Star

When I woke up the next morning it was to the sun shining brightly into the room once more. I didn't know if I was ever going to get used to that. Seeing the light of the sun every day. It was definitely new and I liked it, but how long would all this last?

I was going to get out of the bed and clean myself up, it was wonderful being clean and I never wanted to be dirty again. But, there was a knock at the door.

"Star, it's me." I heard Chay's voice from the other side of the door. "I'm not coming in this time unless you open the door for me. That's your room and you get to decide who comes in there."

Chay's words threw me through a loop. I got to decide who came in here? I could not let them in if I didn't want to? That was news to me.

But I liked Chay. She was one of the first females that ever treated me nicely, I hoped it wasn't all a trick of some kind. Regardless, I walked over to the door and opened it, after having grabbed the notebook and pen.

When I pulled the door open and stared at Chay, I noticed that she was surrounded by several large bags.

"Good morning." She smiled at me. "How did you sleep?"

[Good] I wrote the word for her to read then followed it up with more. [What's all this stuff?]

"This is just some stuff that we got you so you can feel more comfortable and at home."

I felt my eyes go wide at her words. Stuff for me? Why? What was going on here?

[Why did you buy me stuff?]

"Because I'm your friend and I want to make you happy." She smiled prettily at me with a sweet look in her eyes. "Can I bring it in? I have Morgan going to get your breakfast since he's no longer guarding your door."

[He's not?] This day was starting to be quite shocking for me.

"Nope, and there is no one at your window either. Like we said, you're not a prisoner here. We just didn't want you trying to hurt yourself. I can't believe you tried to jump out the window." She was glaring at me, like she was upset with what I had done. "What were you thinking Star? You could have killed yourself." I hung my head in shame as I wrote my answer to her worried question.

[I was scared and thought I would be in just as much danger here as I was there]

"I know you're scared." She leaned forward and rubbed my arm. "I just hope you stop being scared of us soon."

[I'm sorry]

"Girl, don't be sorry. After hearing what you've been through it's no wonder you're scared. You'll trust us when you're ready and we all know that. Don't ever be sorry for worrying about and protecting yourself. Just know that you've got a lot more people worrying about you now, and we're all willing to protect you.

[Really?]

"Yes, really." She wrapped her arms around me then, hugging me tight.

When Chay pulled away from the hug she was smiling, her eyes kind and her touch gentle. Maybe I could trust her.

"So, do you mind helping me with some of these bags so I can show you your loot?" Despite myself I actually smiled at her as I nodded my head. She was being so nice to me that I couldn't help it.

Just after we were in the room with the bags there was another at the knock.

"That's probably Morgan with your breakfast, want me to get it?" I nodded to her as I stayed sitting at the table. "Hey Morgan." She said as she pulled the door open.

"Hey Chay." I could hear happiness in his voice, it sounded like he was probably smiling.

A moment later Morgan came walking into the room carrying a tray. He was indeed smiling.

"Good morning Star." He grinned at me. "For today Ar-."

"That's enough." Chay cut him off causing Morgan to look at her confused.

"What?"

"It's nothing, sorry." Chay looked at him sternly. "For today's breakfast, Star, we have pancakes. They're delicious." She was smiling while she spoke but I gave her a confused, almost distrustful look.

Morgan sat the tray down and looked at Chay for a moment before a look of realization hit him. That's when he nodded and smiled knowingly. He didn't say anything else, he just left the room with a wave of his hand.

[What's wrong?] I asked her.

"Nothing." She smiled sweetly. "Morgan just likes to talk for a while, if I let him get started he would never stop. And I have lots of stuff to show you."

[OK] Her answer seemed to be honest enough, but I was still skeptical.

I settled into the chair some more while I started eating. The food was indeed delicious. I was having so many more foods now that I had never seen before. They were delicious and wonderful, and I hoped I would never be locked away again so that I could have this life forever.

"Good?" Chay asked as I put another bite into my mouth. My nod had to be answer enough for her. "Great. You keep eating, I'll show you the goods." She was grinning like she was happy about something. Like she was getting gifts. I still didn't know what I did to deserve all this.

Chay went through the bags one by one. The first had a new hairbrush, toothbrush, soaps, and a bunch of other things that were meant for the bathroom. She told me what they were for and why I needed them. That alone would make me happy. To know that the next time that I bled I didn't have to let the blood run all over me while crouched in the cellar was a comforting thought.

The next several bags had a bunch of clothes. There were three of each piece of clothing, and I just had to ask why. We had moved to the couch near the window after I was done eating so I just grabbed the notepad and wrote.

[Why so many?]

