Trapped In Love

Chapter 1

Audrey Royce (2 years ago)

I lay in my bed, smiling as I scrolled through social media on my phone when suddenly a message popped up from Aaron, my best friend's brother.

                                                   Aaron <3

-Hey could you come over? Val is sick.

"Gosh, this girl" I mutter as I make my way to the bathroom after leaving my phone on the bed.

                                                                          ~a few minutes later~

I was doing my hair in the bathroom when I hear a scream of my name. I flinch recognizing the voice of my boyfriend, Noah. "shit" I whisper to myself and made my way back to the bedroom. Noah spots me and his face twists into anger, I feel my whole body shake at his dominating gaze. it's always scary when he gets mad and it never ends well after. I let out a small sigh and raise my eyebrow.

"wh-what's wrong babe?" I asked, my body shaking with fear at the thought of him hurting me again. 

"care to explain who this guy is?!" he holds up my phone showing Aaron's contact. his grip tightens around the phone. oh god, he misunderstood-

"Noah, that's just my best friend's brother" he exhales a hysterical laugh and stared at me as if I was dumb. 

"What a cute excuse you got there, reyrey," he says humiliating me, and my eyes widen. He doesn't believe me.

"i-i'm not lying. I swear." my voice trembles and my eyes pool up with tears. Am I going to get beaten tonight too? 

he slowly makes his way to me and abruptly slammes me against the nearest wall, holding my shoulders with a good grip, my mind goes blank when I realize that there is no way I could get out of this now.  

"w-what are you doing?" my breathing is erratic and I struggle to let go.

Noah grins, not the playful, reassuring grin I was used to, a psychopathic, evil grin, displaying his sharp white canines under the dim bathroom light.

he starts chuckling; my blood runs cold. every cell in my body is telling me to run but I can't, he will find me again. just like last time...

his arms stop me from crying out for help. he starts crushing my shoulders, my back against the cool tiles of the wall. 

"Noah! Stop! you are hurting me!" I beg as I feel his fingernails digging into my shoulders drawing blood.

" you don't think I know that?" he grits his teeth and tightens his grip around my shoulders to the point I'm sure my bones would break. I've got no idea how I hold up against him, my brain tells me to run and hide just like I always do but everything around me starts spinning

I feel his hand clawing up my throat, it brushes on my bare throat. each stroke made me go haywire, my hair stood at its end his fingers slowly spread, clutching my throat

"what the fck are you doing?" I whisper unable to fathom what he's trying to do to me. He never goes this far to the point that it might cut off my breathing. tears pool up in my eyes.

I mutter as he brings his mouth to the crook of my neck, he places a soft firm kiss there which makes the hair on my arms bristle. it doesn't feel like a loving kiss but rather a sign of what he'll be doing to me next.

"Making sure, you'll never cheat on me again" is the last thing I hear before he squeezes my neck so tightly to the point I see black dots forming in my eyes. Panic surges through me, wild and uncontrollable. I can't breathe. My hands claw at his, desperate for air, for mercy. But his eyes are cold, devoid of the warmth they once held.

Is this how it ends? I wonder, the edges of my vision darkening. Memories flash before me—moments of laughter, of love, of promises made and broken. This isn't how it was supposed to be.  he isn't supposed to hurt me to the point it could kill me. But he finally let me go in time before I could probably pass out. The room spins as I try to catch my breath, my neck throbbing with the imprint of his hands. I think it's over, that maybe he's calmed down, but then he grabs me again, throwing me onto the bed like I'm some sort of ragdoll.

 His weight presses down on me, and his hands are back at my throat, squeezing with renewed fury. Panic sets in, the primal urge to survive clawing at my insides. I struggle beneath him, my hands flailing, searching for something, anything to help me.

Then I see it—a glimmer of hope in the form of a fountain pen on the bedside table. My fingers stretch toward it, but he notices.

"no way," Noah says and reaches towards my whole which is also lying there on the table. "Fool," I think, he only pushed the pen closer to me. Then with a burst of desperate strength, I grab the pen and, with everything I have left. I drive it into his arm.

Noah screams and the grip on my neck loosens just enough for me to break free. I snatch the phone and roll off the bed, my legs barely supporting me as I stumble toward the door.

I can hear him cursing, the pain in his voice sharp and dangerous. But I don't look back. I can't. My only thought is to get away, to escape before he can recover and come after me again.

Bursting through the front door, I'm greeted by a torrent of rain. but I don't care, I run with my phone clutched to my chest, the raindrops coat my skin and mingle with my tears and blood.

"one step at a time Audrey. One step at a time"  I mutter to myself, my voice horse and shaky from the cold.

Lighting struck. Thunder boomed. Rain fell.

But all I could think about was that one shop that seemed to be open despite the horrendous storm. I let out a broken laugh, and my pace quickened as I ran in.

"Mr Smith!! Mr Smith!! Help! " I yelled, clutching the entrance door. "Help" I sobbed, falling into the cold tiles as I blacked out.