Life continued to stack the deck against you as you still couldn’t get over him, no matter what you did, no matter how many dates you had gone on, no matter how hard you tried to move on you were still hung up on him. Again turning to your journal, you began to write between the lines as tears dripped against the off white pages within the leather binding.

Stopping halfway through, you looked over at your phone, sitting silently next to you. Wrapping your fingers around the device, you carefully held it between your palms as your thumbs unlocked the phone and opened up your conversation with your ex boyfriend.

Slowly, your thumbs began to type slow and unsure, however the more you typed the easier the rest of the message flowed. Your vision clouded with tears as you entrusted your fingers to continue to carry out the message your heart had been longing to say to the one who was always willing to listen.

This has torn me up more than I thought that it would be possible to… I cry every night… hardly sleep because I miss you. I have cried myself to sleep night and night again because I don’t feel protected, like I do with you. I feel weak, lost and unsure. I keep to myself and listen to music… I’m not me anymore… I need you to come back and save me from myself…  I will do anything to get you back…

Within the hour a knock came from your front door. Shuffling to the door with your yoga pants hugging your legs, a large t shirt engulfing your figure while your hair was pulled up in a sloppy high ponytail while your swollen-bloodshot eyes told of your struggles over the past month and a half. Not bothering to check who it was, you unlocked the door and pulled it open a sliver before your eyes laid on the man behind the door.

“W-What are you doing here?” You questioned, tears instantly swelling up in your eyes as you opened the door a little wider.

“My princess needed her prince to come and rescue her” Chen whispered, tears flowed from your eyes as your hand covered your mouth as you just nodded. The door swung open as your other arm opened up slightly.

Stepping inside, he slowly wrapped his arms around you as your free arm wrapped around him. Tangling your fingers into the fabric of his sweater, you pulled him closer as his arms tightened around you. Your tears began to soak into his sweater as your knees felt weak being in his arms once again.

“I came as soon as I got your text… I didn’t want to come over sooner just in case…” Chen whispered wanting to give you time and respect your wishes. Feeling your body shake in his arms, tears began to swell up in his eyes.

“Do you mind if I stay for a moment?” Chen questioned as he rubbed your back softly. Shaking your head, you slowly moved out of his arms as you closed the door behind him.

The two of you headed over to the couch, sitting on opposite ends of the same couch, you pulled a blanket between your arms while he played with his fingers in his lap. Silence filled the space between the two of you as glances to one another were exchanged trying not to catch the other person’s gaze.

“Sorry I waited so long to send you that message” You whispered, your fingers absentmindedly playing with the fringe on the edge of the blanket.

“I’m just glad that you sent it… I wanted to text you so many more times after that day…” Chen allowed his eyes to linger on your weakened figure. Seeing the physical toll that this has played on you, he moved into the middle cushion allowing you to make the next move if you wanted.

Minutes passed as questions were asked but the conversation ended as the other person answered. Taking a deep breath, you dropped your head as you bit your lip slightly.

“Is everything okay?” Chen inquired, his arm resting on the top of the couch back. Feeling yourself wanting to just be in his arms again, you slowly moved over as you curled up against his side again. Resting your head on his chest, your body was tense against his feeling his head look down at you.

Knowing you better than you know yourself, he reached over and grabbed the remote hanging off the edge of the coffee table in front of the two of you. Turning on the tv, he found a movie that he knew you liked as he played it. Allowing the movie to play, time worked its magic as you relaxed against his body. Moving his arm down off of the back of the couch, he wrapped it around you after pulling a blanket up over your shoulders.

The movie continued to play as he felt your breathing become shallow and your head move over on his chest. Peering down at you, he saw his sleeping beauty against his chest once more.

“I’ve missed you” He whispered as a tear slowly followed his cheek, flicking away the tear from his cheek, he tightened his arms around you, happy that he could be here to protect you once more. So that his girl could feel protected and loved, just how she should be.

Love isn’t always perfect.

It isn’t a fairytale or a storybook.

And it doesn’t always come easy.

Love is overcoming obstacles,

Facing challenges, fighting to be together, holding on forever and never letting go.

It is a short word.

Easy to spell, difficult to define and impossible to live without.

Love is work, but most of all love is realizing that every hour, every minute and every second is worth it.