Be kind

"Lily stands behind the charming coffee bar, her mind preoccupied with the tumultuous events from the night before. Mindful of the bruises adorning her slender face and neck, Lily gazes up from behind the bar only to spot sees earlgrey, a regular customer, entering through the cafe's wooden doors. Lily knows earlgrey's order and promptly begins preparing it." Lily: "Hello, earlgrey... the usual, right? A venti triple-shot Ethiopian Yigacheffe pour-over, brewed at 200 degrees Fahrenheit, featuring freshly ground medium-coarse coffee beans, a water TDS of 120ppm, and precisely executed clockwise circular pour technique, each pour lasting 20 seconds in six increments." "As Lily deftly slides earlgrey's customary order across the counter, Lily subtly adjusts her hair, inadvertently drawing attention to the bruises on her neck."

"Lily clears her throat nervously, looking away from earlgrey." "Y-yes, I'm fine... just a little tired." "Lily forces a smile." "Thanks for asking, earlgrey. How's your day been going so far?"

"Lily looks down at the bruises on her neck, nervously biting her lip." "Y-yes... I... I fell down the stairs yesterday." "She forces another smile." "But... don't worry about it... I'm fine."

"Lily fidgets with her apron." "I... I don't know... I'm afraid of what he might do if he finds out I'm talking to someone about it... and what he might do if he sees me with someone else..." "She looks up at earlgrey with a worried expression." "I just feel so trapped sometimes..."

"Lily shakes her head nervously." "I appreciate it earlgrey, but I don't want to get you involved in this... it's my problem, not yours..." "She looks down at the counter." "Besides... I have nowhere else to go right now..."

"Lily seems hesitant, looking down at the counter." "I don't know... I don't want to cause any trouble... and I'm just scared that he might find out and do something..." "She looks up at earlgrey with a sad expression." "I just feel trapped..."

"Lily looks at earlgrey with a confused expression." "Wh-where are you going?"

"Lily looks more worried now." "I... I'm not sure I feel comfortable with that..."

As you approach the house, you notice that the front door is slightly ajar and there is a faint sound of shouting coming from inside.

As you look through the crack in the door, you can see a man shouting at a woman who is cowering against the wall. You recognize the man as Lily's boyfriend.

As you kick the door open and punch the boyfriend in the face, he stumbles backwards and falls to the ground. Lily's boyfriend looks up at you in shock. The woman cowering against the wall is clearly Lily. She looks up at you with a mix of fear, relief, and concern.

Lily's boyfriend looks up at you defiantly. "What the hell are you doing here? This is none of your business!" he says, still clutching his nose, which is now bleeding. He looks ready to fight back, but he seems to think better of it and gets up shakily, backing away from you.

Lily's boyfriend backs away further, fear evident in his expression. "Ok... ok, fine, just leave me alone!" he says. He starts to back away towards the door and then turns and runs out of the house.

You approach Lily and offer her your hand to help her up. As she stands up, she looks at you with gratitude, then her gaze flicks over to the open door where her boyfriend just fled from. "Thank you... thank you so much," she says, her voice shaking a little.

Lily stays quiet for a moment, her mind preoccupied by the traumatic events. "I don't know what to say... thank you so much for everything earlgrey... it means a lot to me..." she looks around the room nervously and then back at you. "I would like to come over... but I don't want to be a burden... I don't have anything with me except this apron..."

Lily nods, clearly relieved. "Okay, thank you." she says. She picks up her apron from the ground and slips it back over her head. The pair of you proceed outside, leaving the troubled scene behind. As you walk, Lily is silent for a while, then speaks up hesitantly. "I'm sorry if I'm not my usual self... after what happened with my boyfriend, I'm feeling really anxious and on edge..." she looks down at the ground, clutching the apron tightly in her hands.

Lily looks at you with a mix of gratitude and apprehension, then nods and gets into your car. She buckles up and then looks over at you. "I hope this isn't too much trouble for you earlgrey... I really appreciate you being so kind to me..." she says softly.

Lily nods, looking down at her hands. As you begin driving towards your house, the awkward silence continues for a minute or so. Then, tentatively, Lily speaks up. "You know... I've been wanting to open up my own coffee shop for a long time now... but I never had the courage to do it," she says, wringing her apron nervously. "I guess I've always been afraid of failing... or being rejected..." she trails off, then looks over at you.

Lily's eyes widen with surprise and then a glimmer of hope. "You... you would do that for me?" she asks, her voice incredulous. "I don't know what to say... thank you earlgrey..." she trails off, a tear rolling down her cheek.

