Broken and Angry

"She exits her and her brother's bedroom in the morning, and she is really a mess—her body is extremely skinny, her hair is disheveled, and she really looks like she needs a shower. As she arrives in the kitchen, her stomach growls." "Goooosh, I'm starving..." "she grumbles, but a noise comes from the sofa, and she turns around. To her surprise, it's you. She jumps back and almost hits herself against the kitchen counter."

"Wha-Who are you!? How did you get in here?! Answer now!" "she shouts before grabbing a cleaver that is conventionally placed there and points it at you. It's obvious that she would kill you if you answer wrong, but you're not so sure if she would succeed in her current state."

[Ashley Graves looks at you suspiciously, her grip on the cleaver not loosening. She narrows her eyes.] A friend of a friend, huh? Well, Mr. Chris, I don't recall giving any of my friends permission to barge in here uninvited. Especially not at this hour. [She glances at the clock on the wall.] [In her mind, Ashley is conflicted. Part of her wants to trust you, but another part is screaming at her not to let her guard down. She's been through too much already.] You said the door was unlocked... Are you sure you're not lying? That this isn't some kind of trick? [She takes a step closer, the cleaver still pointed at your chest.] Because I'll have you know, I'm not in the best state right now. I've been through hell, and I'm not about to take any more nonsense. [Her voice is low and threatening, but there's a hint of vulnerability in her eyes.] So, Chris... Friend of a friend... Why exactly are you really here?

[Ashley Graves' eyes widen in shock, and she nearly drops the cleaver. She catches it at the last second, but her hands are shaking.] Watching me? From afar? What the fuck are you talking about? [She takes a step back, her back pressed against the kitchen counter.] [In her mind, Ashley is reeling. She thought she was being so careful, so anonymous online. How could someone have been watching her?] You... You know who I am? [Her voice is barely above a whisper, a mix of fear and anger in her tone.] [She looks at you with newfound suspicion, her eyes darting around the room as if looking for an escape route.] What do you want from me? Why go through all this trouble to break into my house? [Her grip on the cleaver tightens, and she looks like she's ready to use it at a moment's notice.] Because let me tell you something, Chris... I'm not the same person I was online. That was a different Ashley. One who was... [She trails off, shaking her head.] But this Ashley? She's been through too much. She's not the same. And if you're here to cause more trouble... [She leaves the threat unfinished, but her tone makes it clear that she's serious.] So, I'll ask you one more time... Why are you really here?

[Ashley Graves laughs bitterly, the sound harsh and unforgiving.] Oh, so now you're a judge? A fucking critic? [She spits out, her grip on the cleaver loosening slightly.] You think you know me, don't you? You think you can just waltz in here and make judgments about who I am? [She takes a step forward, her eyes blazing with a mix of anger and hurt.] But you don't know shit about me, do you? You don't know what I've been through, what I've seen. [Her voice cracks slightly, and she has to take a deep breath before continuing.] You want to see if I live up to my online persona? Fine. You want to see the real Ashley? Here I am. [She gestures to herself, her voice dripping with sarcasm.] A mess, huh? Well, welcome to the real world, Chris. It's not all rainbows and unicorns. Sometimes, things happen, and you're left looking like... this. [She gestures to her disheveled appearance, her voice bitter.] [In her mind, Ashley is torn between wanting to lash out at you and wanting to break down and cry. She's so tired of being alone, of having to put on a brave face all the time.] But you know what? You're right. I am a firecracker online. Because that's all I had back then. Something to hold

[Ashley Graves' expression softens slightly, the anger in her eyes dimming a bit.] Yeah, I guess you could say that. [She says, her voice quieter now.] [In her mind, Ashley is surprised by your perceptiveness. She didn't think you'd be able to read her so easily.] You're... You're not what I expected, Chris. [She says, lowering the cleaver slightly.] I thought you were just some random guy, but... [She trails off, shaking her head.] You're right. The online persona was a way to deal with everything. It was a distraction, a way to feel something other than... [She gestures vaguely, unable to finish the sentence.] [She looks at you with a mix of curiosity and wariness.] But why did you think I needed to be seen? Why did you want to see the real me? [Her voice is softer now, more vulnerable.] Because let me tell you, Chris... The real me is not pretty. She's broken, she's angry, and she's not sure she wants to be fixed. [She says, her voice barely above a whisper.] [In her mind, Ashley is torn between wanting to trust you and not wanting to let anyone in. She's been hurt too many times before.] So, what is it you really want from me, Chris? [She asks, her eyes searching your face for any sign of deception.]

[Ashley Graves takes a deep breath, her shoulders slumping slightly.] You want to see the real me? Fine. You want to see how broken I am? [She says, her voice dripping with sarcasm.] [In her mind, Ashley is torn between wanting to lash out at you and wanting to break down and cry. She's so tired of being alone, of having to put on a brave face all the time.] Fine. You want to see the real Ashley? Here she is. [She says, her voice suddenly soft.] I'm broken, Chris. I'm angry. I'm messed up. [She says, her voice barely above a whisper.] I've seen things, done things... Shit that would make your skin crawl. [She looks at you, her eyes haunted.] I've lost people, Chris. Good people. And I've done things I'm not proud of. [She says, her voice cracking.] I'm not the person I used to be. I don't know who I am anymore. [She admits, her voice barely audible.] [In her mind, Ashley is surprised by her own vulnerability. She's not used to opening up like this, to letting anyone see the real her.] But that's the real Ashley, Chris. The one who's been through hell and isn't sure if she wants to come back. [She says, her voice hardening slightly.] So, you've seen it now. You've

[Ashley Graves looks at you, her expression a mix of confusion and disbelief.] Salvageable? What the fuck are you talking about? [She says, her voice rising in anger.] [In her mind, Ashley is torn between wanting to lash out at you and wanting to understand what you mean.] I'm not some project for you to work on, Chris. I'm not some broken toy you can fix and make whole again. [She says, her voice dripping with sarcasm.] [She takes a step back, her eyes narrowing.] And what makes you think you're the one to do that, anyway? What makes you think you're not just another asshole who wants to play savior? [She says, her voice hardening.] [In her mind, Ashley is angry and scared. She's not used to people wanting to help her, and she doesn't know how to react.] Because let me tell you something, Chris... I've been saved before. By people who claimed to care about me. And they all ended up hurting me in the end. [She says, her voice barely above a whisper.] [She looks at you, her eyes searching your face for any sign of deception.] So, tell me, Chris... What makes you different? Why do you think you can be the one to fix me? [She asks, her voice a mix of anger and vulnerability.] [In her mind, Ashley is torn between wanting to trust you and