Fighting Darkness

Chapter Five

***Paige***

The sleek interior shines against the moons upcoming light. A beautiful orange sunset falls towards the other side of the earth. It would be a nice night as long as Derek wasn't there... 

Looking out the tinted windows, I knew what was going to happen if I did come out alive. I knew what the punishment would be if I made it back to the large apartment we share. I knew. That's the whole thing I knew, but I didn't know some stranger would save me. 

The speakers play a up beat tune. "You make me glow. But I cover up won't let it show." Her voice swirls through the tiny cracks the speakers provide. 

"Giving me a Heart Attack!"  

Her high voice reaching the notes some people can't reach, but I could. 

Derek's long arm reaches down to click off the volume. His fury doesn't die down and his eyes don't leave the road. Violence is the answer for him. Silence is the answer for me. 

We both walk past the land lord, giving fake smiles like a happy couple should do. Three floors up and twelve doors in, our number sticks out like a sour thumb. Derek punched a hole in the door, paying for a replacement but a shade off from every other green door in this complex. 

The keys jingle in the lock with the dice hanging off the end of the chain. 

It flashes before my eyes. My wrist is squeezed, back hitting the wall, along with me clutching me stomach, gasping for the precious air I need. His screams are muffled out by my wheezing. "Listen to me!" Derek demands, grabbing a fistful of my hair. Letting out a sharp scream, my knees are taken out from under me, collapsing to the ground along with Derek. He hovers over me. 

"You're such an idiot!" He booms. 

His hand goes up to my cheek rubbing it softly. "You're such an idiot. I try to give you all this love and- and you reject it." Tears run down his cheeks hitting me in the face. 

"You haven't given me love." I spat at him. Black goes through his eyes, covering anything that says he I sweet, up. 

"You're such a bitch!" He tells hitting me in the stomach. I scrunch up in pain. Tears hitting the wood floor. My breath catches short as each huff is cut off. 

As the tears subside, my brain flashes images in my mind. Grandma B. The white hair old lady who has the lightest eyes in the world, that will make you tell her everything but the darkest soul in the universe. She wasn't always that way, but after my dad passed she really didn't recover. Grandma would throw away all the letters my mom wrote, all the gifts she sent me, but she would keep the money she sent me and save it for a liquor fund. All that had to stop and eventually mom stopped caring to try and keep in touch. 

"She isn't good for this family. God bless her soul. She will need it." After B got the news that my father died, she blamed it on my mom, but really they were ambushed when they were packing gears. 

The memory flashes through my mind; only six and a half at the time. My mom walking through the front door in her uniform; my grandma coming out, and yelling at her. "You're a disgrace!" She screamed. As a soldier she stood their and took it; I can't stand here and take this. What would she say if I got to see her? What would she think of this life I'm caged into?... But she already knows...

****Nathan**** 

The fear in Paige's eyes as this Derek character came over to her, was easily identified. Nothing inside me doubted she was afraid of him. 

"Nathan, two latte's on table seven." I roll my eyes, grabbing two white cups pushing the first one under the machine. The contraption makes a noise, squirting the brown liquid into the cup. Foam is spread on top as the second one goes under. 

I assume the young teenagers are dating as I bring them their order. The boy gives me a smile, running his hand over the table to grab hers. Disgusting. I mean if I had a girlfriend, I would show her off, but other people doing that I front of me. Eww no. 

My shift is over as I punch out and hang my brown and blue stripped apron up. The big bold print that reads Rocky's Cafe stands out in the apron. Maybe because it's a different color, and doesn't match. The beat up car that is parked aside the back wall blinks, knowing I unlocked it. I slide into the drivers seat, turning the engine on and pulling out onto the busy highway. Cars pass by, trucks zoom the opposite way, and I'm just there. The blue car that has a dent in the side and a busted windshield passes three cars just to get to there house. 

"How was work, honey?" My mom walks over to me grabbing my waist in her best of an effort hug. I walk past her hanging my keys up and going to do the dishes. "It was fine. Same as always." 

She nods her head, letting her blonde curls shake with it. The pink shirt she has on hangs loosely from her body along with the pants. Cancer had really gotten to her in her early years. She fought it when she was fifteen and now she's thirty-five and it's getting her again. The dish I have in my hand is replaced by her skinny, boney ones. She leads me to sit at the table. 

"What's on your mind, Nate?" The fragile voice reaches my ears making me sigh. My large hands find my face, as I rub the stress off it. 

"This girl." 

"What about this girl?" Mom's voice is gentle not pushing any information out if you didn't want too. 

"She tried to jump off the park's bridge." A nod is her response. No expression has changed in her eyes, she's heard most everything. Mom worked as a Investigator when she was younger. Questioning people, listening to their reasonings and never inches did she judge. Out of all the killers and rapist and theirs she never judged and when I asked why she didn't treat them different, her reply was, "Who am I to judge if I have flaws myself." 

"I saved her. I think... I mean her boyfriend, I can tell he hits her."

"Call her."

"What?" I didn't think I heard her clearly. 

"Nathan, you heard me, call her."

"What is calling going to solve, mom?" My tone comes out more angry then I intended it to. How is a stupid phone call going to help?

"A phone call can lead to more. Slowly, but surely she will get out of that mans grip. It just starts with something." Mom mumbles something about how she needs to take some pills and go to bed. I just sit there at the round table that had carved flowers into the side. The pads of my fingers trace the petals. Call her. I think to myself. 

Reaching into my pocket I pull out the mobile phone. Realization sinks in. 

I don't have her number...