[ON HOLD] Dirty Pig (A Luke Brooks abusive love story)

Chapter 1

I stare at myself in the mirror. Or, at least, someone I think is me. I'm not quite sure if I recognise myself anymore. Especially not with this hideous bruise on my left cheek. I prod at it and wince. I open up a drawer in the bathroom containing my makeup bag and get to work concealing the bluish-purple mark of last night's events.

As hard as I try, the bruise is still faintly visible beneath the layers of makeup. "You almost done in there?" Beau calls through the door. I open it and walk past him and through to the kitchen.

I open the fridge and grab an apple to eat before heading back to the room I shared with Luke. He's still sleeping so I have to grab my books as quietly as I can so I don't disturb him. I get my phone off the charger and sling my bag over my shoulder.

"Sophie," Beau says gently as I am leaving the house. "Are you alright?"

He reaches out and touches my cheek softly and I flinch. His eyes sadden somewhat. "I'm fine Beau," I say, putting on a fake smile.

"Have a good day," He calls as I walk away. I let out a sigh as he closes the door. He probably heard me and Luke fighting last night. He probably heard me crying after Luke hit me. He can obviously see the mark.

I arrive at the bus stop and sit down. It's a five minute walk from the house and then a five minute wait for the bus, all depending on when I leave and how fast I walk. When the bus arrives, I get on and find an empty seat near the front.

The bus trip takes around twenty minutes. The bus lurches to a halt at Penola Catholic College and I step off and go to my locker.

"Hey Soph!" I hear my best friend say.

"Hi Bridgette." I turn around. I notice Bridgette's expression falter, her smile slipping.

"Oh, Sophie. He hit you again didn't he?" She asks. This had happened a few times before, usually it was a little bit worse.

"No," I lie. "I was reading over my notes for English on my way home last night and I ran into a pole." I add a reassuring chuckle at the end and hope for the best.

Bridgette looks doubtful. "If your sure that's what happened..."

"Positive."

"Alright then," She says but I can tell that she doesn't believe my lies.

We walk together, as the bell rings, to maths. The teacher sees me and shoots a disapproving look. We take our seats and the long and boring lesson begins.

At recess, Bridgette and I sit together as we have done for the past three years. We became friends when she moved here and I was a bit of a loner, in eighth grade. We are now in year ten and are inseparable.

"Sophie," Bridgette says seriously. "You need to leave Luke. All he ever does is hurt you and use you for sex. That's not how a relationship should be!"

There is truth in her words but I love Luke. Even though he hurts me sometimes, the good things he does for me overpower the negative.

"It's not like that! I'm clumsy and I always hurt myself. Without Luke I would probably be dead. And I choose to sleep with him. He loves me and I love him." I smile weakly at her.

She sighs. "I just pray he doesn't hurt you anymore."