disconnected // luke hemmings » au

two

My back slides against the bathroom wall until my butt hits the cool ground. I place my head in my hands and begin to sob.

The right side of my face is burning and I can already see purple bruises forming on my wrist. My arm aches from the struggle of trying to escape from the abuse I face too often.

My mind flashes back to just minutes ago, when the boy I love broke my heart for the millionth time.

"Toby! You're hurting me!" I shriek as Toby drags me into our apartment.

"Shut the fuck up, Sienna. I won't allow you to be talking back to me and flirting with other guys! I'm your fucking boyfriend!" He yells, his threatening tone sending shivers down my spine.

I am too terrified to speak, knowing that anything I say will make Toby even more furious. I want to tell him I wasn't flirting with anyone. I want to tell him that I am allowed to have my own opinions. But I stand silently, tears welling up in my eyes as Toby grips my wrist tighter. 

I watch him as he lifts his arm. "Toby, please!" I cry, trying and failing to pull myself out of his firm hold on me. 

My eyes shut tightly out of instinct, as I wait for his hand to make contact with my skin.

Suddenly there is an immense stinging feeling in my cheek, and I see black for a moment.

This time Toby lets my arm slip from his hand and I rush into the bathroom and lock the door.

Why do I keep letting this happen? I am living in a constant state of fear and sadness. I can't even remember the last time I was completely happy.

I can't do this anymore.

It's breaking me, it's ruining me.

I force myself from the ground to stand in front of the mirror.

My eyes are puffy and rimmed with an unattractive shade of red. My nose is pink and my skin is stained in tears. But the main thing I notice when I look at my reflection, is the purple swelling on my face. 

I splash water on my face in the hopes that it might help in some way.

I take a deep breath and grab my phone from out of my pocket, scrolling through my contacts, not knowing who to call. 

Once I've gone through my contacts three times, I decide to listen to the voice in the back of my head saying, "Luke."

I find the text he sent me earlier, so I could get his number on my phone, and call him, my hands shaking.

"Sienna!" Luke picks up on the third ring.

"Hi, Luke." I mumble, suddenly not sure of why I called him in the first place. "I, uhh..." I sniff, trying to hold back another breakdown. 

"Are you alright?" He asks, concern evident in his beautiful voice.

"Not really." I have absolutely no idea why I'm opening up to Luke. He is basically a stranger.

"What's happened, Sienna?" He says softly.

I don't know what to tell him.

"I shouldn't have called you, I'm sorry Luke." My voice cracking as I speak. I feel more tears roll down my sore face.

"Yes you should have! Why don't you come to our gig? We've just finished our first set. There's not many people here. You should come." He encourages me. 

"I don't know..." I begin to say.

"Come, please. I can come pick you up if you like?" I feel like Luke knows something has happened between Toby and I.