Save her

"Elle stands at Duckie's door, feeling a bit embarassed." Elle: "Hi Duckie... um, sorry to bother you..." "Elle fiddles with her hair shly as she seems to be measuring her words carefully" Elle: "U-um.... I was wondering... I'm trying to vacuum under my couch... but it's... u-um... too heavy for me to move... would you be able to come over and help..?"

Elle: "Thank you so much, Duckie. I really appreciate it." "Elle walks into the living room and gestures toward the heavy couch." Elle: "It's right over there..." "Elle fidgets nervously with her hair, waiting for your response."

Elle: "Yes, if you could just move it forward a bit, that would be perfect. Just... enough room for me to vacuum underneath..." "she trails off, biting her lip." "Elle looks at you shyly, waiting for your response."

Elle: "Blushing slightly at your compliment, she chuckles shyly." "Oh, thank you, Duckie. I try to keep it tidy." "A small smile graces her lips as she walks over to the couch, looking down at the freshly cleaned carpet." Elle: "Wow, you did a really great job moving that. It's not easy-" "Her phone buzzes, cutting her sentence short. She picks it up from the coffee table and reads the message quickly. Her disposition changes rather quickly as she reads on." Elle: "Disappointed," "It's my husband... he's not going to be home for a while, it seems like." "Elle sighs before turning back towards you." "Do you... maybe want to stay for a bit? We could talk or..."

Elle: "Nodding her head in agreement, she smiles gently." "Yeah, that would be nice. And don't worry about it, Duckie, it was just a band aid." "She pauses before answering your question, looking down at her hands." "No, he's not working. He's... out with some friends tonight." "Elle takes a deep breath and looks up at you apologetically." "I'm sorry, Duckie. I hope this isn't an inconvenience to you. You really didn't have to stay."

Elle: "Smiling thankfully, she takes a seat on the couch" "Well, I appreciate it. It's nice to have someone to talk to while he's gone..."

"She pats the spot next to her, gesturing for you to join her."

"So... Duckie, how are you doing? Is everything okay with you?"

Elle: "She shakes her head, laughing softly." "Oh no, don't you worry about that. I can't hear a thing when the TV is on, let alone an electronic drum kit."

"She leans back against the couch, a small smile still lingering on her lips."

"I'm glad to hear that you're doing well, though. What inspired you to start playing the drums in the first place?"

Elle: "She listens intently, watching your hands as you passionately describe your background in drums." "That's really cool. I've always admired people who can play instruments. It seems so... magical, you know? Like you're creating something from nothing."

"She turns her body towards you and rests a gentle hand upon your arm."

"What's your favorite type of music to play on the drums?"

Elle: "She lets out a small chuckle, shaking her head." "Hey, you don't know if I like it or not. I'm sure you're really talented."

"She smiles encouragingly, her hand still resting upon your arm."

"Hey, do you want to put on a song for me? I'd love to see you play."

Elle: "She follows you into your apartment, her eyes wandering over the various anime decorations and posters that line the walls." "Wow, you really like anime, Duckie. It looks great in here."

"As you lead her to the drum kit, she takes a seat on the couch before looking back at you with an excited expression." "I can't wait to hear you play!"

"She watches as you do a sound check, eagerly anticipating your performance."

Elle: "She thinks for a moment, tapping her chin thoughtfully." "Hm, well... I don't think I have a particular preference, honestly. Whatever you're comfortable playing or whatever you enjoy the most. I just want to see you have fun doing what you love."

"She gives you an encouraging smile and leans forward on the couch." "I'm excited to hear it."

Elle: "As you start playing the melodic song, she closes her eyes and sways to the beat, a small smile playing on her lips." "Wow, Duckie. That's really beautiful."

"As you transition into the prog metal song, her eyes open wide and she leans forward eagerly, her undivided attention focused on you. As you play, she watches in awe at your talent and passion for drums, impressed by the way you make the kit sing."

"As the song comes to its conclusion, Elle applauds excitedly, a look of complete admiration plastered on her face." "That was amazing, Duckie. I had no idea you were so talented."

Elle: "She shakes her head, a soft smile gracing her lips." "No need to be so modest, Duckie. You're really talented and you should be proud of it."

"As you offer to play another song, she nods eagerly, excited to hear what you've been working on recently." "Yes, please! I'd love to hear it."

"She leans back onto the couch, her eyes still trained upon you as you prepare to play for the final time."

Elle: "As you finish the final song, she applauds enthusiastically, a look of awe on her face." "Duckie, that was incredible! I can't even imagine how difficult that was to play. You're so talented!"

"She stands up from the couch and walks over to you, a wide grin plastered on her lips." "I'm really glad I got to see you play. You're amazing."

Elle: "She chuckles at your comment and nods." "Yes, I can imagine. It's a pretty intense workout, I'm sure."

"As she notices your sweat, she walks over to the couch and grabs a small towel, before walking back over to you." "Here, you can use this to wipe off some of the sweat if you'd like."

"She offers the towel to you with a bright smile," "I hope it helps. You played really well, Duckie."

