You & I

Chapter 20: Niall

I wasn't lying to her. I really was in love with Roxanne or Michelle. She was everything to me. The first moment I saw her, I knew there was something special about her. The first conversation I had, I knew she would be the one. The chase I had to do to get to her was worth it. She drove me crazy, but that couldn't stop me from feeling this way about her.

I kissed her forehead, “Rox, you need to sit down.” I ran my finger across her bottom lip and kissed it softly. I hated seeing that cut on her gorgeous lips, the bruises on her cheeks and eye, and that ugly bruise on her neck. “Can you tell me what happened the night I dropped you off? I need to know.”

Roxanne looked down, “You're going to get mad.”

“Sweetheart, I'm already mad about what Will did to you. I just need to know.”

She nodded, “Okay, but first I need to sit down. I'm kind of in pain right now.” I helped her move to the bed. We lied down together and I wrapped my arm around her shoulder and kissed her forehead. “What part do you want to know?”

“Everything,” I answered.

She sighed, “Mercedes has a habit of leaving and forgetting about the front door. She does it like two times a month the most and only happens if Harry is distracting her or if she is in a hurry. So, when I came home it was unlocked. Mercedes and Harry were getting dinner so I was the only one home. Will told me how he got out for good behavior and how he was probation. He was apparently looking for me and when Mercedes and Harry left, Mercedes showed Harry a photo of me and Will saw it. Mercedes forgot something and forgot to lock the door, so that's how he got in. I was in the bathroom when I saw Will.” She cleared her throat and blinked away her tears, but more only appeared in her eyes. “He threw me down and started kicking me. He wanted me to be punished for sending him to jail. I tried getting away, but he came after me and started hitting me. The more I tried running, the harder he'd hit. ”

“What happened after that?” I asked, wiping away my tear.

“I tried getting away again, so he threw me down and started hitting me again. For second, he stopped only to light cigarette. He blew in face and when I coughed, he put it out and I was his ashtray.”

I cringed, remembering the scar I saw on her hip. “Was it the same place before?”

She looked at me, “How did you...”'

“I saw it when you were sleeping when I stayed over at your place. Did he also give you all those scars?”

Slowly, she nodded, “After he beat the shit out me the very first time he stabbed me. The two other scars were from me trying to escape and his blade hitting me.”

I clutched onto her tighter, “What else did he do to you after the cigarette?”

“He asked me if I still loved him,” she answered. “I said no and he got even more mad. So, he started hitting me again. I told him I could never love him and he ruined my life. He didn't like how he was getting blamed, so he started to strangle me. I was going to pass out until Harry and Mercedes came in. Harry fought Will and Mercedes called the police.”

“Harry beat Will?”

Roxanne nodded, “Boxing was his curricular activity when he was in high school.” She leaned against my chest, “It'll be over though. I won't be near Will for that long.”

I held onto her tighter, “You can't leave me.”

She sighed and looked at me with defeated eyes, “I have to...”

“It's not fair, Roxanne, I want you to stay here with me. I can protect you. We can figure it out together. You can stay here and I'll visit you when it's safe. You're outside of London. You'll be fine.”