Chim-Loveline

Chapter Two

It's been a week since I've seen her. I've gone to the field every night since we met, no sign of Kimberley whatsoever. I can't seem to drag my mind away from her, and I don't know why. Her eyes, maybe. The way they pulled us in the first time I looked into them; deep, dark, dangerous. The mysterious air that surrounds her, it made us nervous. But I fell in love with that feeling; a fire burning inside us. It's the only emotion I've felt in ages. And I needed it again.  

"Cheryl?" My mum's at the door. "Breakfast is ready." 

"Right, mum. I'll be down in a second."

  ~ 

Mum, Garry, and I are sitting at the table, it's quiet. 

"Cheeeezzz guess what?" Garry's excited tone breaks the silence. 

"Hm?" I don't look up. 

"We're going to see dad today." We? What does he mean we? 

"Only if you want to come." My mum says abruptly.  

"I don't know why you didn't leave him." I throw my fork down and stand up.  

"I couldn't-" She says, and I'm off. I grab my bag out of my bedroom and I'm out the front door.   "Cheryl?" I hear my mum's voice, her heels clicking against the cement. She's got Garry, he's crying, he's just a few months old. The front door of our tiny flat is wide open, but no one's home. He beat us, and he left. He couldn't face her. She must've noticed the door, cause now she's running. "Cheryl?!" She's screaming now. There's blood on the carpet. My blood. My screams still echo in my head. The screams that he caused. I'm on the roof, right above the door. I climb down the old, rusty ladder, hoping she'll save us. The door's still open, I step in. "Mum..."I mumble, I'm staring at the blood on the carpet. She's on the phone, she's crying. "Honey?" I look at her. But she's on the phone; she must be talking to him. He must be on the other line. "...Th-the blood..." She's bawling. I wonder what he's telling her. She hasn't even looked at us.  

"Cheryl?" I've been running; I ran all the way to the field. And there she is.  

"K-Kimberley...?"  

"Cheryl? Why are you crying?" 

"What...?" I croak. I taste the bitterness of the salty tears in my mouth.  

"Why?" She's got both her hands on my shoulders. I can't answer. She sighs.  "Come here babe." She's holding my hand, pulling us deeper into the field.  

"Wh-where are we going?"  

"My flat." She answers.  

~ 

I'm sitting on her couch; she's pacing in front of us. Her flat is plain, the walls are empty. It smells sweet though; like flowers.  

"Please trust me." She sounds as if she's on the verge of tears. It's silent for a minute, or maybe an hour, but I finally speak.  

"My dad...h-he..." I can't finish.  

"He what, babe?" She's beside us now. I look at her, and then down to my hands. 

"He beat us." I whisper. We sit on the couch in a tight embrace; we're both crying.  

~

  "Cheryl were you with Ashley again?" My father reeks of alcohol, and a hint of something else I just couldn't place. His eyes are red and glassy; he looks like he hasn't slept in weeks. "Answer me you stupid skank!" He screams.  "No dad-" He's taking off his belt.   "Don't lie, whore!" And he hits us, square in the nose. My vision blurs, my upper lip is hot with blood. I've fallen to the ground.   "Stop!" I squeal in pain. And he hits us again. Only this time, it's with his belt. The belt strikes again, and again and again. My shirt is pulled slightly up; I see the burning stripes that the belt has left my skin. They sting; I'm on fire. I hear footprints, they're fast. He's running. He's running away. He's running away from the possibility of being punished for what he's done.

"Cheryl?!" Someone's shaking us; I've fallen asleep. "Cheryl?!"

"Huh?" I roll over, not fully conscious yet.  

"Cheryl are you okay?! You were screaming in your sleep and-" It's Kimberley.  

"Yeah, fine, just a bad dream." I mumble before she finishes.  

"About your dad?" She whispers.  

"Yeah." I croak.  

"He can't hurt you anymore." She brushes the hair out of my face. I stare at her lips, her full lips; they're painted dark pink, almost red. And I find myself wondering what they would feel like pressed against my own.  

"Kimberley I have to leave." I whisper.  

"Wha-why?" I sit up; she removes her hand from my face.

"Did I do something wrong?"   "No, erm, it's getting late my mum's probably wondering where I am." I grab my bag and head for the door.

"Do you want me to walk you home then?" She asks, still standing beside the couch.  

"No I'll be fine." I open the door. 

"Bye-" I slam the door shut behind me. I look up, my hand still on the doorknob. The sky is dark; a vast field, filled with tiny sparkling specks. I let go of the door and remove my phone from my bag. "26 missed calls from 'Mum'." "Fuck!" I shove my phone back into my bag, and I begin to run.

  ~ 

"Mum?" I'm inside, my back pressed against the front door; I'm out of breath. Garry's asleep on the couch; a movie playing on the television. The kitchen light is on, as is the one in the hall. "Mum?" I call again.

"In here-" I hear her mumble from the kitchen. I step forward, into the kitchen. Her eyes are red and puffy, but she isn't crying.  

"Mum? What's wrong?"  

"You were right Cheryl." She mumbles, she's staring into space. 

"About what mum?!" I'm panicking. 

"Him."

"Who-" But I already know who.  

"He didn't come here for business." Her voice cracks and tears fill her eyes.  

"What did he come here for then, mum?" I've made my way to her side; I'm kneeling on the floor beside her.  

"Another woman." She whispers.