Beaten By Love

Chapter 1

The steel shutter slid down the front door to Papa's Supplies with a thunderous rattling, causing an echo along the derelict street on which I was stood, in the midst of locking up the small corner shop. Alfonso, the owner, had left about an hour ago just after ten, as he was the one opening up in the early hours of the next morning. Even though I still had to get up around the same time for school, I didn't complain. I took any hour of work I could grab, so when it came down to Alfonso or me leaving early, I'd happily stay until close up time.

Having locked the shutter, I turned and started to head home down the street. The downside of working the late shifts meant the buses stopped running by the time I finished. Well, I guess it wouldn't hurt to burn off a few calories I suppose. I mean, I'd prefer to work those calories off in a gym, in daylight hours, surrounded by a mixture of people, rather than walking home alone through the rougher part of the neighbourhood at a particularly late hour...I'll be fine, I'm sure.

"Right, the time is...' I looked at my watch. "Quarter past eleven. Okay so I should be home by quarter to 12 at least, if I keep a good pace up". I don't usually talk out loud when I'm alone, but it sure beats feeling crushed by the silence surrounding me, and catching my breath whenever I passed and dared to look into a dark alleyway, or a broken window of a house. Breathe, Shay, breathe, and just get home.

Minutes passed by but they felt like hours. I turned a corner, and swallowed nervously, as just a few hundred metres ahead, was a small group of men. They were stood at the entrance of an alleyway leading off to the left, behind shops that were now closed at this time of night, despite my silent protests.

I took a deep breath and strengthened my stride, hoping to pass quietly and unnoticed. I was kidding myself really. At this time of night, in this part of town, of course I would be noticed.

One of the men turned towards the sound of my footsteps, and smirked, as I avoided eye contact and kept my head down.

"Where's a pretty girl like you heading at this time of night?"

Not to your bed, obviously. I quickly regretted that thought.

As I looked up, the other men turned to me as well, as they moved to essentially block the path.

"Where're you headin' to darlin'? It's cold out tonight, should come keep warm with us" Another man sneered. I came to a stop in front of them.

"I'm just walking home. Now, if you don't mind, I'd like to pass through?"

The man at the forefront of the group towered above me, a foot taller than me. His face was pretty...uneven. At this point, that was all that came into my head. He had a wonky nose, caved in cheeks, unevenly cropped hair, and two front teeth sticking further out than they should be. How does he manage to close his mouth? The next thing I noticed was his clothes, as the rest of the men were dressed similarly. Track suits, hoodies, worn out trainers, baseball hats. The whole lot. Brilliant.

"Yeah we'll let you pass, if I get a sweet kiss on the cheek?" The same man spoke to me, grinning, as it became glaringly obvious how uncomfortable they made me. As I was about to respond, I heard one of the guys near the back of this group – okay so there was about six of them, still, there was a guy stood further back than the others – whisper to the one next to him 'I wouldn't mind spreading her legs one day' before both of them began laughing. I wanted to throw up.

"Look, I just want to get home.' I side stepped out onto the road, hoping they wouldn't stop me. Another man stepped out to the road in front of me, blocking me again. Great. "Can you please move out of my way? I want to pass through."