The empty hole at the pit of her stomach ached as it grew, her tears streamed down as they warmed her face,  and a hollow expression personified the hopelessness in her heart. Drenched from the heavy rain, she walked through the paved path around the park. Harsh weather made her body cold, yet her mind was too far gone to feel it. Nothing could make her heart beat again; thus, a numbness overtook her.

      On the opposite end, a man walked under his umbrella as he smiled at a dainty golden bracelet. His eyes showed love and admiration, but a melancholic expression also shone through. He placed the bracelet in his pocket and lifted his gaze, seeing the woman at the end of the path wandering, her eyes fixed on the sky.  He couldn't make out her face due to her hair being weighed down by the rain, covering her face. 

     She wobbled towards him, her movements slow yet almost rhythmic. The man was so curious about this odd display that he forgot about his worries for a second, so he didn't stray from his path. He stayed in her direct line of view until they finally stood side by side. She didn't talk or even notice there was someone beside her; the man felt like a ghost as she looked right through him. 

     Out of concern, he turned to her and tried to speak out, but a strong gust of wind caused the umbrella to slam into her face. The woman lost her balance, causing the heel of her boot to break.

      She fell to the ground, the man only being able to catch her arm, the rest of her body hitting the floor with a painful thud. The sound she made conveyed a painful hit to her knees as a bit of red was now visible on her pants. Riddled with guilt, he lifted her, his concern evident. 

     "Miss, are you okay?" he said as she was brought under his umbrella.

     She slowly looked up, but the rain blurred her vision. Her mind was in a daze, but the pain she felt in her legs brought a bit of her sanity back into reality. 

     She saw a man, a brunette with fluffy hair, round glasses, and a beauty mark under his eye.  She slowly came back to her senses as he shared his umbrella with her. 

     Beautiful, sparkling eyes sadly looked at him, but she slowly averted her gaze as she apologized, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to get you wet. Thank you."  Her words were slow but clear to the ear.

      As she was about to step back into the rain, he held onto her hand. "There is a laundromat near here, let me take you there at least", he said sweetly, trying to keep her on his plane. 

     Hand in hand, he guided her across the street and a block away until he saw the blaring lights of the sign. They entered, and he sat her down on a nearby bench. He looked a bit scattered as he saw her completely drenched under the fluorescent lighting. She was wearing a long coat, now heavy and soaked from the rain. If she were to stay in that state for any longer, it might cause an unruly cold.  Her pale expression made him feel nervous, but an idea came to mind as he remembered where he was: "I'll be right back", he said excitedly as he swiftly exited the establishment. She saw as he left, and a sudden chill engulfed her.  

     She was indeed soaked from head to toe, and the more she adjusted her coat, the more water dripped on the floor, now forming a puddle. For those few moments, she felt her mind come back. She began to question the decisions that led her here. She was cold and scared, she felt like there was blood on her hands she couldn't wash off, or more accurately, blood that she didn't want to wash off. She felt something weighing down her body as she looked down, and finally noticed her broken shoe.

      She began to take off her boots and saw blood on the tips. She remembered the previous night, and her mind again went into a daze. The pain, the sorrow, the betrayal that she suffered, she wanted to forget it all now that it was over; she figured there would be some closure, so why did she still feel empty? Her mind began to run rapidly. However, before she could spiral further, she saw the man run in. 

     He held a bag as he panted, "I'm sorry if these are not the correct size, but it's better than being wet". 

      Inside the bathroom, she began to strip off the clingy clothes, drying herself with napkins from the dispenser. She pulled out grey sweatpants and a sweatshirt from the bag she was provided. She looked in the mirror and she saw the redness in her eyes. She didn't want to cry anymore, but she saw the bruise on the corner of her forehead and the blood in her gums,  as involuntary thoughts crawled in her head, she felt herself shrinking as she crawled into a ball on the floor. Her anxiety rose as words etched into her head, "Please let it be enough". However, a sudden knocking sound broke her away just in time. It was the man, checking up on her, "Sorry to interrupt, just wanted to ask if the clothes fit. If they are too big, just tell me and I can get new ones". 

     The woman felt confused, but tried her best to answer, "No, please don't mind me. They're perfect", she said in a shaky voice.

     The man waited on the bench as he etched the image of the woman in her head. Her hair, the shape of her eyes, the way she walked, the way she was dressed, and why it looked like she had completely given up on everything. It was as if she completely disappeared until he spoke to her. He had never seen anything like this, and he wasn't sure what to do in this situation. But, as he contemplated, he heard the bathroom door open, his eyes instinctively darting towards the sound. 

     He felt a twinge in his chest as he saw her walk out of the bathroom. The clothing was indeed too big for her, yet she looked comfortable. As she came closer, he examined her face closely. He saw a bruise on her head and a bit of blood in the corner of her mouth. He wanted to ask if she was okay, but held it back. He decided on another approach. "Do you need a cab or anything to go home?" 

      She kept her head low and mumbled, "Thank you, but I don't want to waste more of your time. You have already helped me more than enough". 

      His face showed concern as he stood in front of her. He didn't want to leave yet, but didn't know what to say. As he contemplated his next words, her voice filled the silence, "I'm...grateful for all of your help. Do you mind if I get your number?".

     His eyes went wide, and her face quickly became flushed as she heard her own words, " No, I didn't mean...I just wanted to return these clothes. I can't keep them. I can wash them and give them back".  

     He began to laugh as she stuttered and became frantic. "No, it's okay, here", he wrote his number down and gave it to her, "But, you don't have to give me those clothes. I'm just glad you have some color on your face again".

     His words felt warm, his smile lifting her spirits in the moment. She smiled back as she lifted her hand to shake his. "Then, let me make it up to you in another way. My name is Yvette, it's nice to meet you". As she showed him that expression, he felt a surge go through him, and he felt a warmth in him that he felt he had missed. He stretched out his hand and reciprocated her smile, " Nice to meet you too, I'm Cane".

     As they both said their goodbyes, Yvette entered a taxi and went on her way with a final wave. Cane waved back as he stood in front of the laundromat. He stayed until the taxi was completely out of sight. He then opened his umbrella and began to walk opposite the cab. As he went on his way, he couldn't shake off the smile on his face as he stared at her written number. His face grew obsessive as he murmured, " I didn't think I would see you so soon. I've waited so long to finally meet you, Yvette".