Less than Perfect

2. Harsh Reality {part one}

                                                     Chapter Two

                                                     Harsh Reality
                                                        Part One

Bryan yanked on Skye's shoulders, pulling her abruptly off of the stool. She refrained from letting out a sound, knowing that if she drew attention to herself it would only create more trouble. She knew that he would hurt her even worse when they're alone. "Come on, we really need to talk." He slithered, his grip on her shoulders painfully tight.

   Skye let out a whimper as he dragged her back into the dark, her shoulders throbbing from the strong grip. "This doesn't look like the place to talk," she whispered, clutching his hands. She wanted to cry out because the pain was intoxicating as his fingers slid into the crook of her neck, pinching her.

   They were nearing the back exit of the club, the dark corner frighteningly quiet. They were already so far away from the people and cold fear was slithering through her veins. "We're going to the back, that way we can talk." He growled. He knew that she was scared but it didn't faze him, instead it was what was pulling him to do it even more. He was feeding off of her fear.

   "Why, what do we need to talk about?" She cried in a hushed tone.

   "I don't like what I saw," he trailed off, shoving the exit door open with his back and yanking her out after him. She whimpered as he tossed her forward and onto the ground, almost as if she was trash, as if she meant nothing to him. "What was going on between you and that boy?" He growled under his breath, his jaw tightening.

   "Nothing, nothing at all," she breathed, pushing herself up so that her hands supported her. Her heart was hammering against her chest and she had to gasp for breaths.

   He gave her a look of disbelief. "It didn't look like nothing, babe. You wouldn't be lying to me would you?"

   Suddenly she couldn't breathe; her words were caught in her throat tangling them painfully inside. She tried to swallow but all she could do was stare at her boyfriend with fear. She scooted herself back a little and shook her head. She had to tell him that she wasn't lying before he got the wrong idea, but it was already too late—he had the wrong idea.

   Bryan dropped to his knees beside her—his jeans soaking up the dirt and grime of the alley—and pulled her violently up to him, his hands wrapped behind her back. "Why are you lying to me, babe? I don't understand why you're covering for him, it's not like I'm going to do anything to him." He said through clenched teeth, his entire body shaking with anger.  He shook her violently, his hot breath spiking her fear.

    Finally Skye managed to catch her breath and form words, "I'm not lying, Bryan. Nothing happened, we—we were just talking, I—I'm sorry." She stuttered, gripping his arms so that she wouldn't hurt herself.

   "Who was he?" He muttered, his voice filled with so much menacing anger that Skye had to blink a few times before she could think straight. "Who was he?" He repeated painfully louder.

    She flinched at the tone of his voice and hot tears formed at the corners of her eyes. "Jules, his name was Jules." She whispered, desperately quiet.

   The alley around them was dark and vacant, and deathly quiet besides their own conversation. "I swear if he ever talks to you again, I'll—"

   She didn't want to hear what he'd do; she couldn't face the fact that she had just brought some stranger into the mess that was her life. "Don't Bryan, please just don't do this. I promise that I'll stay away from him if you just leave him alone." She begged softly, her gentle voice carrying its way throughout the foggy alley. She was weary, tired of his anger and tired of his aggressiveness. She just wanted the night to be over.