Dark Paradise

Chapter 4

{Lana's POV}

"Elizabeth?" I hear a familiar voice say. I turn around and see Stella rushing toward the table. " I am so sorry I am late! I couldn't find my keys and then when I did find them I couldn't find my shoes!! But I'm here now!!" She smiles

"It's alright! Being alone doesn't bother me. I actually like it..." I say, smiling at the tablecloth and pulling my sleeves down farther. Stella follows my line of view and looks at my sleeves.

"What did he do this time?" She asks, looking up at me. I see the pity in her face. I hate it yet I long for someone to care.

"W-what do you mean?" I say, looking at her for a moment and then down to the tablecloth again.

"Please. Don't pretend. It's 93 degrees outside and you're wearing jeans and a jacket." She says , in a hushed tone.

"We just...got into an argument . It was my fault..." I say, pulling my jacket collar up a bit. I'm lucky the makeup I wear is really concealing. I'd look a lot worse and attract lots more attention if not.

"Your fault for real or your fault because he made it your fault?" She looks me in the eyes.

I'm silent.

"That's what I thought." She says. I smile softly at her and then take a sip of water. "May I see??" She asks.

I look at her and then slowly roll the sleeves up just so she can see my wrists. They are bruised from the tie he tied so tight.

"Elizabeth...he..he did that to you?" She says, softly brushing her fingers over the bruises.

"He's done a lot worse. Believe me." I pull the jacket shoulder down a bit to reveal a long scar. "He got mad because I asked him to grab my jacket from the closet while he was in there. He threw a broken coat hanger at me while telling me he wasn't my slave." A tear rolls down my cheek. I pull my left sleeve up and show her another scar. "He put my flat iron on my arm for 15 seconds because that's how much more time it took me to get out of the shower so he could get in." I rolling left sleeve down and pull my hair back to show behind my ear. "He grabbed the sides of my head and squeezed my head as hard as he could and my earring cut into the side of my head." I say.

"Elizabeth..."

"That's not even the worst ones." I say. I wipe my eyes and pull myself together.

Not in public. Not in public.

I wipe my cheek where tears had fallen. I see some makeup on my hand.

SHIT

"Elizabeth...you have bruises...on your face." Stella reaches over and pushes a strand of my hair out of the way of my cheek. "Lizzy..." I see her tear up. "Please...let me help you..." She begs.

"I...we...we shouldn't be doing this...I'm so sorry..." I say as I stand up.

"No! Lizzy please.. let me help you please..." she stands up too. I walk out of the coffee shop. And hear Stella yell after me.  "Elizabeth! Wait!" But I keep going.

I keep going.

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As I open the door I see papers strewn all over the floor. A broken glass lies next to an overturned coffee table. I smell cigarette smoke and alcohol.

"J-Jim..." I say, frightened. I set my bag down and walk slowly toward the kitchen.

"F-fuck" I hear Jim's voice and another glass break.

"J-Jim whats g-going on." I say slowly. He stops. He turns around slowly. I can already see he's drunk. He walks slowly towards me and I close my eyes, waiting for a blow. But it doesn't come. Instead I feel his lips touch mine, softly. I taste the alcohol. He goes deeper as he touches my hips and then his hand go to my ass and he squeezes it viciously and slaps it hard. "F-fuck!" I moan as he kisses my neck.

"Im so hard." He whispers. I feel his hips thrust forward a bit and I feel him grow harder on me. I bite my lip and know that his drunkenness will make him rough but I can't say no. He wouldn't let me.

He picks me up and carries me to the bedroom. It doesn't take him long and as soon as he's done he slumps over and falls asleep, still inside me. I manage to wriggle out from under him because of my size. I watch him sleeping. He looks so peaceful. You wouldn't ever think that he could be the monster that he is. I put my clothes back on and walk to the bathroom. I look at myself in the mirror. Bruises everywhere. Scars and bruises. Tears fall down my cheeks as I look at myself longer and longer. I think about the day I will die. The day I'll push him too far and he'll choke me too long or he'll throw something at me and it'll hit me the wrong way. Maybe he'll push me under in the bathtub again but this time for too long. Whatever it is.

I hope for it soon.