantly shifting to one of caring. “You don’t look fine. Are you sure you don’t need anything?”

Alessia shook her head, but the truth was, she could really use some support. “I’ll be alright. Just feeling a bit uncomfortable, you know?”

Without hesitation, Rob walked over to the medicine cabinet and pulled out a heating pad. “Here, this should help. And I can get you some painkillers if you need them.”

Alessia’s heart warmed at his thoughtful gesture. “You don’t have to do that, Rob. It’s really okay.”

“I want to,” he insisted, his gaze unwavering. “You’ve been through a lot lately, and I know this can be rough. You’ve got to let me take care of you.”

She watched as he prepared the heating pad, plugging it in and turning it on before handing it to her. The warmth instantly felt soothing against her abdomen, and she sighed in relief.

“Thank you,” she said softly, appreciating how he didn’t shy away from what could be seen as a burden. “You’re really sweet.”

“Just doing my job as your boyfriend,” he replied with a grin, his eyes twinkling. “Plus, I know you’d do the same for me if I was feeling unwell.”

Alessia nodded, feeling a swell of gratitude. “I really appreciate it, Rob. It’s nice to know I can count on you, especially after everything.”

“Of course,” he said, wrapping his arm around her shoulders and giving her a gentle squeeze. “If you want, I can stay up with you for a bit. We can watch a movie or something. Just let me know what you need.”

She couldn’t help but smile. “That sounds nice, but I don’t want to keep you up. You’ve got college tomorrow.”

“Nothing’s more important than making sure you’re okay,” Rob replied firmly. “We’ll both manage. Let’s just take it easy together.”

Feeling a rush of affection, Alessia leaned her head against his shoulder, grateful to have him by her side. “I’m lucky to have you,” she said softly.

Rob brushed a strand of hair away from her face, his expression sincere. “I’m lucky to have you too, Alessia. You mean a lot to me.”

With that, they returned to bed, and Alessia nestled into Rob’s side, the heating pad resting comfortably on her abdomen. He turned on a light and picked up his phone, scrolling through options for a movie.

As the soft glow filled the room, Alessia felt her earlier discomfort begin to fade, replaced by a sense of security and warmth. Rob’s presence made everything feel a little bit better, and as they settled in together, she couldn’t help but think about how lucky she was to have someone so caring in her life.

Eventually, as they watched the movie, Alessia felt her eyelids growing heavy again. The combination of Rob’s warmth, the gentle light, and the movie’s soothing background noise lulled her into a state of comfort, and she found herself drifting off to sleep, feeling safe and cared for.

In that moment, she realized that no matter what challenges lay ahead—be it at school or in life—she had a partner who would stand by her side and support her, and that was a powerful comfort she would always cherish.