Escape With Me- 18+

Chapter 9

Tears were running down my cheeks as I waited for Alexa outside of the hotel. They were not tears of sadness, though. They were tears of frustration, anger, disappointment, and confusion.

I quickly wiped away the tears as I saw Alexa's car approach. Once I got in I was able to vent my heart out.

"I thought that Richard cared. He seemed so nice and patient. He went out of his way to make sure that losing my virginity would be special. And all along it was just a distraction? That doesn't make any sense."

But then again, nothing in my life makes sense. I told myself

"I'm so sorry," Alexa said weakly.

"No, I don't need sympathy. What I need is an explanation as to why he treated me this way. So sweet, yet so reckless at the same time.

"Well, if I had to guess I'd say that the sex may not have meant something to him, but he still wanted it to be something special to you."

"I guess that makes sense. But it still hurts."

"I know," Alexa said, reaching her hand over to mine and squeezing it gently. "I just hope you know that it'll get better over time."

"I hope so," I say with a weak chuckle.

                        

                           ***

When I got home I laid down on my bed, eventually dozing off.

I sat upright when I heard the familiar yelling. But this time it was much louder and nastier. My gut told me to stay put, and yet I did the opposite.

"Now you tell me where my weed is before I beat the answer out of your mouth." I could hear sobs escape my mother's mouth and I immediately knew what I had to do.

"It was me," I announced, making John do a complete 180 turn.

"No baby!" My mother cried out.

"No you didn't," John said with a deranged smirk. "You're just trying to protect your mom's sorry-ass. She's a grown woman. She can handle her shit"

"I stole it. Along with the money. They both were hidden under the mattress." John now looked livid.

"You bitch!" He cursed through gritted teeth.

I knew that I should have run off after telling him this or simply shut my mouth, to begin with. (Even though that's not how I'm wired)

But that would have made me a pussy. And I for one can take a beating.

The next thing I knew, I was being punched, kicked, and cursed at like I was a punching bag. Like I was nothing. 

If John wasn't yelling at me he was yelling at my mother to shut up. I closed my eyes, waiting for it to be over.

When he was done he pulled off his shirt. It had been drenched in sweat. I looked over at my mother who lay passed out on the couch. It's a common thing after something like this happens.

After putting on another shirt, John shamelessly walked out of the house as though nothing had happened.

Five minutes later I heard the door knock. I thought it might be Alexa so I got up to answer the door. It took a tremendous amount of effort, I hurt that bad.

I opened the door, surprised to see who it was. Richard? How did he get my address?

"Hey, you left this- Holy shit, what the fuck happened to you?" Richard asked, looking at me as though my organs were spewing out of my body.

"Nothing," I lied.

"Avilyn, Answer the damn question right the fuck now. Who did this to you?"

I opened my mouth to answer, but instead, a sob escaped, and all of a sudden I burst into tears.

Richard looked at me with immense concern before wrapping his arms around me and pulling me. I buried my bruised face into his shoulder and cried. It hurt so bad and felt so good at the same time. His arms were around mine. His hand rubbed my back soothingly.

Afterward, he brought me to the bathroom to "fix me up" as best as possible. He opened up the first aid kit and cleaned me up, clearly showing expertise. I wonder if he too found himself in the same situation. I did not dare to ask.

"Richard, I'm so sorry about earlier. I didn't mean what I said."

"Hey, hey don't worry about that. The past is in the past" Richard reassured with a soft smile. I gave a weak smile back.

Richard did not feel comfortable leaving me alone. So he lay in bed next to me.

His mere presence made me forget.

Forget about the disappointment I felt when I found out that Richard's intentions were different than mine.

Forget the fight fueled by my repressed disappointment from earlier and Richard's disrespect. (All though I wasn't any better."

Forget the beating that left me feeling like a fool. A fool simply because I didn't fight back. I never do. I don't know how. I'm passive and weak.  Always have been, and always will be.

But none of these things mattered. I was with Richard. I have only known him for days, yet it felt like longer.

I fell asleep that night with Richard's arm around mine. His gesture screamed, "I'm here. I'll protect you from all the bad monsters. John and all."