Sometimes I Wish You Would Leave Me (A Marianas Trench Fan Fiction)

Chapter 13:

Danielle's POV

As Josh falls slowly asleep, I begin to think about the bruises and deep cuts. As he mindlessly wraps his arms around me and hugs tightly, I start to piece together the day I gained my courage.

**Flashback**

Caleb had slowly, over time, become my worst enemy. I had learnt to deal with the mood swings, the taunting, even the beatings, but I never truly let him get to my spirit. I held my fight.

I think part of the reason why I felt such a connection with Caleb, is because he had all the characteristics of my father. Studies do show that women are more attracted to men who are like their parents. In fact, it wasn't until I was in the Emergency Room after one of his snap mood changes, that I realized how deep I was in lies.

I heard myself lying for him, telling the nurses that no, nothing happened. That I was fine. I could see the disbelieve in their eyes, and I just felt so.. tired. So tired of covering up the bruises and the burns, so tired of putting a smile on, no matter how much I wanted to burst out in tears. He despised my scars, and teased me everytime he saw them. He wasn't a man. He was a scared boy stuck in a mans position.

That evening, I decided to live for myself and no one else. Once I was discharged, I crept quietly into his worn out house, covered in shit that never washed off, even though I scraped it mercilessly for days on end.

I swept past the photos of his car, past the photos of us, with my face scratched out by my own fingernails. In one of his moments of insanity, he forced me to remove myself from our photos while he screamed insults at me. On my knees, at his feet, I begged him to stop. I sobbed, and he kneed me in the stomach, bruising my ribs.

I shook my head, and continue on in my mission. I went into the closet and shoved all my clothes into an old tote, shaking from adrenaline. Once I did that, the bathroom taunted at me. I scrambled to gather all my bottles into my arms, and dropped those in the tote too.

I paused. My blades. I can't just leave them, they don't deserve to be in this hell hole. Now that I'm not blinded anymore, I see how bad things have been. I silently reach for them, and grasp them in my hand.

My head stops ringing when I hold them. My wrist tingles. I drop them at the sensation, and they make a metallic sound as they land. There's no time. Caleb will be back from the repair shop soon, and I have to get out.

I fight the tote, pulling it down the hallway. I glance at the clock fleeting, and the time stares me back.

3:08.

Shudders run through my chest. Run.

I hike the tote up, and slam the back screen door open. It shuts behind me, whining in protest. Scrambling across the backyard, I trip a few times, but adrenaline is there again to aid me in my flee. I jump into Carrie's car, and I must look petrified.

"Drive." I say sternly, and she pulls slowly away from the curb.

In the rearview mirror, I see Caleb running out of the house. He must have seen the blades on the bathroom floor. I hear his cries, his insults being thrown at the car as we peel away, but one thing is for sure.

I can't hide for long.