Protective

Part 3

It all happened so fast...

They say that love is supposed to be our safe haven. Very often, it's the place where we find our deepest heartache.

Janessa's lovelife - If that is what you call it - was the opposite of utopia. It was only her and her abusive boyfriend, that making it very unpleasant to live near. Often the neighbors could her her screams, his commands, things being thrown or slammed.

Janessa didn't feel safe. She wanted to leave, she wanted someone that loved her, accepted her, and would tell her that she was going to be okay. She wanted someone that didn't scream at her everytime she 'breathed'. She wanted a normal, happy, and safe life. Or was that too much to ask for?

Everytime he would touch her, or hurt her she would fight him off, but he killed a prince from a fairytale somewhere deep within her heart. She didn't want that anymore. The prince was supposed to save her. She wanted; so very much to be saved.

With her body sore from what she had unfortunately suffered, eyes swollen from crying so much and a broken ego, heart, and nose..... Janessa left.

She was all alone. Not that she was ever surrounded by people that liked her, but this was different. Janessa didn't have a family or a home to go to anymore.

There was no one to tell, no where to hide, Janessa kept the pain to herself all these years while a piece of her died.... that piece was the ability to love and trust. Janessa couldn't love anyone she trusted and she definitely could not trust anyone she loved.

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Janessa's POV

"This isn't fair! Why me? What did I do?"

"I have to leave. Oh, maybe I'll go see Agnes.." Agnes is the sweet lady that owned 'Griddy's Doughnuts'. She always helped me, she'd call me every night, sometimes I got to the phone before Angelo (her boyfriend) did, but other times I was not so lucky, or rather she was not.

She would make sure I was getting fed at least twice a day. She felt like the mother that I never had, and the sister I always wanted. She was family to me.

I was going to leave. I needed to go before he woke up. Before he decided that I wasn't punished enough, or I didn't get the message of my worth through my thick skull. Before he tried it again.

I didn't have time to pack, or think for that matter. I slowly tip toed up the creaky stairs. My hand hovering over the door to the dining room.

"No! Bad idea. Go back to bed. It'll be okay." Is what I kept telling myself over and over again. My heart screamed the opposite. "Go! Before it's too late!"

I took a deep breath. It's now or never.

Now!

I managed to sneak out of the house without him noticing. He was, as expected, drunk as a skunk, as I always say.

I made my way to the doughnut shop. I couldn't see very well, due to my swollen eye but that had no reflection on my decision. I had to get away, even if it was for just one week.

He could look after himself for a week right? I did it for 17 years.

I got to the doughnut shop, it was around 9pm. I walked in ans sat on the stool by the front table, waiting for Agnes.

After a few minutes of waiting I got bored. I was playing with the cutlery when I heard the bell ring. My heart started beating fast, I looked towards the door, hoping that it would not be him.

My heart somewhat reduced back to it's normal speed as I looked. It was just a boy, he looked as though her was about my age.

"Breathe Janessa" I told myself. The bell rang again. My heart dropped to my toes once again when I heard heavy footsteps, I slowly turned around....... again it was not him, but another man. My eyes were plastered on him as he strutted down towards the counter.

The boy walked up to sit next to me. I moved slightly away from him, stupid instincts.

'Don't be irrational Janessa' I internally shouted to myself.

The boy didn't seem to notice my odd behavior, so that was a plus side to being small and fragile looking. He sat there impatiently, and after a few minutes rang the bell repeatedly to get Agnes' attention.

The man sat on the other side of the boy, he picked up the newspaper and started reading it, I looked over at the boy, but he was looking at the old man. I sighed. This was going to be a long night.

Janessa's POV over

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"Sorry the sink was clogged." Agnes quietly chuckled. "So, what'll be?" she questioned the two strangers. She didn't notice Janessa's presence yet. "Uh- give me a chocolate eclair" the man responded. "Can I get the kids a glass of milk or something?" Added Agnes, still not noticing Janessa. "The kid wants coffee, black" the boy scoffed. Agnes looked up at him for a moment and turned her eyes to Janessa.

Realization hit her like a ton of bricks. "Oh my, Janessa?"

"Not again..." Agnes whispered to herself. That caught the attention of the two strangers sitting next to her.

Janessa sensed the boy stiffen at the mention of her name. What an odd guy? She chose to ignore him.

Looking at the girl sitting across from Agnes would feel like a circus act. Expected, yet surprising nonetheless. She was a small girl. And showing up with bruises wasn't a new thing.

"What the hell happened?!" The man sitting next to the black haired boy exclaimed.

Janessa shyly looked down and started fiddling with her hands, "oh, this?" she pointed quizzically towards the bruise on her face.

"Ran into a door." she lied softly.

She looked up to meet the worried eyes of Agnes, the concerned expression of the man, and the boy. The boy was just staring at her, almost like he was studying her every facial feature.

His jaw tensing. Janessa didn't enjoy being the center of attention, this would mean staring, laughing, judging.

As soon as she met his eyes they both looked away, Janessa to her hands and the boy to Agnes.

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It had been 10 minutes since she first looked into the green eyes of the mystery boy, sitting no more than 2 meters away from her. The man had left, after offering to pay for the boy's coffee and Janessa's cream and jam doughnut.

As Janessa was about to get up and leave, the doors to the doughnut shop opened and four men dressed in all black, carrying guns, rushed in.