CHAPTER ONE.
SKYLAR.
"what do you mean, you can't come?" Maisy whined down the phone like a five year old who had had their candy taken away from them.
"I have a stomach bug," I lied. I hate lying to my best friend but if only she knew the reason as to why I was lying, she might just understand.
"you were looking forward to it earlier! what's changed?" she asked curiously, making my disappointment grow even more. I had been looking forward to going out since she told me last week but as usual, I wasn't allowed to go.
"i can't help it if i'm unwell Mase."
"it's him, isn't it?"
"what?"
"it's Henry, he isn't letting you go, is he?"
"it's not Henry..." another lie.
"i'm coming over." she said sternly, seeing straight through my lie.
"no!" i panicked, "please, don't."
"he can't do this to you Skye, it isn't fair."
"he's not doing anything."
"why are you defending him?"
I stayed silent, having no answer because i didn't know myself.
"i'll be there in a few minutes."
Before I had the chance to convince her otherwise, the phone line went dead. I closed my eyes and exhaled loudly, mentally preparing myself for what was to follow this phone call. Maisy was a strong character as was my boyfriend, Henry so whenever they were around each other, they would clash. I slipped my phone back into my pocket and made my way into the front room, ready to greet Maisy at the door before Henry did and it all kicked off as usual. I was greeted with the familiar view of Henry sat on our beige coach, beer bottle in hand and watching the television. It was either that or he was playing on one of his many games consoles.
"you know it makes sense, babe, you don't fit in at places like that," Henry mumbled, too engrossed in the television to even talk to me properly. I was used to being ignored. While other girls were getting flowers and affection from their boyfriends, I was lucky to get so much as a second look from mine.
"yeah." i said timidly. Deep down I knew he was right. I wasn't a very sociable person anymore, not like I used to be. I just wanted to fit in and be like other people my age. I was 18 but I lived the life of a middle aged woman. Instead of going out to parties, taking spontaneous drives or applying for University, I would go to work during the week and sometimes at the weekends, doing ridiculous hours to cover the rent and other expenses before coming home and running around to get dinner ready and on the table before Henry got home from being out doing god knows what with god knows who.
"get me another beer, will you?" he asked, finishing off the rest of the beer that was in the bottle he was holding. I snapped out of my trance and as usual, went running to Henry's every command.
"sure." i smiled weakly at him, taking the bottle and walking into the kitchen, not receiving even a thank you. I retrieved another bottle from the fridge and popped off the metal cap that fell onto the counter. I threw away the bottle cap and Henry's old bottle. While I was in the kitchen, there was a rushed knock on the front door. I hurried back into the front room in a panic but Henry had beaten me to it.
"how'd you get up here?" Henry grunted as Maisy barged her way passed him, looking around for me. I stood, frozen in the doorway of the kitchen, waiting for some kind of trouble to begin. As I said earlier, these two were far from good friends.
"someone was going out and let me in," she said before clasping her eyes on me, "ready to go?"
"go? go where?" Henry asked, looking over at me too and there was already anger in his voice as he assumed that I had lied to him about telling Maisy I will ill and couldn't go out tonight. I had the pressure of both my best friend's and my boyfriend's eyes on me. I knew what I wanted to do but what I should do was a different story.
"to the gig." Maisy said like it was obvious. Henry's face dropped at the mention of the gig and I tensed, watching his dark eyes turn even darker. Henry never liked me going out but tonight he was even more persistent that I didn't go.
"she's ill." he said bluntly.
"she looks okay to me," she looked me up and down as if she was checking for signs that i wasn't well but of course, she couldn't find any, "come on, we've got to go or we'll be late!"
"she isn't going anywhere." Henry spoke for me before I had the chance to speak or even think.
"why? because you say so?" she spat angrily. Maisy had never liked Henry from day one, she always had her suspicions when it came to him and it turned out that her suspicions were right. She hated the way he treated me but she hated even more the way I allowed it.
Henry was taken back by her confrontation and was stuck for answers which makes a change. Maisy picked up my favourite bag and jumper from the sofa before walking over to me and passing them over. I gripped onto them tightly, mentally debating whether to go with her or stay here with Henry.
"have you got everything?" she asked me, giving me a supportive smile. I nodded hesitantly without a word and her smile grew bigger as she realised I was agreeing to go with her. I let her take my hand and pull me to the door. I could feel Henry's eyes burring into the side of me as if he was trying to use mind powers to keep me from leaving.
"have a nice night." Henry said through gritted teeth, snatching the beer bottle forcibly out of my hand as I walked past him. I dared to look up at him and the expression on his face as he took a gulp of his liquor gave me an insight of what was going to happen when I got home later on. Part of me was wishing that he got so drunk that he would pass out by the time I got home.
"oh, we will!" Maisy said cheerily as we left the apartment and shut the door behind us. She turned to look at me with a beaming smile of accomplishment and as much as I tried to match it, my lips wouldn't stretch that far as I thought about what was yet to come.
