Pimentel Princess #wattys2018

Chapter 22 : slap

"Mom, we'll take you home, we're going Blackpool, to find January," Joel says, looking back at me, I just smile, to indicate I'm coming with him.
"Ok," she nods.

After Mom's dropped off, we go off to Tesco's.

"What are we doing here?" I ask, as he has his arm snaked around my waist. He pecks a kiss on my cheek, "you do that a lot," I say simply before returning the kiss.

He runs to grab a trolley, and shoots straight into the snacks aisle, throwing popcorn and crisps straight in.
"Iceeeecreeeaammm!" He sings, before skidding off to the ice cream aisle. I run, my heals clopping against the rubber floor trying to keep up.

"Im in heels and my wedding dress! Slow down," I cry. He turns around, realising I'm struggling.
He takes off his shoes and hands then to me.

"What?"
"Put them on," he nods. "No," I say simply. I'm gonna look like a clown. What's he going to wear?!

He bends down, tugging at my heel. "Don't, I'll put them on," I push my feet into his shoes, my blisters thanking me as they push against the cushion.
"Thankyou," But I feel blood rush to my cheeks, I look away. I'm blushing like a school child.

We go to the checkout, people giving Joel weird looks for not wearing shoes. Every time someone gave him a weird look, he looks down at his grey and black spotty socks then smiles at me, "anything for you babe," he winks. And I slap his arm, "You cheesy git," I slap his arm.
"Cheesy since day 1," I say as we place the items on the checkout.

"Aw you two are so cute," the red haired lady said not taking her eyes off the shopping. She peels her eyes off the shopping. "You look gorgeous aw," She smiles.

As soon as we get out the shop we laugh our heads off. I don't know what was funny, but we look at each other and laugh again.

"Come on, Let's go, it's-," he looks at his watch, "6:32 we can make it before 8,"

We get into the car, but it's dark already. I feel my eyes closing slow and I yawn, tears forming in my eyes as the demand to be closed, and I obey shutting my mind off too.

"Laila. Wake up," I am awoke from my slumber. "Mmm. I'm tired," I moan stretching my arms.

We stop outside a small house, it's dark with ivy creeping up the walls sending chills down my spine. A gloomy tree towers over the house. I step out bear foot, owls hooting at me warning me to turn back.

"This is the witches house," he laughs in the eerie silence. The wind howling, whispering to us to go away. The stones poking my foot like thorns, the cool surface piercing my feet.

My attention is suddenly drawn to a flicker of the top left bedroom light. Then a child cry is heard, "Please take me to Papa and Mama," the child cries.
          "No! You're Papa is a cheating piece of trash. He used me okay. I'm using you to get my own back. You will get food when, WHEN you call me mama. I am your real mother. Okay not that tramp he likes, me! Do you heard me?"
We don't hear a response, then the 2nd person says "good," before there's a door slam.

I look over to Joel's outraged face. This bitch is going to die tonight.

His fingers curl into a tight fist, and he thumps the door. There is no sound from the house, just the sound of us breathing. He bangs again, and a woman peers through the keyhole, then opens the door.

"You're not getting her. Ever, ever ever. It's my turn so you can turn your arse back to where you came from," she points to a random block of buildings, her eyes half closed as if she's high.

"Shut the fuck up," he shakes his head and pushes past her, her eyes widening in his action.
"I said no, go home Joel. There's nothing for you here," she says.
"You reek of weed," her clips his nose with his fingers, however she finds it amusing and wiggles her eyebrows at him.

He storms up stairs and into a room. He opens it, looks around then walks into the second which is smaller than the first. The walks into it, then looks under the bed. I look to see what he's in awe at and there's a tiny sob coming from under the bed. January's there curled up into a ball with her eyes shut.

"It's okay warrior princess, come out," Joel says in a soothing voice. Her eyes open and she wipes her tears away and comes out from under the bed. He hugs him so tight, he looks like he's about to be a pulp.

"Papa she hit me so hard on my cheek,"she motions to her face but it's dark.
      As I'm standing adjacent to the light I turn it on and we see a purple/green slash against her face.
"It's hurts Papa, it hurts," she cries. He runs down stairs and returns with a pack of peas, and holds it against her face.
"I'll get her back for this," he mumbled in rage.

We take January down the stairs, and I feel a pair of eyes burning through my flesh but I ignore it.
"I hope you're gonna pay for those," Summer motions at the peas. I walk up to her, and without thinking my hand slaps her face so hard, the clap echoed in the room. I see her clutching her face and walk out with Joel and January. I push January's seatbelt on, whilst Joel gets the car started and we zoom off leaving Summer gawping in a cloud of smoke.

"What you going to do to the lady, Papa?" January's voice trembling with fear.
"Don't worry princess, I'm going to hand her to the police. When we get home, we'll take a photo of your bruise, then she'll get locked up. Ok? Don't you worry about her now. She'll get in jail," he reassured his daughter. I sat at the back with January, her head rested on my thighs.
"Thanks for saving me," She says through a yawn.
"Anything for my princess,"

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We look up from our lasagne as the lock turns.
"Mi nieta!!" She shouts looking at January, but her smile turns into a frown upon seeing her cheek.

"Why did she? How dare she?" Her jaw dropping.
"It's okay mom," Joel reassured her.
"We're going to the police today anyway,"

"January, we're going to the park today, so mom can you go and pick out a dress for her and Laila do her hair nicely," Joel orders excitedly. He promised hafsa, and he doesn't break his promises.

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Authors note: here you go, finally!