I am Peggy (a platonic Peggy x Maria High School AU Fanfiction) *STOPPED*

Chapter 9

Maria POV  (TW: More domestic abuse talk here) (Also, please to criticize my writing about this topic, I want to make sure I do it right and don't accidentally romanticize it. I have been doing research on how to write it, but specific critique will help a ton!)

It had escalated quickly. It had started out with him commenting on my clothes, suggesting certain outfits, normally more conservative. He started getting upset if I wore something to short, or too tight. He was annoyed when I talked to Laff, or to any of his guy friends without him there. He started to be more blunt about it. He would tell me I wasn't allowed to talk to other guys without his permission. He told me I wasn't allowed to wear what I wanted, as it was too suggestive. He would get angry, then scold me, then apologize. He would get me a gift and be extra lovey. I would feel bad for ever resenting him or for being upset. He had a good point, I wasn't being a good girlfriend. My clothes would attract unwanted attention from other boys. My time spent with Laff and the others should have been spent with him. It continued. Instead of berating me, he hit me. He said it was my fault. I shouldn't have been dressing like that, or talking to him. It wasn't him, he wasn't at fault. It was me. I had to be better. He got more and more controlling, it got worse. That one day, Peg had confronted me about it. What was I supposed to say? James wasn't doing anything wrong. I didn't need her help. It was normal, our relationship. That day at the movie theater, when he saw they left, he shot me a look. A horrible look. I had checked my phone when we got outside. There was a text. If he knew Peggy texted me, it would be my fault she had left the theater. I couldn't tell him. It came back to bite me in the butt. When we dropped off Peggy and Herc, and were left alone in the car, he checked my phone. He saw the text, and he hit me. He hit me a lot, but I knew I deserved it. I was a bad girlfriend. I needed to improve, not him. And I certainly wouldn't be telling anyone about what was happening.
***
Peggy POV

Angelica, Eliza and Alex came home that Thursday for Thanksgiving. When I heard a knock on the door, I sprinted down she stairs and to the front of our house.
"Angelica! Eliza!"
"Peggy!" They said, hugging me.
"So this is Alexander," I said, looking him up and down.
"Hey," he responded awkwardly.
"It's nice to meet you in person, to see your face. Although I've heard plenty about it from Eliza." I winked. Eliza flushed red.
"Girls!" Dad said, walking into the room. "How wonderful to see you!"
After embracing my sisters, he turned to Alex.
"Nice to meet you, young man. Miss Eliza here-" he gestured to the crimson faced Eliza, "-has talked so much about you."
"Nice to meet you, too," Alex politely replied. "Betsey always talks about her family with such love, so I couldn't wait to meet all of you." Dad and I exchanged a look. Eliza had never let us call her Betsey.
"Well let's not all dawdle in the foyer, come in!" my father invited. In the kitchen, Alex presented us with the beautiful sweet potato pie.
"Thank you so much, this looks delicious," my father thanked him.

a/n~
hey guys it's me again. i figured i'd finally post the part i had been working on before i ended this book. so yeah, i realized it's kinda problematic and i don't really have free time that i want to devote to this, so sorry guys!