The Curse of Your Past // Charlie Gillespie

Chapter 14

"VICKY?" I flinch and don't dare turn around. I can hear Max enter the kitchen. I can tell he's angry. "I'm talking to you Vicky." I turn around painfully slowly, my eyes fixed on the ground. "Look at me." Slowly I lift my eyes up. He holds a card in his hand. I know exactly what this is. It's the invitation to grandpas funeral. 

"When were you gonna tell me about this? It's tomorrow." - "It's family only." My voice is barely a whisper. I'm too scared of his reaction. I got the invitation about a week ago but I couldn't bring up the courage to talk to him yet. The past few months he got angry more and more easily. "You're not going." I catch my breath. "You know how much he meant to me!" He can't be serious! Grandpa dying was like a part of me dying too. He's been with me through everything. He is my everything. "This isn't a discussion. You're not going." He leaves the kitchen and I stand there... unable to move, unable to think.

"I'm off to work. I'll see you later Vicky." Max places a kiss on my cheek and leaves. I wait a few moments to see if he forgot anything but after he doesn't come back for about twenty minutes I sprint into the bedroom and grab my black jeans and a black shirt. I put on the smallest bit of make-up and open up the bun I put my hair into. 

I grab my purse and my invitation and leave. If I don't get back before Max does I'll be in serious trouble but I can't bail on grandpas funeral... I just can't. Once I get there my parents look like they've seen a ghost. "Victoria? Max texted us and said you were feeling unwell." Of course he did. "Yeah I did... but I took Ibuprofen. I'm fine now."

When I open the door I see Max sitting on the couch. Damn it! He shouldn't be home yet! His shift doesn't end for another hour. I take my time taking of my coat but eventually I have to turn around and face him. I can tell he's mad... maybe more mad than I've ever seen him. He scares me. 

"Vicky..." His voice is more of a growl than actual talking. I know my only option is the apologize. "I'm sorry! I couldn't miss it! You know he's my world." He jumps up so quickly I take a step back. He comes walking towards me so painfully slowly my heart starts racing. The closer he gets the further I walk backwards until I hit the door. He comes closer and closer until his voice is right next to my ear. "I'm your world." I swallow hard. 

"You're scaring me." I whisper. He takes a few steps back but he's still far too close. "Good. Maybe that'll teach you to not sneak out again." - "You left me no choice." I'm unsure if he even heard me because my voice is so quiet. The burning on my cheek tells me he definitely did. "Don't dare do this again."

"Please tell me you broke up with him after that?" The pain has returned to Charlie's eyes. I shake my head... ashamed of myself. "I was way to trapped... I always found excuses for his behavior." Reliving all these memories makes me relive how stupid I was. How could I not see it? He hit me! He hit me because I went to my grandpa's funeral and I found an excuse. I was so damn stupid. "It didn't take much longer though... I broke up with him maybe a month later." - "Why?" I laugh... it's a bitter laugh. 

"Because he did something I couldn't make up excuses about anymore... I tried but... I guess I finally started to see him for who he really was." I can see he's worried. I think it's best to just rip the bandage of and get this over with. "I caught him cheating on me... in our bed." Charlie jumps up and starts pacing up and down the room. I can tell he's angry. Who could blame him? 

"Charlie?" He stops pacing right away and looks at me. I don't know what he sees in my eyes but he comes walking over to me, sits down and pulls me into his arms. We stay silent for a while, both thinking about what I just told him. 

After a while I whisper "You must think I'm completely naive and stupid." He lifts up my chin with his hand. "No... you are not! Of course it's hard for me to understand why you stayed with him but... he spent a whole year convincing you he's a great guy and that he loves you. You were in an impossible situation. You didn't wanna go back to your parents, you believed he loved you and he did a great job keeping you away from your friends so they wouldn't get suspicious. Honestly... that guy is insane." That he definitely is... 

"You know what's the best part about this story?" Charlie tilts his head. "He and the girl he cheated on me with are now a couple!" I say that so cheerfully like I'm actually happy for them. Maybe I should be... they deserve each other. "Oh but Evelyn still wants me to get back together with him so... that could be interesting."  Charlie opens and closes his mouth a few times but nothing comes out. 

"Honestly Vic... I'm speechless. This is crazy. I just wish we would have met earlier and you could have been spared all this pain." A smile forms on my face. "My past was tough but it made me who I am now. I wouldn't be here if that didn't happen... I wouldn't have had the courage to leave." Charlie leans down and gives me a gentle kiss. "I love you so much Vic." I curl up tighter in his arms. My head rest against his chest I say "I love you Charlie."