A Bondi Dream

Chapter 21 - Cold Dinner

I'm sitting on the couch in Oliver's apartment. Oliver decided to buy his own apartment 2 weeks before his 18th birthday.

I thought it was great. That meant we could spend even more time together without his parents or sister getting in the way all of the time.

Oliver sits on the couch next to me and turns to face me. I flinch. Last time he sat next to me, he hit me for sitting to close. I know, it makes no sense.

"Babe, a few friends invited me out to go to the bar with them. Mind if I go?" He asks.

"Sure, babe! We can go. That sounds like fun. What time?" I ask

"Oh." He scratches the back of his neck. "I just meant me. It's at 7 pm and only a couple of my friends are going."

"Oh. Yeah, that's okay. Who's going?" I smile, I'm slightly upset as he's never gone anywhere without me, but it's whatever.

"I just told you! Just some of my friends!" He yells. I jump back.

"O-ok. I'm sorry."

He walks into the bathroom to, I assume, take a shower. I felt sadness arise in my body and mind. I hate when he yells. I've always hated getting yelled at, but by the person I loved the most? It hurt me inside.

I decided I would text Chase to see if he was going, as that's who Oliver was closest to.

Me: Hey Chase! How's it going?

Chase: Hey Lizzy. Good! There's not much going on. How are you?

I debated whether or not telling him about Oliver abuse or not. Every time I went to text sometime or visit someone, I wanted to tell them so badly. But I knew if I did, then Oliver would yell at me, and I'd get in even more trouble. I hated when he was mad at me, but I loved him with all of my heart. At least, I think I do.

Me: Good. Oliver said he's going to the bar with a few friends at 5 pm. But he got a little bit mad when I asked him who was going. I was wondering if you were going?

Chase: Oh. No, I'm not going. I didn't know he was.

Me: Oh. Ok, Chase. Thanks so much!

I sighed and switched back to my book I was reading. I hated when Oliver didn't tell me who he was going with. It's been happening a lot lately, but I can't confront him, or I know he'll get mad.

10 minutes later, Oliver walked out and into the living room. He had just his jeans, and his shirt was off. I got up and went to the kitchen to get started on dinner.

"Babe, where's the clean laundry?" He demands.

"Oh no! I completely forgot about it!" My heart starts beating really fast.

"WHAT! I told you to get the laundry dine by 5pm! What the hell is wrong with you!"

Tears well in my eyes. I've cried so much in the past month, and my doctor told me I have tear burn on both sides of my eyes. This makes makeup and remover extremely painful.

"I'm so sorry, baby. I went and saw Mouse, then had to go grocery shopping, and did the dishes while you were at work. I sat down for a couple of minutes and forgot about it. I'll go do it now." I sit in the corner with my knees tucked to my chest.

"NOPE. Too late. Forget about it! You can't do anything right, can you?! I'll just have to wear an old shirt. Thanks to you." He spits in my face and walks off.

It felt like the world was collapsing. My love is treating me like this. Why? My heart hurts so bad. All I feel is sadness and the urge to cry. I tried to stay quiet so Oliver wouldn't hear me.

The next couple of minutes go back, and I haven't mustered up the strength to get up and cook dinner. I hear the front door slam. My heart jumped out, which made me want to cry more. Although the feeling of Oliver gone made me feel better. I felt free.

I finally felt good enough to get up and cook dinner.

~~~~~~

1 hour later, dinner is ready. I made lasagna, so it took a while. I put dinner on the table and poured us both a glass of wine. I cleaned up the kitchen and went and sat at the dining table.

20 minutes went by, and Oliver never came home. I went onto a tracking app that we had for each other, and he was still at the bar. I called his phone, and no one answered.

I waited 15 more minutes for Oliver, and he still hadn't come home. I called his phone 7 more times, but there was no answer. A tear slips down my cheek. Not again.

I spent an hour cooking food, spent hours each day cleaning the house, took the car for a wash, got the groceries, and made the beds. And he never says thank you. It's not a big deal. But to not even show up for my hard cooked meal. That hurt me so bad.

I slammed the fork on the table and sat on the couch. I felt physical pain. I decided to call up Chase and see if he wanted to eat with me.

"Hey Chase." I sniffle.

"Lizzy! What's wrong? Is everything okay?" I hear on the other end of the line.

"No, Chase." I sob.

"What happened?"

"I'm sick and tired of Oliver doing all this sh*t with me. Not helping me, hurting me, and not showing up for dinner. I don't even know where he is anymore. His phone must be dead." Anger rises inside of me. I don't even know how to feel.

"Oh, Lizzy. I'm so sorry. Can I come over? Do you want company?" He says in his soothing voice.

"That would be great, thank you." I hang up the phone.

~~~~~~~~

Chase's POV:

I walk up to Oliver's apartment and walk inside. I see Lizzy crying on the sofa.

I run over to her. She stands up and pulls me in a hug. I don't say anything but hug her back. I could feel her sadness and anger.

"Dinners cold, but I can't heat it up if you want." She says, wiping her tears.

We sit down at the dinner table. "Dinners, great," I say.

"Thanks. Let me tell you, lasagna is NOT easy to make." We both laugh.

"Chase. Can we talk?" She says.

I nod. "What about?"

"Anything. Anything at all. The beach, work, life. Do you have any stories about your crazy neighbor?"

I dropped my fork. "Lizzy. I know what's going on." She looks up, slowly putting food in her mouth.

"What are you talking about?" She asks.

"I know about Oliver. I know how he's been treating you." I say.

"What do you mean? Nothing is going on between us." She says.

"Drop it, Elizabeth. I'm not stupid. I know he's been rude to you. I know he's hurting you."

"How do you -" I cut her off.

"You're never happy anymore. You never come to the beach. You haven't been surfing in months. You come over with bruises all over you."

"Chase." She sighs.

"Look, I'm here for you. I'd do anything for you. And my advice is you need to leave him."

"What! No! No. I can't. It's not that easy. I love him."

"No you don't. You don't love him."

"Yes I do!"

"No. You don't. Elizabeth. I know it seems like you love him, but you can't love someone who abuses you. The later you leave, the harder it's going to be to go."

She sits there quiet. Her mind looks blank, and her eyes are full of sadness and confusion. I know she doesn't know what she's doing with him.