Marvels Of Fate

Hurt And Bruised

I'm still seated on the bed when Kate enters my room.
"Mus, where have you been?" Kate questions, walking towards me with a frown etched onto her face. I remove the curtain of hair that's covering my face and give her a small smile. She gasps, covering her mouth with her hand. "What happened?!" Kate exclaims, taking a seat beside me. She gently takes my face in her hands and moves it gently from left to right, examining the bruise marks that must've stained my face by now.
"Nothing." I say, releasing my chin from her grip. "Did anything exciting happen without me? Like a lot of kicking?"
"Oh no, you're not changing the topic. It's evening and I haven't seen you all day and now when I come up, I see this." She points to my face, grimacing. "Did Harry do this?"
"Yeah, but does it matter? No. Because it doesn't even hurt me, Kate." I shrug my shoulders nonchalantly and get up. I haven't seen my face in the mirror yet.
"It's not about whether it hurts or not. The fact is, he can't touch my friend like this." Kate's tone is furious and I regret not covering up these bruises with makeup, before she saw. I stare at my reflection in the mirror, an involuntary gasp escaping my lips. God, I look bad. Black and blue bruises are littered across my neck and the sides of my face have red finger marks. I bring my arm forward and sure enough, bruises litter this part of my body as well. Frowning, I take a step back and turn to face Kate. She's glaring at the floor, as if she's trying to take out all her anger on the poor innocent wooden flooring.
"Do you have a bruise cream?" I ask, taking a seat on a chair. Kate lifts her head and glares at me with the same amount of anger with which she was staring at the floor.
"No, we will not just let this matter drop. I will confront that arsehole and demand answers!" Kate gets up and huffs. "But till then, yes, I have bruise cream. Come down and I'll apply it." I oblige, not wanting to say much to my infuriated and highly hormonal friend. Like a lost puppy, I trail behind Kate all the way downstairs.
"Liam!" She yells, as we enter the kitchen. No reply. Good God, he better reply soon before she murders him. "Liam!" Still no answer. "Where the fuck did he go?" Kate murmurs, as she yanks open a cupboard and then bangs it shut.
"Kate, his keys aren't hung up. He's not home," I say.
"Right, he's gone to get my medicines." Kate yanks open yet another cupboard and then bangs it shut. "Where's the cream?" I just sit quietly on the stool, while my best friend breaks all the cupboards in her kitchen. Finally, she finds the cream that she was looking for and chucks it at me. "Apply that, but don't completely rub it in." I nod my head, unscrewing the cap. After I've tended to my wounds, Kate and I seat ourselves in the lounge. She turns on the tv and I silently watch the random show that she's content with watching. It doesn't make much of a difference to me, as my mind is someplace else, altogether. It's not the bruises that hurt, it's the internal pain that was caused by Harry's actions. Unconsciously, my hand lands on the bruises on my neck. How could a person who I trusted with my soul and mind do something so horrid to me? But then again, haven't I learnt my lesson once before by laying my trust with someone? Hasn't Carter cheated on me before? That is the only thing men are capable of: breaking a woman's trust. I should just forget about it all and not let today morning's events spoil my whole day.
"Liam's back," Kate announces. We both turn to face the door as the lock turns. Liam walks in with a couple of bags looped through his arms and behind him follows a person who I don't want to see today, or ever again.
"What the fuck are you doing back here?" Kate spits at Harry, lifting herself off the couch. He looks at her confused, and then his gaze drifts over to me. Harry's eyes scan my face and then move toward my neck. However, his expression remains stoic. Because he doesn't care, of course. I mean, why would he? This man is made of stone and stone doesn't have emotions.
"Get out of my house, Harry." Kate's delirious, her index finger pointing towards the front door.
"What happened, babe?" Liam asks, placing the bags on the floor and marching towards Kate. He takes her hands in his and stares at her face, questioningly.
"Harry bruised Mus! I mean, look at her face, neck and arms. She's a wreck," Kate turns around and stares pointedly at me. I keep my lips sealed, not wanting to discuss this matter at all. I can feel Liam's gaze on me. However, I keep my eyes trained on the floor.
"Harry, what the fuck have you done to Mus?" Liam asks, his tone deadly calm. I glance at Liam, who's just staring at a wall. There's a certain level of rage in his eyes that makes goosebumps rise on my arms.
"Bitches like her deserve this treatment." Harry says, giving me a quick glance, before making his way toward the stairs. Liam turns on his heels, and strides over to Harry. Harry, on the other hand, doesn't know that Liam's coming for him. He finds out too late, when Liam yanks his collar, making him land flat on his back. Harry stares up at Liam, momentarily disoriented. Then he gets up and faces Liam, eyebrows furrowed.
"What the fuck, mate?! Are you really going to do this? For her?" Harry asks, pointing at me. Liam's breaths are coming out in heavy huffs, his fists clenched.
"Didn't you hear what my fiancee said? Get out of our house," Liam says. He steps aside, giving Harry clear access to the front door.
"Don't you see, Liam? Ever since Mus came back we've started fighting? She ruins relationships, that's all she's capable of."
"Leave." Liam's face is turning redder by the second. If I was Harry, I'd make the right decision and leave.
"You know what? Fuck you!" Harry spits, marching over to the door. He turns around and gives me one last look of hatred, before exiting and slamming the door behind him.