The One That Didn't Get Away

Sixth

Sophie

I can't breathe. I open my eyes and I'm shaking like it's never going to stop.

I hear his voice, again and again, screaming the same word. "Bitch! You little bitch! You're so stupid!"

I feel the pain. It's determined, demanding to ache, but I keep telling myself I'm okay.

I'm in a field, after soccer. Lori is gone, and so are my parents. Some kids from my school are here. They walk over, and the tallest one looks at me and says, " I didn't know they made tiny fat ugly dolls anymore!" His friends laugh, and all the sudden I punch him. He grabs my hair and holds me as his other friends circle me. "You're going to pay, bitch." I try to fight.

I need to breathe. I try, but my body doesn't respond. I just shake harder.

I'm in a hallway. I think I'm at school. He walks up to me. He shoves me into a wall, kicking me when I finally fall to the floor. "This is your problem, you little bitch," he mutters slowly. He kicks me again. "Did the little bitch forget something?" Another kick goes to my stomach. "Did she forget something?" He said, his voice harder this time. He pulls my hair, motioning for me to get up. I do, and he just yanks me back down and kicks me again, over and over, like it's never going to stop.

I can see the hate in his eyes as everything around me fades.

Liam wakes up to look at me. "What's wrong? Sophie, answer me, Sophie?"

It's dark outside. I'm walking, when someone gets in front of me and I bump into them. I look up. It's him. "Sorry," I mumble. I'm scared. He looks at me, and grabs my arm. It hurts.

He brings me into an allyway. I feel someone hold me back, even if he was alone. I'm confused now. He punches me, first slowly, then faster and faster, until I don't feel anything anymore. The person drops me, and I drop to the ground.

I wake up later, alone. I'm still in the allyway, lost.

I shake harder. My lungs don't work. I'm going to pass out. I feel that I'm going to pass out.

"Is the ugly doll back? Or did she learn her lesson?" I keep walking. Maybe he'll ignore me and bother someone else. "Bitch, I was talking to you," he says slowly. He grabs me by my hair. I wince. "Did she make a noise?" I look to where we're going. He opens a door and shoves me in. He locks the door. "I'll come back for you." He locks it. It smells like cleaning products. My head throbs.

"Sophie! Answer me Sophie! Are you okay?"

"Not my fault no one actually likes you" My hands are being held behind my back. He slaps me. Again, and again. He holds up my phone. "Guess who won't be in town this weekend?" I want to cry. My hands are tied behing me, and I'm shoved into a closet. I can't move. The dark is suffocating me.

I try to answer, but there is no air in my lungs. I want to cry, but am incapable of doing so.

"You should kill yourself before I kill you, little bitch" I'm hungry. I haven't eaten in a few days. My parents are out for the whole week. I don't know what day it is. I'm cold.

He comes into the room, laughing. I hear someone else enter. He kicks me. "Wake up," he laughs "wake up or I'll have to help you" I don't know how he enjoys this.

I see him. I see him every day, everywhere I go. I'm not free. I don't think I will ever be.

"This stays between you and me, right bitch?"

Finally Liam seems to get a grip on the situation. He makes me sit up, and he rubs circles on my back. "You're okay Sophie, it's just me Sophie, calm down, calm down," he repeats, like a mantra.

I finally breathe, even if it's shallow. I look over at Liam, and he looks relieved.

My breathing get better and deeper over the next minute. Liam is still rubbing circles on my back, and I look at him. He stops.

He doesn't ask. He looks at me, curious, but he doesn't ask. I'm about as grateful as I can get. For now.

I keep hoping he won't ask.

I lay back down, and Liam does too. "What was that?" He asks, after putting his arm over my waist and pulling me closer. He asks slowly and quietly, as if I'm going to break anytime.

I look at him, composing myself.