War on the Body [1]

[1] The day the World ended

Paige sits at the dinner table, across from Matthew. Matthew was a guy she met when she moved to Georgia, the sweet farm boy type. He had courted her for months before she finally agreed to be his girlfriend. The boy made her heart beat fast, the way he treated her throughout their whole relationship. People change and so did Matthew, but Paige hadn't at least not yet.

She was drinking wine as he drank his beer, with silence consuming them she kept her gaze on the dark-stained wooden table. Paige had thought back to the events that occurred earlier that day, the people she passed on the street and how their eyes seemed to sink into their faces. Their skin a gray tone, their limps stiff and barely moving.

Matthew cleared his throat, causing Paige to look up at him. Her heart there it went beating fast again, the reason unclear to her but she had a feeling she wouldn't have to wait long. It was always because of those beautiful emerald, green eyes or his harsh treatment towards her.

"What did you do today?" he asked with a small smile on his face.

"I went to class for the morning and then I came home to do laundry" she said giving him a small smile.

"Did you pick me up some more beer?" he asked her

"No I haven't been to the store yet, I can go tomorrow" She said with a stutter as her heart skipped a beat. She hated making him angry, it led to harsh words and slamming doors on many occasions.

"Seriously?" he asked standing from his chair and pushing it in roughly, " I do so much for you and you can't pick me up more beer?"

"I'm sorry Matt, I forgot I won't forget again" she said to her boyfriend

"Don't cry" he said noticing a stray tear falling down her left cheek. It wasn't uncommon for the girl to shed a few tears around him but he always got annoyed by it, his anger obvious every time he spoke.

Paige wipes the tears, thinking back to how happy she was with her parents and older brother. She missed her dad, arriving home from work every night ready to watch a different movie with her. She missed her mother's homemade casseroles they had eaten an abundance of ever since she started watching Paula Deen religiously. She missed her brother being protective and being her best friend.

She looked up at Matt when he began walking towards her, she was intimidated but not scared. He had never hurt her physically, he is very controlling and can say very hurtful things but he has never laid a hand on her. that was one reason she stayed in this toxic game they called a relationship, the lack of physical abuse.

"I'm going over to Jared's, I know he'll have some beer" he said before walking out with his car keys and phone.

Paige knew what that was code for, he was going to Miranda's house. He gets upset with her and cheats, then he apologizes the next day. She unfortunately forgave him every time, but tonight was different. She wouldn't forgive him so easily, at least that was the plan.

Paige cleaned their plates off and put the leftovers away, after shutting the lights off she made her way to the bedroom. She picked out a shirt of Matt's and some spandex shorts of hers. Walking to the bathroom in a gloomy mood, she stripped from the clothing and stepped into the shower turning the hot water on.

Paige stood there for a minute letting the hot water pour down on her, trying her hardest not to cry.

She finished her shower, and quickly made her way into bed after dressing. The heartbroken girl laid down and pulled the blankets up to her waist, staring at the ceiling.