Roommates

-chapter six-

Warning:
Graphic abuse is depicted in this chapter. If you are sensitive to domestic abuse being described then it may be best to skip this chapter.

Charlotte's P.O.V
Oli shakes me awake. "Charlotte?"

I groan. "What?"

I open my eyes and Oli is standing next to my bed. His face is plastered with worry and his hair is tousled like he's just jumped out of bed. He's fully dressed though.

"You were shouting in your sleep. I heard it from my room. I thought you were having a nightmare."

Everything comes rushing back to me. I was hiding in a closet. All I could hear was my breathing. Then the stomping. It came closer and closer until he opened the door and dragged me out by my hair. Mum couldn't do anything to help. She stood there and watched helplessly as I called out for her.

"Charlotte?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. It was just a nightmare."

Oli sits down next to me on my bed. "Charlotte, talk to me."

Feeling defeated, I rest my head on his chest. "Even after he's gone, it doesn't stop. I keep remembering it and Mum thinks he's still here. She sits by the door every day waiting for him to get home from work, but he never does."

"Who?"

I start to sob. I clutch Oli's shirt in my fist and cry. He wraps his arms around me. "I'm here for you, Charlotte. It's okay."

I'm starting to wonder if leaving home was a mistake. Even when I'm not there, Dad never leaves me.

I wake up for the second time today and smell pancakes. I walk through to the kitchen and Oli is flipping one in the pan.

"Good morning," I say, my throat is sore from crying earlier this morning.

"Morning. How are you?" Oli puts the pan down and turns to me.

"I'm fine."

Oli looks at me sceptically.