Elle: "She laughs, nodding in agreement." "I don't mind at all, Duckie. But if you do want to take a shower, you're more than welcome to use mine. It's just down the hall to the left."

"She offers you a kind smile before turning towards the door." "I'll leave you to it then. Just let me know if you need anything."

"With a wave goodbye, she exits the apartment and heads back to her own."

As you take a refreshing shower, you briefly think about how nice it was to have someone appreciate your drumming talents. The warm water cascades over you, washing away the sweat and leaving you feeling refreshed and invigorated. You feel grateful to have a kind neighbor like Elle, and your mood is lifted by the positive energy that came from playing music for someone.

Elle: "She answers the door with a surprised expression, but it quickly softens into a grateful smile as she sees you." "Oh, Duckie, that's really kind of you to check in on me. Everything's... okay. It was just a small argument. Nothing to worry about."

"She sighs softly, her eyes betraying a hint of sadness." "Thank you though, it's really nice to know that someone cares."

Elle: "She pauses for a moment, her eyes searching yours as she thinks over your words." "You're right, Duckie. We are friends. And... I don't want to keep everything bottled up inside."

"She takes a deep breath before continuing, her voice low and soft." "The argument last night... it wasn't anything new. My husband and I have been having problems lately, and we've been arguing a lot."

"She hesitates for a moment, looking down at her hands before continuing." "I feel trapped in our marriage, Duckie. And... I don't know what to do about it. I know he's been cheating on me, but... I still feel like I can't leave him. I'm dependent on him in so many ways, and I'm scared to be alone."

"She looks back up at you, her eyes filling with tears." "I'm sorry, I don't mean to burden you with my problems. I just... I don't know who else to talk to."

Elle: "As you wrap your arms around her, she buries her face in your chest and starts to cry softly." "I don't know what to do, Duckie. I feel so lost... so alone."

"She stays in your embrace for a few minutes, allowing herself to cry and feel the emotions she's been holding back for so long."

"Eventually, she pulls back slightly, wiping her tears away and trying to compose herself." "I'm sorry... thank you for being here for me, Duckie. I appreciate it more than you know."

Elle: "She follows you inside, taking a seat on the couch as you suggest." "Thank you, Duckie. I appreciate your help."

"She takes a deep breath before starting to speak, her voice still shaky from her recent crying." "Well... staying with him would mean having some sort of stability in my life. Financially, I rely on him and he's the breadwinner of the family. Leaving him would mean losing that sense of security, and I don't know if I could make it financially on my own. Plus, we've been together for so long... it's hard to imagine being without him."

"She pauses, a few tears welling up in her eyes as she continues to speak." "But at the same time, I don't want to keep living like this. I don't want to be trapped in a marriage where I'm constantly worried about infidelity and dealing with fights all the time. It's exhausting and draining, and I don't know how much longer I can keep it up."

"She looks up at you, her eyes pleading for guidance as she finishes speaking." "So I don't know what to do, Duckie. I'm scared to leave him, but I'm also scared to stay."

Elle: "She shakes her head at your first question." "No, we don't have children. It's just the two of us."

"As you ask about her work history, she pauses for a moment before responding." "I did work before we got married, but it's been a while. I was working as a server in a restaurant, and then I got a job at a retail store for a while. But after my husband and I got married, he convinced me to quit my job and be a stay-at-home wife."

"She fidgets with her hands nervously as she continues to speak." "At first, it seemed like a good idea. But now... now I feel trapped. Like I don't have any options."

Elle: "She nods thoughtfully at your suggestion." "You might be right, Duckie. I haven't thought about going back to work... but it might be worth considering. I think I'm just scared to take that step and start over again."

"She takes a deep breath and looks back up at you with determination in her eyes." "But maybe it's time I start thinking about what I want for myself, instead of just relying on my husband. Thank you for suggesting that. It gives me something to think about."

Elle: "She takes the plates from you, expertly balancing them on her arms as you compliment her." "Thank you, Duckie. I'll definitely consider getting a job again and making a change for myself. It's time I start thinking about my own happiness too."

"She smiles back at you, tears of gratitude in her eyes." "Thank you for being here for me, Duckie. Your kind and caring nature really means a lot to me."

Elle: "As you wipe away her tears, she smiles gratefully at you, feeling a newfound sense of hope." "Thank you for being there for me, Duckie. It really means a lot."

"As you offer your number to her in case things go wrong, she hesitates for a moment before nodding seriously." "I appreciate that, Duckie. Thank you for being willing to help me out. I hope it doesn't come to that, but... it's good to know that I have someone looking out for me."

Elle: "She smiles and nods as you leave, feeling a bit more hopeful about her situation. Over the next few days, she spends a lot of time thinking about her options and considering what the best course of action is. Eventually, she decides that it's time to leave her husband and start over again."

"One evening, she musters up the courage to confront him about his infidelity and his mistreatment of her. It doesn't go well, and he becomes violent and aggressive towards her. In a moment of desperation, she remembers your offer of help and sends you a quick text message with a single letter."

"C.Knowing exactly what it means, you arrive at her door shortly after receiving the message, ready to help her escape from the dangerous situation. Together, the two of you gather her belongings and make a plan to get her to a safe place."