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

Chapter 3

I wake with Luke's arm still securely around me. I groan, realising I have to go to school today. I gently remove myself from Luke's grip. I glance down at his face, his features peaceful.

I think back to when I first met him...

*Flashback*

I have to get out of the house.

My dad is a violent alcoholic. My mum is pretty bad too. I came home past my curfew. Last time I did this, dad almost broke my rib and mum busted my lip.

I'm an idiot. Why did I even come home? I should have come back in the morning. But then they'd probably KILL me.

"Where have you been off whoring?" My mum spits at me. I can smell the stench of alcohol on her breath.

"Same place you do," I retort. The truth is I was at a friend's house, studying.

"Think you're such a clever bitch, don't you?" My mum's fist flies up and hits my jaw. And again, and again.

"Peter, your skank bitch daughter is home," mum calls out.

I hear dad's footsteps approaching.

My dad stands in front of me, gripping one of my shoulders. With the other hand he punches my stomach, winding me. I fall to the ground. He kicks me a few times.

"Worthless slut." He turns and walks back into the lounge.

Tears fill my eyes as I leave. Out of the house, away from my parents. I have no idea where to go.

"Hey there," I hear a voice say as I pass the house next door to mine. I look up. "Are you ok?" I recognise the boy from somewhere.

"Not really," I say.

"Come in," he says, gesturing.

I walk into his house. He takes me through to the lounge room. There are two other guys in there.

"This is Beau and Jai," he says, pointing to each of them. "I'm Luke."

"I'm Sophie," I tell them timidly. They're all very attractive and muscular. Beau seems to be older than Luke and Jai.

"Are you and Jai twins?" I ask Luke.

"Yeah, but I'm older."

"Well I'm stronger," Jai says.

"No you're not."

"I am too!"

I giggle at the twins getting all defensive about who's got bigger muscles. They smile at me.

"Hey, do you go to Penola Catholic College?" Jai asks me noticing my uniform. I nod.

"Us too," he says. I knew I recognised them! They were in the year above me at school.

"So, Sophie, what's wrong?" Luke asks. I blush. "I mean, people don't usually come out of their house crying for no reason."

"I don't want to say," I tell him

"You can tell me," he says, taking my hand and leading me through to a bedroom with a purple wall. "I won't tell anyone." He sits against the door, preventing my escape.

"I really don't want to tell you," I say, almost at the point of begging.

"How did that happen?" Luke points to my jaw and cheek. I walk over to a mirror in the room. I curse under my breath. My fingers trace lightly over the swelling bruised area.

I sigh. "Can I please leave?"

"Only if you answer my questions."

"Fine," I say quietly. "My parents abuse me. Happy? Can I leave now?"

Luke's brow furrows. "That's terrible. You can't go back there!"

"I have no other place. It was nice meeting you," I say as he gets up and opens the door.

I didn't expect to do that. I didn't want anyone to know. I feel so stupid. I go back to my house and go through the gate into my backyard. I can't go back in, but I can't sleep on the street. I curl up into a ball and sob. I cry until I have no more tears. I wish I could have a normal loving family.

*End flashback*

It's now the end of lunch and I head to my locker and check my timetable. Double history. I hate the history teacher. I think she thinks I'm a slut or something. I don't really blame her though. I used to come to school with a tiny uniform that left very little covered. I would've got a new uniform except we had hardly any money because my parents spent it all on the drink.

I walk into the classroom and find a seat next to James Yammouni, a friend of the Brooks brothers. If the class I was in didn't have Bridgette in it, I would sit next to James. He holds my face for a second. "You and Lukey should be a little less rough in bed I think," James chuckles, making me giggle too. James knew about Luke's rough side but decided to let me make my own relationship decisions. Everyone else always told me to break up with Luke. But James just let it be and cheered me up by making jokes.

I make my way to the gates to wait for the bus after the bell rings to signal the end of school. When I arrive home I find Luke in the bedroom. I sat next to him on the bed. He was going through a binder, trying to find something.

I sit there, but he doesn't even greet me. I get up and go to the bathroom. I look at my cheek. Massive improvement from yesterday but still quite purple. I frown. Why are relationships so complicated?