Lost in the Middle

Hands of Abuse

Nikki's Saturday morning had been far from relaxing it had been stressful for the sixteen-year-old who was having to clean the house as her father demanded so she could get her weekly allowance but today Victor had been far from nice to his daughter after finding Nikki hadn't even got round to cleaning the bathroom before he got home from the bookies, picking flies out of her just like he did to her mother reminding her that she wasn't exactly skinny and that she could do with losing a couple of pounds, this had been one of the reasons she hardly ate at school she would usually fear what her father would say about her eating the food the school canteen served.

Around one in the afternoon Nikki had finished cleaning the living room and kitchen she makes her way into the lounge where her father is sat watching the races on TV. She had been psyching herself up for hours to ask her father a burning question and she feared what he would say to her, cleaning her throat her father glances up at his daughter. "Dad?" She whispers.
"Nicola?" He sighs turning the television down and looking up at her.

Nikki picks at the sink around her nail and begins, "Dad... Can I have some money..." She mutters.
"Money for what? You've got everything you need in your room?" Victor remarks.
"No... I want to get... a dress... for prom in July," Nikki breathes nervously.

Victor laughs hysterically at his daughter's wish and shakes his head, "A dress!" Victor laughs. Nikki breathes in and closes her eyes waiting for the shouting to commence, "Why would you want a dress or even wear one... have you seen the size of your calves... just like your mother, disgusting!" He raises his tone to Nikki who is biting her lip attempting to not cry.

"Dad... please, I want to go!" She pleads.
"Over my dead body... anyway proms lead to teen pregnancies, not having any horny teenage boy shagging you, any way you're too fat for a boy to like you! No shut up I don't want to hear any more of this!" VIctor hisses.

"But..." Nikki stutters.
Victor looks at his daughter his eyebrows furrowing at her his face looked like he was about to kick off, rising from the chair he towers his daughter looking down at her, "Don't you ever 'but', me again, young lady! You're as bad as your mother and as useless as her!" He snaps.

Nikki suddenly feels a rise in confidence and looks up at him trying to make herself seem taller than she was, "Mum would still be here if you didn't beat her to death! I know Dad, we all know!" She shouts her face turning red with fury.
Victor doesn't say anything but he raises his hand and the palm of his hand makes contact with Nikki's cheek, "Stupid girl!" He hisses as he watches Nikki cup her cheek and the tears begin to roll down her face, Victor sits down in his armchair again and continues watching the TV.

Nikki rushes out the lounge towards the front door, she grabs her jacket before running upstairs grabbing an overnight bag and packing a few essentials. Nikki has no idea where she is going but grabs the spare change she has on her dressing table and hurries downstairs pulling her all-star converses on she quietly slips out of the house and runs to the end of the street before pausing realizes she doesn't know where to go.

Antia would be at her Dad's in Epson for the weekend and Naomi would have just gone to gymnastics. Recalling Jack said he had a quiet weekend away from his hobbies she makes the half-hour walk to Jack's house cutting across the park to cut up the time it usually takes.

She walks down the slightly familiar street and stands just away from Jack's house looking up at the house knowing his bedroom was above the garage but the window was shut. Deciding that Jack wouldn't come to his window anytime soon she makes her way over to the front door, a million thoughts running through her mind, what would Conor think to her turning up at their front door again, what if she was intruding on family time, what if Conor didn't allow her to speak with Jack.

Either way she is about to find out as her hand automatically knocks on the door and presses the doorbell for extra measure. She bites her lip still feeling the effects of her father slapping her so hard, but then she notices a figure coming to the door and the keys being messed with before Conor opens the door and looks at Nikki.

A smile appearing on his face as he sees the young girl, "No guess for who you are after... I'll go shout him. Lovely to see you so soon Nicola," Conor smiles as he leaves the door open slightly and walks into the house, and shouts Jack down from his bedroom. Appearing at the door again he invites Nikki into the house and allows her to wait in the hallway "He's on his way..."

Conor walks back into the kitchen and soon Jack comes rushing down the stairs but stops a few steps from the bottom when he sees Nikki stood there looking at him it was obvious that she had been crying, "Hey, Nikki are you okay?" Jack smiles softly walking slowly down the stairs.

Nikki wipes her face and sniffles, "Can we talk... in private... please," She speaks noticing Conor peering through smiling at the pair as they stand talking in the hallway, Conor couldn't ignore how his son took hold of Nikki's hand and strokes it softly maybe there was something going on between them but he thought no more of it and smiles at Jack.
"Will you be stopping for lunch Nicola?" Conor calls.
"Yes she will Da," Jack shouts back.

She looks up at Jack and grins cheerfully he smiles at her and pulls her through into the lounge and shuts the door, "Nikki, what is going on?" He asks not ignoring the overnight bag in her hand.
"Can I stop here for a few hours, I don't want to go home... Dad... he... he hit me, I don't want to end up like Mum, I don't want to die... please just a couple of hours until Noami is home and then I will go stop with her for the weekend. Please Jack," Nikki smirks.

Jack looks at her sympathetically she was clearly distressed by the day's events, he didn't know the full story with her mother but had an idea that she clearly had died at the hands of Nikki's abusive father. "Let me talk with Da," Jack smiles leaving her in the lounge and heading off to the kitchen.

She doesn't hear much but looks around the room at the photos on the mantlepiece two baby photos sat there one of them must have been Jack's and she put it down to the one where the baby is frowning, she chuckles to herself as she takes a closer look.
A few minutes later Jack returns to the lounge with a smile on his face, "Dad said you're welcome to stay here... I have a sofa bed in my room you can crash on that for as long as you like. Listen I had to tell Da about your father... I am sorry, but we want's you safe and you're my friend so you are welcome," Jack smiles taking her overnight bag from her and showing her upstairs.