𝐀𝐍𝐆𝐄𝐋 𝐈𝐍 𝐃𝐈𝐒𝐆𝐔𝐈𝐒𝐄

𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝟏𝟎

-𝐀𝐃𝐄𝐋𝐀𝐈𝐃𝐄-𝐈𝐒𝐀𝐃𝐎𝐑𝐀-

Chris left this morning again and said he wouldn't be home till Saturday morning this time. Dinner was tense yesterday evening but I was happy that George was there. I felt more relaxed than I have ever been while eating with Chris. After George went home however... everything went downhill. He started beating me so hard I came to the point that I couldn't breathe when he almost choked me with his hands around my neck. This morning I went through my clothing options... which were limited because Chris his hands were plastered on my neck in light blue. It will disappear in only a few days but it hurts me to think about the fact he tried to choke me... he's never gone this far. I picked out a black turtleneck which just covered up the slight bruise. I picked a pair of electric blue pantalon. I pulled on my black Louboutin heels and let my hair down in its natural pin straight hair. I grabbed my bag and made sure everything was in there that I needed for the day. I made breakfast and silently ate it.

The work day was over and I just finished eating when the company my dad hired to set up camera's arrived. I opened the door and welcomed them inside. I made the 2 workers some coffee as they started on their work. My phone started ringing and I walked to the bedroom where I had left my phone. I closed the door behind me and picked up the face time call of George.

"Hey look at this!"

He showed me the sunset view from his apartment and I had to admit it was beautiful.

"Wow that's one beautiful sunset."

"That's why I wanted to show you."

He flipped the camera back around and now I was faced with a smiling George.

"What's that?"

His smiled slowly dropped and squinted his eyes looking closer on the screen.

"What? Where?"

"On your neck..."

"It's nothing."

"It looks like a mark Isa."

"Must be the light then."

"Did Chris do that?"

"What?"

"Isa stop playing stupid. We both know you're smart enough to know what I'm talking about."

"I'm serious George. I don't know what you're seeing. I really think the lightning is bad in this room. I mean look at it."

"I'll be right there."

George hung up the face-time call and I immediately cursed under my breath. This annoyingly sweet man needs to stop. For gods sake. I walked to my bedroom and redid my turtleneck so it was a little higher up and now there was no way he could see it. I don't want anyone to know and George already knows too much but for some reason it's just... so easy to tell him everything. I waited on the couch and then he knocked on the door of my apartment. I opened the door and he looked at me with suspicion all written over his face.

"Hai."

"Hey..."

He was hesitant for a moment before he shrugged off his coat and hung it up. We walked out of the hallway together.

"Fancy a drink?"

"Some water if that's alright?"

"Of course that's not a problem."

I walked into the kitchen and grabbed him a glass of water.  He leaned against the counter top and inspected me. I handed him the glass of water and he placed it behind him on the counter before softly grabbing my chin between his fingers. The touch was more of a caress or a slight brush not really a 'grab'.

"You pulled your turtleneck up higher. You are hiding it Isa."

He looked me in the eyes with worry. I sighed softly and nodded with a sad, tight lipped smile. I didn't like to admit it out loud so this was the best he could get.

"May I look at it?"

I tilted my head upwards slightly and George gently pushed my turtleneck down revealing the bruise on my throat. The exact shape of the hand placement Chris used.

"Did he... try and choke you?"

"Yes..."

George sighed as he wrapped his arms around me. He gently hugged me in a way that almost felt like he was apologizing for Chris his deeds.

"It's almost over Isa... you just need 1 weekend to get footage and then all is done and you can leave him behind and start again."

"I know but it sounds easier than it is."

"You'll get through it. You're strong enough to have handled it this long... you can take another weekend. I'm sure of it."

George gave me a soft squeeze in the hug we still held before we let go of each other. He pushed my hair out of my face before grabbing his glass of water. We sat down on the couch and just... talked about our day. What we did today, what the plans for tomorrow are... you know. Just some basic conversation. I had to admit that I had never enjoyed talking about such a simple subject this much until George... until I threw my professional self out the window and we're now on a personal basis. I like... no love it. He's been a great help since the moment I let him into my head. And slowly but surely... I might think he's entering my heart.

(896 words)