Team Single (Mavi)

Part 45

*** Abuse Trigger warning ***

"I know."

What did she do to him that made him so scared of her? Did I even really want to know? He told me to save him. He actually said the words like he was in danger. What's going on?

"Mitch."

"Hm?"

He was asleep. He was calling me in his sleep. Me. Not her. He gripped onto my waist a little tighter, his head resting on the top of my thigh. I ran my fingers through his hair lightly. It was so soft and smooth, most of him was soft and smooth actually. As hairy as he was, he was as soft as a baby. Even his personality was soft, well... sensitive I think is a better word. As strong as he was on the outside, he was frail, like jade stones. He slept on my lap for about an hour before he started to have a nightmare and I had to wake him up.

"Avi? Are you okay? What's going on?"

"I'm..."

"Don't you even try to tell me you're fine. This is the fifth nightmare you've had this week," I spoke sympathetically. He lowered his eyes and sat down in front of me. "Please tell me something. Let me help."

Avi took a deep breath and looked into my eyes, like he did before he talked about something serious.

"Rachael was abusive."

"What?" I almost wanted to storm back into that restaurant and kick her ass myself.

"Wait, please let me explain. When we started dating everything was normal. We laughed a lot and we had a lot of fun, but... There was a woman who hit on me in a restaurant, kind of like Samantha today."

"Is that why you kept looking at me? You thought I would get angry at you?"

"Rachael wouldn't physically abuse me, at least not usually, but her words... Her actions... She'd..." He hugged himself and avoided eye contact with me. "She would force me into her car and go joy riding. She'd almost hit people and scream at them before speeding away." He curled up in front of me. "She got in 15 accidents with me in the passenger seat before we broke up."

"You were only together a couple months!"

"It felt like years."

I pulled him into my arms and held his head, softly petting his hair. I kissed his shoulder and felt his arms wrap around my torso. He started to cry against me. He was shaking again. I hated it.

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be sorry. This isn't your fault."

"I know."