Escaping The Pain

Ch. 1 He don't know

I woke up to my phone playing that familiar ringtone. After adjusting my eye sight, I quickly notice Jerimiah on the screen, so I swiped left before it could go to voicemail. Knowing I would have never hear da end of it.

"Hello?" I said my voice raspy, prolly from that cold I caught da night before.

"Yea why yo ass ain't answer the phone? Yo stupid hoe ass better not be cheating on me talking to yo Lil' boy toys," Jerimah started screaming and cussing at me through the phone.

This is what I go through on a day by day bases, the screaming, the cussing, everything. I try to please him the best way I can but he always comes to the conclusion that I'm cheating. I know he has cheated on me plenty of times yet I'm to scared to leave him.

He threatened to kill me if I told anyone about the abuse and in my mind I have no doubt he would.

"No babe I just woke up I had a long ass night at the bar," I told him quickly before he could catch any mo' ideas.

"Uh-huh? Why yo voice so raspy then? You been giving den niggas head across the counter I see. Don't matter you a hoe and will always be one, so I don't know why I still get surprised." He finished off hanging up.

Sitting straight up in the bed, I tried to hold back the sob in my throat. I should've gotten use to it by now. I mean its been two years.

That's not the end of it cause I know for a fact when he gets here, I'm gonna get a beating.

The worse part is though, throughout the months, the beatings only get worser and worser.

No matter how hard I try, I can't escape the pain.
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After calming myself from that little break down earlier, I called up Aqua, my best friend, to see if she was going to the club I work in tonight. Usually she would be there but, she been feeling kind of sick lately so I doubt she will come.

After the third ring she answered, her voice sounding just as bad as mine.

"Yea ma?" she said, barely talking. "Yea Qua I was calling to see if you was going to the club tonight, but by the way you soundin' I don't think you'll b-,"

I was cut off by her hacking and coughing.

"You know what? I'm coming over there so I can take care of you," I told her quickly standing up looking for my shoes.

"Oh you don't have to come ma I'm good, perfectly fine. You know what? I'm so fine I'm 'bouts to make me a sandmich and a very good drin-," I hung up on her before she could fully f*ck my ear up.

I walked around the small, crowded apartment looking for my other shoe. Jerimiah claims that he needs his money for better uses then a big house.

Prolly for them hoes around the block.

Just as I had found my shoe and was about to put it on, my phone ringed.

"Hello," I answered without checking the caller ID. I mean I could guess who was.

"Yea baby what you doing now?" Tyrek, my best friend, murmured through the phone. It sounded like he just woke up.

"Finna head out to Aqua's, why what's wrong?" I asked stopping in the middle of putting my shoe on.

"Melisha just took the cars keys and hauled off after I told her bout Naya. Now I need a ride to the Plasma Center," he said kissin his teeth.

"I mean, I could take you but, you gon have to ride with me too Aqua house before I take you," I quickly said checking the time and seeing he was gone end up being late anyways.

"But Ma, I need to get there by ten-forty and its bout ten-twenty sum now. I needs this money fo' I get put out on the streets," he explained.

"Maybe if you make that broad that staying in there for free get a job then you wouldn't be struggling to keep a stable home," hinting to him that Naya needs to get up off her ass and get a much needed job.

This girl be spending hunnids of dollars for Remy weave, fake Michael Kors purses, and what ever else she feel like buying, and he don't even say nothing to her but "do you baby". If you know you don't got money to be buying name brands and corner store weave, then you don't do it. He don't listen though talm bout he don't ever won't his girl working. I hate to see him struggling but people gotta learn on there own.

"She says that she can't work because her daddy told her never to work when there's a nigga that claims he'll take care of you," He grunted, clearly not liking that idea.

"Put. Her. Out." I whispered-hissed. "If she wanna live by her daddy rules than she can live with her daddy. I mean, come on, you can't see she's using you!"

"Yet you let Jerimiah use you like a punching bag? So isn't our situations basically the same thing, getting used?"

I stopped. Breathing in heavily I replied, "I'll be there in 5," I mumbled, my voice cracking at the end.

He must had sensed my mood change."Wait baby girl I'm sorry, I didn't mean t-," He began but I hung up before he could contuine his 'apology'.

As I was sliding the shoe onto my foot I thought to myself how different our situations are. He doesn't get beat, I do. He isn't always in fear when his girlfriend comes home, I am.

"So no, our situations are not the same," I whispered to myself a tear running down my face.

Wiping my cheeks, I quickly put on my other shoe. Grabbing my keys, phone, and purse I walked out and locked the door. Running down the steps to my Mustang, I tried starting it but it wouldn't roar.

After trying to more times, it started up. Quickly backing out the parking lot, I finally realized my cold was gone. Looks like I can't call in tonight, I thought to myself.

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"ALL MY DIAMONDS SHINE CAUSE THEY REALLY DIAMONDS," I hear Aqua screeching to the radio, as I'm pulling up towards Tyreks job.

"Yoo, unless you gone pay to get some hearing aids fa me, I suggest you sing in ya head," Tyrek said, irritated that he was 10 minutes late.

"Don't take ya anger out on me. Its yo fault you called late, when you know Nelisha had things to do," Aqua bit back, holding back her smirk.

"When y'all gone stop playing games," I asked, smirking already knowing their response.

"Playing games? Who playing games, ion want his broke ass,"  Qua sneers, agitated. Tyreek just sits in the back nodding his head sideways.

"Yeah, 'Aite," I respond pulling up in the parking space. With no words, Tyreek hopes out and nods toward me.

"I think you hurt his feelings," I say to Qua.

"I don't care," she says laughing, turning the music up louder.