Scars [An Exclamation Point Fan Fiction]

PART 26

We get to the airport and find out our flight's been delayed almost an hour. The three of us sit and wait for a long time. Finally close to ten o'clock our flight is called. Sensing my anxiety about fyling, Paul holds my hand as we board the plane. It's already midnight back home, so I just text my parents and let them know we've boarded and are about to take off. Paul and I sit next to each other again, with Danny on the other side of Paul. I fall asleep immeadietly after we take off. Three hours later the plane lands in Texas. We get a taxi and go to Danny and Paul's place. I stay with them instead of going home and wakingmy parents. I text them once we pull into the driveway. 

"Hey! Back in Texas! I'm staying with Danny and Paul so you don't have to wake up and come get me. I'll be home tomorrow morning! Love you guys can't wait to see you!"

Paul takes me to his room. "You can sleep in here. I'll sleep on the couch." He kisses my cheek and starts to walk out the door.

I grab his wrist. "Wait." I bite my lip. "You can sleep in here. I mean it is your room." I say walking closer to him. He smiles and walks toward a dresser, and pulls out a pair of sweatpants for him, and for me a pair of sweat pants and one of his shirts.

"I'll let you change first." He says and walks out the door. I put on his pants, which are huge, and then the shirt. I open the door and put my hair in a ponytail. A couple seconds later Paul walks in with cups of hot chocolate, and no shirt on.

I stare at his abs, as I take a drink. He looks down and laughs.

"Do you like it?" He asks pointing at his abs.

I blush. "Psshh no." He puts his drink down and flexes his abs.

I roll my eyes. "Show off." I put my cup down and crawl into Paul's bed. He laughs, then turns off the light and crawls in next to me.

He kisses my cheek. "Goodnight." He whispers.

"Night." I say. I fall asleep within seconds.

 I'm in the witness stand making my testimony, when the judge decides that Nate will be acquitted. His handcuffs are taken off, and he lunges at me. No one stops him. He slams me to the floor and straddles me, holding me down. "This is for everything you've done wrong." He says. His eyes change to darkness, and he slams his fists into my body. He rips off the dress I'm wearing and begins to rape me. I scream and look around. Everyone stares. No one steps forward to help. I hear their voices. "Serves her right." "She's had it coming."  I scream louder trying to get him off of me.  My body is paralyzed. Suddenly Nate stops hitting me and finds Paul. He goes after him. Punching, kicking, scratching. I scream at him to stop. My body still won't move. I close my eyes trying to ignore the sounds of fists hitting. All of a sudden there's a shot. I open my eyes and see Nate with a gun, and Paul dead.

"Nikki wake up!" Paul yells. I open my eyes. I'm drenched in sweat, my cheeks are tear stained, and my throat hurts. Paul is laying on top of me, pinning my body to the bed. Paul puts a hand on my cheek; stroking my face and wiping my tears. "What happened?" He whispers. I can't answer him, instead I wrap my arms around him, and bury my face in his neck. I slow down my breathing, and Paul sits up holding on to me. I'm sitting in his lap, holding on as tight as I can.

"I thought I lost you." I finally whisper. "Nate.. He.. I thought he.."

"It was just a dream Nikki. He's gone." Paul whispers. "He can't get you here, or at your home." He kisses the top of my head. "Do you need anything?"

I remember my anxiety pills. I climb off the bed and dig through my purse looking for them. Paul walks out of the room. I finally find them, as Paul walks in with a glass of water. "I figured that's what you were looking for." He says handing me the drink. I swallow two pills and the water. "What happens after you take that?" He whispers.

I look up at him. I see the worry in his eyes. "I go to sleep for a few hours, and it helps me forget what just happened."

"Why did you start taking them?" He steps closer to me.

"I was in a car accident last year. Nate was driving, and he got mad after a car cut him off. So he took the anger out on me and slapped me." I step closer towards Paul. "He swerved and hit a curb. The car flipped so many times." By now the memory is replaying in my mind. "After it stopped tubmling we landed on the tires. A car came speeding out of nowhere and hit my side of the car. Thankfully it was more the backside, but glass shattered everywhere. My arms. My back." 

"The scratches on your body.. is that what it's from?" He asks. "I remember seeing them a few months ago. And the concussion?"

I nod my head. "Nate swore he'd stop hitting me after that. He was scared, but he didn't. I'd have dreams of him hitting me, then the car accident. My mom took me to get help, and my therapist recomended medication. It's helped a lot. I just forget to take it." I can feel the medicine working. My eyes are getting heavy. Paul takes my hand and leads me toward the bed. He lays me down. I fall asleep the second my head hits the pillow.