“He apologized right away. In fact, he’s been sending me apology texts every day since. But it scared the crap out of me, and that’s why I left.”

I pull myself up to sit next to her on the bed. “Look at me.” She doesn’t move. I grab her arm and shake it. “Look at me.” Her head pivots and her wide blue eyes meet mine. “Keith is an abusive, controlling asshole. He thinks he gets to decide when and how you cut your hair? No. He doesn’t. And I bet he also has strong opinions about your clothes, friends, and the way you spend your free time, doesn’t he?”

Snuffling, she nods.

“Walsh, that’s abuse. And he was escalating. If you stayed with him, he wouldn’t have missed next time. He would have hurt you.”

“I don’t know… he’s been so apologetic. Like what he did scared him too…”

I gather her hand in both of mine and squeeze. “No.” I shake my head. “He’s not sorry. He’s only sorry you got wise to him and left. Abusers don’t stop. If you go back to him now, he will hurt you, I promise.” My voice cracks and I swallow a wave of emotion.

Her face scrunches and her eyes dart wildly. “But what if I fail and can’t hack it on my own? What if I can’t get a job or help you pay rent or—”

“Walsh, you have me. I will always be there for you, no matter what. You don’t need him.”

A sob escapes her in a hiccup.

“You’re right,” she croaks. “You know deep down, I think I knew what Keith was all along. What does that say about me?”

“No, no you couldn’t have known,” I say, but she keeps going.

“I mean, he was just so charming. Taking me to expensive restaurants all the time. Helping me pay my rent. He made me feel special. But on the other hand, nothing I ever did was good enough. He always found a way to tear me down. But then he’d do something so over the top, like invite me to move into his penthouse apartment or buy me a thousand-dollar pearl necklace and I’d think I was crazy for ever feeling like he wasn’t such a nice guy.”

“Because he’s a master manipulator. You are so brave for leaving him and I am so proud of you for recognizing the danger you were in. Don’t ever talk to him again. Never, okay? In fact, here.” Gently, I pry the phone from her bloodless fist. Working slowly so she can see exactly what I’m doing, I tap through the necessary set of commands.

With my thumb hovering over the screen, we lock eyes. After three shaky breaths, she nods. I tap block, and Bad News Bears disappears. Hopefully forever.