Heartbreakers: The Cursed Child- Book 1

Chapter 7

Walking in London is probably the worst thing I'd ever done in my life. It was so hard just to find a cheap enough place to spend my nights. Hotels, fake motels, pubs crowded with creeps and finally a decent enough inn compared to the other ones filled with drunken old men.
"ST Christopher's Village" was written on a sign in gold, it came up on the internet as ST Christopher's Village Inn and showed how cheap it was, something good enough for a person like me. I went in, ready to book a room for a whole week, I couldn't wait for the moment my head would make contact with a clean, fresh pillow, I couldn't remember when the last time that had happened but it was a long time ago.

I made my way inside the brightly lit room, stopping in the doorway to take in everything that was taking place. It was full of people of all ages doing all sorts of things: betting, kissing and touching, drinking, laughing and fighting and going wild.

I made my way to the counter that wasn't as crowded as every other corner of the room. A man who looked to be in his late forties or early fifties was stood behind the counter talking to customers with a sweet smile plastered on his face. He was nearly bold, with a few tufts of hair around the sides and he had a few missing teeth, his dark brown eyes were soft and gentle.
He looked at me then smiled before realising the bruise on my cheek then furrowing his eyebrows in curiosity and confusion.

As soon as I was face to face, he questioned me.
"Are you alright, love?" Distress was clearly seen in his eyes, but I just responded quickly as though it was something usual.

"Yes. Are there any rooms that I could book, for one?" I was longing for a room, more importantly a bed that I could find warmth in.
I could see his hesitation to leaving me without checking if I was actually okay but then sighed before holding a key and calling someone's name out. It was a woman who also looked to be in her late forties, her light grey hair tied in a tight bun and a pair of oval glasses were perched on her nose as she looked over them at me. Her blue eyes were a soft colour and she was wearing a light pink dress with an apron tied around her waist. She smiled at me comfortingly as he whispered something in her ear, making her furrow her almost invisible eyebrows at him before taking the keys from his hand and making her way towards me.

"Hello, lovely. Are you okay." Her voice was soothing, something that was calming, I don't know how to explain it. It was something I'd never heard before as though she cared about me even if she'd never met me before and instantly I felt as if I could trust her.

"Hi...umm yeah. I'm alright, thanks. And you, ma'am?" I didn't know what to call her and I was used to calling people 'miss', 'sir' or 'ma'am'.

I heard a quiet chuckle leave her mouth before she turned to me and spoke whilst walking up the dimly lit staircase.

"Just call me Anne, dear. And I'm doing just fine thank you." I heard her mutter something like 'such lovely manners' but I could have been imagining it considering how tired I was.
We finally turned to a silent corridor with numbers on the doors before she put the keys into a keyhole in the door with the number '8' on it then pushing it open, revealing a spacious room with a kitchen and another two doors, presumably a bedroom and bathroom. She flicked a switch and immediately the room was illuminated.

She began walking around the room gesturing for me to follow as she told me about the pub's history. It was interesting, finding out how old the building was itself and how it had been passed on from generation to generation.

Turning to me, she smiled and gently grabbed my hand, leading me to the small bed that stood in the corner and making me sit alongside her but in a position so that I was still looking at her. Placing a hand to my bruised cheek, she cocked her her to the side when she looked at me clearly questioning how it had happened.

I sighed before telling her that my father had just punched me in the face and told me to leave the house which was why I was now here. It was the truth, well, mainly the truth except for the part where he told me to leave, that was something I was not ever allowed to do and had did so in my own will.

"So, should I pay now or later?" I wanted to get to sleep as soon as, I couldn't bear to keep my eyes open any longer.

"Don't even worry about that, you just get some sleep now, there are already some night outfits in that closet in the corner", she pointed at the brown closet that was sitting in the corner next to the bed. "And I'm going to have a word with John." She winked at me then said good night before shutting the door and allowing me some privacy.

When I opened the closet doors I saw different types of nightwear: jumpsuits, satin lace play suits and long sleeve nightgown dresses that reached the floor. I chose a short black satin lace night suit that ended mid thigh. I took it to the bathroom with me to freshen up.

Stripping myself from my favourite outfit that I had worn since last night, I put them away into my bag. I saw myself in the mirror, examining the marks and bruises I had all over my body, cringing at how ugly I now looked then quickly turning to take a shower.

Once I had finished showering I dried myself before sliding into the pyjamas I had chosen.

*****

Once I'd finished freshening up, I left the bathroom and locked the front door after changing the sign outside to 'Do Not Disturb'. I switched the light off and lay on the bed that was supposed to bring me comfort though I felt like I wasn't going to be able to fall asleep.

This was going to be a long night.