"Oh, well we didn't know what size would actually fit you so we got a bunch. Whatever doesn't fit we can just take back." She tilted her head with a smile on her face. "You've been wearing my clothes but they're so big on you that I didn't know what size to get."

[I don't know my size either] I said as I pinched the clothes I was wearing. [But I feel like I am already getting bigger] I added after looking at the clothes.

"That's good. Your body needed the nutrients, the food, to build some muscle mass and what not. You really were nothing more than skin and bones when you got here."

[What if the clothes fit now but then are too small?] No I shouldn't ask that. That's assuming I will keep eating like this. [Nevermind] I added hastily as I shook my head frantically.

"I know what you're thinking." She seemed sad now, her eyes downcast as she sat close to me on the couch. "I know exactly what just went through your head. You got scared after asking that and it's because you thought it was wrong and presumptuous of you to assume you'd be eating this much food from now on. Isn't that what you thought?"

I couldn't deny her words. She had seen right through me and knew what I had thought. I nodded my head, feeling sorry for ever having that thought.

"Stop worrying about that, Star. Because you are going to be eating this much and this type of food. You could eat more if you wanted. You can have anything that you want. Do you hear me? Do you understand me? You're not going to get in trouble for thinking you get to eat your food. So yeah, you're right, the clothes might not fit in a month or so. So why don't we keep everything that fits now and the next size up, so that way you still have clothes you like when those ones are too small."

I was shaking my head furiously.

[No! That's too much] I wrote the words sloppily in my frantic haste to stop her.

"Too late, it's already decided. Really, we don't have to return any of it. We could just donate it all to people in need. That's a good way to make this situation right." She was shocked to see my raised eyebrow. "We're nice people here, Star, we help people." She was laughing at me as she said this. "Now, come on, let me show you the rest of the clothes."

She continued going through all the bags. There were some really nice clothes, and some not so nice things. I didn't want to complain so I didn't express my distaste in them. She might get angry at me if I did. But, knowing Chay, as little as I did, I didn't think she would really get upset.

After the clothes came an abundance of shoes. There were tennis shoes, as Chay called them, and sandals that barely covered the feet. All the shoes were amazing to me. Yes, I had seen my family wear them, but I had never worn any over the last sixteen years. This was going to be new to me.

"Try this on." Chay insisted as she handed me an outfit and shoes. The clothes scared me because I had only even worn pants and shorts that slipped on, and shirts that I pulled on over my head. All of these things that she had handed me had buttons and zippers and ties that I didn't know how to manage.

I sat there, my head hanging low in shame. I was fighting hard not to cry. I had managed to not cry when my family hurt me. I had not cried yet since I had been here. But now, seeing how stupid I really was, that made me want to cry. And when the thoughts wouldn't stop coursing through my head the dam broke and the tears started.

"Star? What's wrong?" Chay came to sit next to me on the couch, her arm curled comfortingly around me as the tears continued to stream down my face.

I couldn't reach my notepad or my pen. I wouldn't be able to see well enough to write with how blurry the tears were making my eyes.

"Star, are you ok?" Chay seemed sad, like my mood was affecting her.

"I-I-I-." My long unused voice was being uncooperative in my depressed state, but I just cleared my throat and tried again. "I don't know what to do." I told her, raising my head and staring at her with my eyes filled with tears.

"Star!" She gasped my name as she looked at me then hugged me tight. "Show me. Show me what the problem is and I will tell you how to fix it." She pulled back, smiling happily.

"I've never used buttons, zippers, and ties before." I explained.

"Star?" She seemed sad again. "I will show you how. Don't worry. You've never had a chance to learn so now is your time. Don't worry."

"I'm so stupid." I sobbed as I buried my face in my hands.

"No, you're not." Chay's voice was firm and angry. "That group of assholes never taught you anything, that's not the same as being stupid. Never call yourself stupid again. Everyone had to learn, that's all it is."

"I'm sorry." I sobbed again.

"Never apologize for what they did to you." She was holding me so tight that it kind of hurt, but it also felt comforting to be that close.

After I settled down Chay helped me to get dressed. I blushed through the whole thing but she acted like it was nothing. Once she had shown me how to work the intricacies of the new clothes and shoes, I would be able to do it all myself.

The outfit she chose for me to wear was pretty yet simple. It consisted of a pair of soft, dark blue jeans, something I had seen but never worn, a dark green tank top, and black three quarter sleeve jacket. There was a pair of black and gray tennis shoes as well. Not to mention the undergarments that Chay had made sure to buy and help me put on. The bra was definitely a first for me and would take some getting used to, but the socks and panties were comfortable enough.

After I was dressed Chay helped me decide where to put all my new stuff. Even the books that she hadn't gotten around to showing me. I nearly cried again when I saw them. I would really enjoy reading a book right about now.