friends and I

stop dereck

its the year 2023 and i live in a apartment with my friends in the apartments surrounding me. im a stylist for Channel 7 and my friends (james, cheyne and emily) are so supportive (more like they love getting to meet celebs whenever i can help them too).but tonight emily asked me to come over without the others knowing. which is weird for her, so it must be serious.

i peeked my head outside my door, good, the coast is clear.

i exited ,my room and walked past the others...

room 315....316.... ahhh here we go room 317!

i knocked on the door and waited for her to answer.

she opened the door. i noticed her eyebrows where knitted together. the usual happy emily wasnt there.

"hi" she said in a hurry, while grabbing my arm and pulling me inside. i stumbled a bit because of how hard she pulled me and tripped over, knocking her phone off a counter and onto the floor.

"oops" i said as i picked it back up. i turned around to emily, she was zoned out... staring into space. she leaned onto the wall and chewed at her nails.

"emily...is everything ok?" i asked. she shook her head and burst into tears. all in seconds. she just crumbled. dropped to the floor she did. like the phone when i knocked her counter.

"emily? emily please" i begged. i crouched down to her and put her head in my hands to force her to look at me.

"what happened" their was no fluff in my voice and i know she knew that.

"Dereck....he" she started, then just drifted into her own world. dereck is her boyfriend. theyve been dating for 4 years and their so happy. what could possibly be wrong here?

"he what?" i encouraged her. dropping my hands from her face. she stood up and pulled me with her. i saw her close her eyes and taake a deep breath . she pulled her shirt over her head and slid her bra off. that wasnt an expected move to be honest. she then opened her eyes and stared at me for a sec. i didnt really want to look down to be frank with you. but i did. what i saw was unexpected.

"did he do this?" i asked. emily nodded. their was a massive bruise on her stomach shaped like a boot, as if she'd been stomped on. ans their where cuts along her breasts. as if she was cut, which im certain was true. i reached out and touched her stomach.

"ouch" she winced.

"sorry" i apoligised, she just nodded. then she turned around and along her back were bruises, bite marks that have bruised, cuts, ciggerette burns etc.

anger boiled up inside me just the sight of me. no one deserves to be treated like that. especially not my emily.

"what the fuck is going on emily? why would dereck do this" i almost shouted. 

she sat down on the couch and looked up at me.

"i know your angry, trust me, i am too. unbelievably. but me and dereck are completely over now. he ...he was just so drunk. i didnt know what to do. but im never speaking to him again, just dont tell anyone ok?" she said with pleading eyes.

"emily, this isnt something you just take lightly, i mean he physically harmed you we have to go to the police" i said. she shook her head.

"i know if i do that ill have to see him again and im seriously not wanting to do that" she announced so that the message got across that she doesnt want to see him again.

"ok yeh but what about james and cheyne huh? arent you gonna tell them?" i asked, she shook her head.

"your the only one who knows and the only one whose gonna know." she said, standing and putting her bra on, her tear stained cheeks were starting to dry.

"can i just sleep at your house tonight though? i really dont want to sleep alone tonight" she asked with pleading eyes. by now she had her shirt on. i nodded with a small smile. her face broke out into a grin.

"hold on a sec" she scurried up the stairs to collect her pyjamas i assume. when she came down she was holding them in her hands.

"lets go em" i said in a small voice. leading her to my room. once we got their we walked up to my bedroom and got changed. i looked at the alarm clock. it read 12:34AM. we got into bed together. she lay on the far side of the bed curled in a ball. i look over to her and shake my head. shes still as stubborn as she was back in high school.

"come 'ere" i laughed. tugging at her arm. motioning for her to come closer. and she did. she wrapped her arms around my waist and layed her head in the crook of my neck. i kiss the top of her forehead and i heard her mumble tiredly.

"were best friends forever"

"yeh, thats right emily.... and dont you forget it!" thoughts of her ex burning her back with ciggerette butts flashed through her mind and i tightened my grip on her shoulders. she winced slightly before i remembered the scars so i loosened up.

i looked at her fragile sleepy face to see a beautiful girl. my beautiful best friend who ill never lose. no matter how much she pains me or makes so pissed off that i want to rip my hair out, she'll always be their for me because thats what best friends do. and as she's always been their for me i plan to return the favor, and to be their for her, her secret gaurdian if you will. but ill be their.....

always.