30 Days of Tom Daley..

Part 4...

~Steph's POV~

Almost as soon as I got outside the restaurant, I realised what was happening. I started to turn back to the restaurant but it was too late. A strong hand grabbed my shoulder and pulled me away, through the carpark and down the road. There was a small field off the road, and I was pushed into it. I yanked my shoulder out of the grip of the hand, and turned around to see the face of the man, already knowing who it would be. I knew as soon as I answered the phone and heard his voice. Even as he told me to step outside the restaurant so we could 'talk,' I felt sick. But now I was completely alone, with no one to help me. The man took his hood off and the moonlight shone on his face. It was Chris, of course it was.

'Why did you leave me?! You bitch!' he was snarling in my face, clearly drunk.

'how did you know where I was?'

'your pretty little friend Kaja seemed quite happy to tell me once I gave her a little encouragement...'

'What did you do to her?!? You had no right, she's nothing to do with us!'

'Oh she's fine...or she will be in a few hours...' He leaned into my face, leering. He reeked of beer.

'leave me alone, I don't want anything to do with you!'

That's when he snapped. He punched me in the stomach, and again below my eye. I gasped for breath, and as he kept beating me, I saw a manic glint in his eye. All I was thinking was 'I have to get away from him. He's going to kill me,' but I couldn't find the energy. He kicked me again and again until I fell to the floor, my vision blurry. My lip was bleeding, I couldn't breathe, and I didn't think it could get any worse until he leant right down to my face, got his knife out and sliced a line right down my cheek and down my neck. I was about to pass out but I could still feel him kiss his way down where he had cut on my face. After that, I just remember him grinning and walking away, leaving me alone in a field, and then I passed out.

~Toms POV~

I started running as soon as I realised that it was Steph screaming. I sprinted as fast as I could towards the only way they could have gone, down the road leading out of the carpark. As I got a few hundred metres down the road, I passed the entrance to a small field. I would've carried on running, but I saw a dark figure walk through the gate. I waited behind a large tree until he had gone and then ran into the field. I quickly scanned it and, although seemingly deserted at first, I saw what looked like a body lying on the floor near the hedge on the other side of the field. I ran over, it was clearly Steph, but when I turned her over to face the starry night sky, she was hardly even recognisable. She had cuts and scratches all over her face, one black eye, and as I scanned  her body, I saw purple and blue bruises covering her, some old and some new. I gasped and reached for my phone. I rang the ambulance as fast as i could, but it still took me a few minutes because my hands were shaking so much. When the paramedics came and took her away, i was so scared for her. I suddenly remembered that her parents had no idea where she was, and as i stood up to go and tell them, i saw a glint of silver in grass. I knelt down and picked up the most beautifiul heart locket i had ever seen. I opened it and on one side there was a picture of Steph, and on the other was a picture of a young boy who i was sure i recognised...

I put the locket in my pocket and to the back of my mind. I ran back to the restaurant and told Steph's parents what had happened. Her mother gasped and went white, and her father went purple and started swearing. i attempted to calm them down and offered to drive them to the hospital. They accepted shakily and we got in my car, after telling my family that i had to leave and that i would call them later. Whilst we were in the car, Steph's mother turned round and asked me if I knew who had attacked her daughter and i had to tell her that i didn't know anything about him, as i hadn't even thought to look at the numberplate on his car or anything. All i could say was that he was tall, muscly and i that i think he had blond hair.

'Chris,' said both Steph's parents, at excatly the same time.

'I knew it,' her father growled. 'I knew there was something wrong with that boy, if only I'd seen it sooner.'