Ray's POV:
I had been at this pool party for hours it felt like, it wasn't getting any cooler outside and even with my snapback on and shirt off, it was hot ass hell.
My sister told me to watch my niece while she went inside for a minute.
"Uncle Ray!" she yelled, immediately grasping my attention.
"Wassup?"
"What you staring at?" she asked. She must have noticed me starring, too. But at the same time, who wouldn't have? She was probably about 5'3 with curly hair, wasn't really light, but she wasn't dark either, she was brown. Wearing a pair of shorts and a bikini top, seemed as if her boobs would pop right out. I wouldn't have even mind at that point.
"Nothing lil' mama." I said and went back to looking at her. I didn't mean to stare, but damn, if you woulda saw it. I looked down to check on Nicole, who wasn't standing by me anymore. Looking around I noticed her talking to the girl I was staring at. Nicole was saying something I couldn't hear, then pointed at me as the girl bent down and picked her up and walked over to me.
"Missing someone?" she said in the smoothest voice. She chuckled and put her down. "You got a cute kid."
"She's not mine." I assured her. "She's my little niece who needs to stay put from now on." I said, looking down at Nicole who was cheesing from ear to ear.
"Oh." she said, and took a sip from her drink.
"I'm Ray." I said, lightly sticking out my hand. She looked at it and took off the shades she was wearing and stuck them in her hair.
"I'm Aileen." she said, shaking my hand and laughing.
"Pretty name.." I responded as we began walking inside.
"Thanks." she said smiling.
We talked for a few minutes, just casual talk before someone walked over to her. It was a girl and she whispered in her ear something.
"Oh gosh, I gotta go!" she said, sitting her drink down and standing up quickly.
"But you just got here."
"I've been here, but really, I gotta go." she began walking away but I pulled her back.
"Wait, can I get your number at least?" I asked, nonchalantly. She surprisingly took my phone and put her number in it and then quickly walked away, getting in the car with someone and driving off.
"You like her Uncle Ray?" Nicole asked, sitting in my lap.
"What? No." I said, looking at the spot Aileen had been sitting in as if she was still there. "But thanks lil mama." I said, giving her a high-five.
Aileen's POV:
I felt nothing but pain as he beat me. Hitting me in my face and sides, I tried to protect myself as much as I could.
"I THOUGHT I TOLD YOU NOT TO TALK TO ANY OF THEM BOYS, AILEEN!" he yelled, hitting me more.
"I'M SORRY!" I shouted through sobs. I can't believe I was going through this again. He said he's never hit me again, and I listened to him for what had been 3 years.. "I won't hurt you anymore" he repeatedly said but never seemed to keep that so-called promises he made me. Since I was 18, this had been happening. Every time my family asked what happened, I made up some lame excuse and they bought it.
"Get your shit, you're sleeping downstairs tonight." he growled at me and then kicked me out the room. I thanked God, knowing it had stopped for today. 2 hours he had been beating me, getting tired, stopping, then starting again.
In pain and agony, I walked downstairs, grabbing my phone off the stairs in which it had fallen when he dragged me upstairs I checked it.
I had a message from a unknown number. I messaged back, cuddling into a ball on the couch with the covers over me. The message read a simple, "Aileen?" in which I replied back with a "Yes, and this?" and waited a few minutes til my phone vibrated because of another text that read. "It's Ray" the message said, simply. I got happy for some reason.
I replied back with a "Hey :)" in which started our 6 hours long texting conversation til I fell asleep on the couch.
I woke up to the smell of food being cooked and a plate being sat in front of me.
"here you go." he said, sitting beside me. "Aye listen, I'm sorry for last night, I don-"
"Yeah, I hear you." I responded, not really carrying for his apology. I'd heard it all too many times. 15 times within the last month.
"I only did it because I care.." he said, sitting closer to me.
"That's some bullshit, but okay." I said, standing up, but having a shooting pain go through my body as I just sat back down. I texted my friend to come and get me. I wasn't having the bullshit for today.
In agony, I walked upstairs and got a duffle bag, putting mostly shorts, bras, panties, and some t-shirts in it, along with my straightener and charger.
"Where the hell you going? You're not even gonna eat?"
"No." I said bluntly. "I'm tired of you beating me, Justin." I said, walking outside in the upmost pain and sat there, waiting. About 10 minutes later, she pulled up in her car and I walked down the steps, groaning with each step.
After getting in the car, she took one look at me and shook her head and drove to her house, same house I was at yesterday for her pool party.
____
"Aileen, why do you keep letting this nigga do this to you?" she said, dabbing a hot towel on my cheeks.
"I don't know..."
"You falling for his I love bullshit, aren't you?"
"No."
"Yes you are, you know, If you need a place to stay, you can stay with me, but if you don't wanna be helped, I can't help you.."
"Thanks.." I said with a shy smile and just sat there thinking how the hell did I get in this position.