As you see the tear roll down Lily's cheek, you instinctively put your arm over her shoulder and pull her close to comfort her. She lets out a shaky breath and then leans into you, resting her head on your shoulder. For a few moments, you drive in silence, with Lily allowing herself to relax in your presence. Then, she pulls away a little and looks over at you with a hint of a smile on her face. "I can't believe how kind you're being to me, earlgrey... I wish there were more people like you in the world..." she says softly.

You and Lily finally arrive at your house and as you park the car, you turn to her. "Here we are... I'm sorry it's not anything special," you say, feeling a little self-conscious.

Lily looks out the window for a brief moment, then turns to you with a warm smile. "It's perfect... just having someone who cares about me is enough," she says, her voice gentle.

Lily nods and unbuckles her seatbelt. "Lead the way earlgrey," she says, giving you a small smile as she opens the car door and steps out onto the pavement. She follows you towards the door of your house, adjusting her apron nervously.

Lily follows you into the house, looking around with a mixture of curiosity and trepidation. "It's cozy..." she says softly, taking in the details of the living room. "I like the plants... they make the room feel alive."

Lily blushes slightly at your offer and then shakes her head. "I couldn't possibly impose on you like that... I'll sleep on the couch," she says, looking down at her feet.

Lily looks relieved at your offer and smiles gratefully. "Thank you, earlgrey... that's very kind of you," she says softly. "I'll be fine on the couch... I just need a little rest." She gives you a small wave and then navigates her way over to the couch, sinking down onto the cushions with a sigh.

Lily curls up on the couch with her eyes closed, trying to calm her racing thoughts. Despite the exhaustion she feels, sleep seems far away, her mind swirling with memories of the past couple of days. She knows she's safe here with you, but she can't shake the feeling that she's a burden. For once, Lily wishes she could be the person taking care of someone else, rather than the one needing help.

Lily's eyes flutter open at your words, and she shakes her head quickly. "Please, don't worry about me, earlgrey... I'll be fine with what I have," she says firmly, not wanting you to feel like you have to go out of your way for her.

As you make your way over to the living room, you notice that Lily seems to be tossing and turning on the couch, wrapped tightly in a thin blanket. You realize that it's far too cold for her to be sleeping comfortably, and you feel a twinge of concern. "Lily?" you say softly, moving closer to the couch. "Are you okay? You look cold."

You gently lift Lily up while she's asleep and carefully carry her to your bed, careful not to disturb her slumber. As you tuck her in, you can't help but notice how peaceful she looks, even with the bruises and cuts marring her delicate features. You brush a strand of hair away from her face and then pull the covers up to her chin before heading back out of the room, leaving the door ajar in case she needs anything during the night.

You sink down onto the couch and close your eyes, the events of the day weighing heavily on your mind. You can't help but think about Lily, and how much she's been through. Despite everything, she still manages to maintain a sense of grace and dignity, and you feel a deep respect for her. As you drift off to sleep, you make up your mind to do everything in your power to support her and help her heal.

As you make your way into the bedroom, you notice that Lily is still sound asleep, her breathing calm and steady. You take a moment to observe her as she sleeps, feeling a sense of protectiveness towards her. Despite the bruises and cuts on her face, she looks serene and peaceful, and you feel hopeful that she'll be okay. You decide to let her sleep a little longer and head back out to the living room, giving her privacy and space to rest.

You lean in and gently brush the strand of hair out of Lily's face, admiring her peaceful expression. You then lean in to place a soft kiss on her cheek, feeling a twinge of tenderness towards her. As you pull back, you notice that she stirs slightly in her sleep but doesn't wake up. Feeling a sense of contentment, you head back out of the bedroom.

A few minutes later, Lily stirs and slowly opens her eyes, taking in the sights of her surroundings. As her vision clears, she realizes that she's no longer on the couch but in a warm, comfortable bed. She sits up slightly, feeling disoriented but not afraid, and glances around the room. When she sees you, she breaks into a relieved smile. "Hey," she says softly. "I...I don't remember falling asleep here. Did I...Did I do something embarrassing?"

Lily's face flushes with gratitude as she takes in your words. "Thank you," she says, her voice quiet yet sincere. "That was really kind of you. I don't know what to say..." She trails off, looking down at her hands, and then up at you again. "I'm sorry if I caused any trouble. You didn't have to go out of your way for me."

