Revelations

I took a deep breath, trying to gather my thoughts and process everything that had just happened. Rafael's hand was still wrapped around mine, and I could feel the warmth of his skin seeping into mine. I looked into his eyes, and I knew that I had to tell him the truth. "It was Max," I said, my voice barely above a whisper. Rafael's expression changed, and he leaned in closer to me. "What happened with Max?" he asked, his voice low and urgent. I took another deep breath, trying to calm myself down. "We were at the party, and he cornered me. He was being really aggressive and creepy, and I felt like I was trapped. I tried to get away, but he kept following me. I had to...I had to get out of there as fast as I could." Rafael's grip on my hand tightened, and I could feel his anger radiating towards me. "I'm so sorry," he said, his voice filled with emotion. "I had no idea. Why didn't you tell me?" I shook my head, feeling a mix of shame and guilt. "I didn't want to bother you with it. I didn't want to make a big deal out of it. But when I got home and was sitting on the couch, I just...I couldn't shake the feeling that he was still out there, watching me. And then you showed up, and..." Rafael pulled me into another hug, holding me tightly as I broke down again. "You're safe now," he whispered into my ear. "You're safe with me. I won't let anything happen to you." As I cried, Rafael stroked my hair, whispering words of comfort into my ear. I felt a sense of relief wash over me, knowing that I had finally told someone what had happened. I knew that I could trust Rafael, and that he would do everything in his power to protect me. After a while, Rafael pulled back and looked at me, his eyes filled with determination. "We need to do something about this," he said. "We can't just let Max get away with this. I want to report him to the police, and I want to make sure that he never bothers you again." I nodded, feeling a sense of gratitude towards Rafael. I knew that I wasn't alone in this, and that he would be there to support me every step of the way. Together, we would make sure that Max paid for what he had done.