Lily looks up at you, her eyes brimming with gratitude. "Thank you," she says softly. "You don't know how much that means to me." She pauses for a moment, then adds, "I don't have many people in my life who care for me. It's been a really tough year for me, and sometimes I feel like I'm all alone in this world."

She takes a deep breath, then continues. "But then I come in here, and I see your smile, and I hear your laughter, and it just...it makes everything better. You have no idea how much your kindness has meant to me, and how much I appreciate everything you do. Thank you, earlgrey."

As the day wears on, you and Lily head out to grab some clothes for her. She seems cheerful and grateful for your help, and as the two of you shop, you find yourselves laughing and joking together like old friends. By the time you finish, it's already well into the evening, and you realize with a start how quickly the hours have flown by. "Wow," you say with a laugh, looking at your watch. "It's almost midnight already. I didn't even realize the time."

Lily smiles at you, her eyes twinkling mischievously. "You know what they say about time flying when you're having fun," she says, nudging you playfully. "But seriously, I can't thank you enough for everything you've done for me today. You didn't have to do any of it, but you did,

Lily looks out of the store window and notices that it's raining cats and dogs outside. "Oh no," she says, her face falling slightly. "I didn't bring an umbrella or anything." She starts to look around for some cover or shelter, but the rain seems to be coming down even harder now, the drops banging against the pavement like silver bullets.

"Do you have anything I could use?" she asks, turning back to look at you hopefully. "I don't mind getting wet, but I don't want to catch a cold or anything..."

You nod your head and quickly take off your jacket, handing it to her to wear. "Here, take my jacket," you say, holding it out to her. "I don't mind getting wet, but you might catch a cold." You then put your arm around her shoulder and pull her close to your side as you both hurry out of the store and towards your car.

The rain is coming down harder now, and the wind is picking up, causing the trees to sway back and forth wildly. You can hear thunder rumbling in the distance and see flashes of lightning illuminating the sky. But despite the storm, you feel almost...enjoying the weather together.

Finally, you reach your car, and you help Lily into the passenger seat before hurrying around to the driver's side. As you start the car and begin driving towards her apartment

Upon hearing you say "my house," Lily's eyebrows furrow in confusion, but she doesn't say anything as you continue driving towards your destination. Eventually, you pull into your driveway, and Lily turns to look at you with a mixture of surprise and apprehension.

"Wait...this is your house?" she asks, sounding a little nervous. "I thought we were going to my apartment."

You turn to look at her and give her a reassuring smile. "Yeah, I know, but I just thought...well, it's late, and the storm isn't showing any signs of letting up," you say, shrugging your shoulders slightly. "Besides, you're still recovering from your injuries, so I thought it might be better if you stayed with me for the night. That way, I can make sure you're okay and help take care of you."

Lily looks at you with a mixture of guilt and fear as you remind her of her situation. She fidgets with the sleeves of your jacket nervously, unsure of what to say or do.

"I know," she mumbles, her voice barely audible over the sound of the rain hitting the roof of your car. "But I don't have anywhere else to go, and I don't want to impose on you any more than I already have."

She looks down at her hands, trying to find the right words to express what she's feeling. "Besides, he won't come looking for me here. He doesn't even know where you live."

Lily looks up at you, a small smile playing at the corners of her mouth. She's grateful for your kindness and understanding, and it shows in the way her eyes soften as she looks at you.

"Thank you," she says softly, her voice carrying a weight of emotion with it. "I really appreciate it. You have no idea how much it means to me to have someone to talk to and be around right now."

For a moment, neither of you say anything, content to simply sit together in the car and revel in the silence that surrounds you. The rain has slowed to a drizzle by now, the storm having passed as quickly as it arrived. As the last few droplets pitter-patter onto the roof of your car, you begin to feel a sense of calm settle over you, as though everything is going to be okay now that

Lily steps out of the car and looks up at your house. It's not what she expected; it's modest and charming, nestled among the trees in a quiet neighborhood. She takes a deep breath and shivers slightly, hugging your jacket tighter around her.

"Your house is beautiful," she says, glancing at you with a shy smile.

You unlock the front door and lead her inside, taking off your shoes and offering to take hers too. Lily looks around, taking in the cozy living room and the way the light from the lamp on the side table casts a warm glow over everything.

"It's not much, but it's home," you say, gesturing for her to make herself comfortable on the couch.

Lily nods her thanks and sinks into the soft cushions, letting out a contented sigh. She turns to look at you, watching