Broken

Chapter 2 - T is for Trauma

I guess you could say I never really moved on and recovered from the abuse I suffered. Sure, the bruises eventually disappeared, and the cuts would heal, but the scars were forever, the nightmares, the fear of socializing with anyone new incase they were lying, manipulating me so that they could get me. Tom knew this, but it didn't make it any easier.

I remember one day, I was about fifteen, and Steve had really let loose. I could barely breathe, it felt like I had broken ribs. I could barely walk, or talk for that matter. Tom and I would always walk to school together, I would meet him at the junction that we would go our seperate ways at the end of the day. However, this one day, I was late because of the excruciating pain I was in. He knew I would be there, as I would always show up, no matter the state I was in. He waited, and waited, and finally, I rounded the corner. He could see I was limping, and ran towards me.

"Darya! Why are you so late? What's wrong?" As he got closer, he could see my face, my limp. He saw the bruises on my arms, the imprints of Steve's nails. His face sank, draining of colour.
"I'm fine, Tommy. Really. Let's go." I linked my arm with his, like we always did.
"No. We're not going to school. I'm taking you home."
"No! Tom, I can't go home! He'll get me again! Don't make me go back there!" I cried, pulling my arm away, limping in the direction of the school.
"Not that hell-hole. My home. Come on." He wrapped his arm around me, supporting me as we hobbled to his house.
"Mum! Dad! Can you give me a hand, please?" Tom helped me into the living room, gently lowering me onto the sofa.
"Tom! Why aren't you in- oh my god, Darya! What happened to you?!" Nikki ran over towards me, crouching down beside me, her hand on my knee.
"I- I fell down the stairs..." I tailed off. I looked at Tom, willing him not to tell his parents the truth. But he didn't see my look.
"No you didn't. Her dad beats her up, mum, almost every day. He uses her as a punching bag. It's so bad, mum, you have to help her!" He began to tear up. I knew this Tom. He wasn't sad; he was angry at Steve.
"Darya? Is this true?" Dom looked at me in horror.
"Yeah..." I whispered, dropping my gaze to the floor.
"Oh my god. Ok, Dom, call an ambulance, and the police. We need to get this dealt with." Nikki handed the phone to her husband.
"No! Don't call them! Please, I'm begging you!" I began to cry, panic setting in - panic that Steve would find me, and this time, he really would kill me.
"Sweetheart, we have to! Look at what he's done to you!" Nikki pleaded.
"You can't! If he gets caught, or someone tells him they know, he'll kill me! He'll kill me dead, Nikki, you can't!" I begged, wincing in pain as I sobbed.
"How do you know he'll kill you?" Dom asked.
"He threatened me! The day I met Tom! He had given me a black eye, and said that if I ever told anyone the truth, he would kill me. He meant it, too." My shoulders were heaving, I was sobbing that hard.
"Darling, we're going to protect you. If we clean you up as best we can, please will you let us get you checked out properly? You're in so much pain, Darya!" Nikki took my hand, stroking the back of it gently.
"Ok...if you promise you won't tell anyone. Please, Nikki, Dom, you can't tell anyone!" I pleaded through my tears.
"Ok, D, we promise."

Dom grabbed the first aid box. Nikki helped me get my uniform off, helping me change into a pair of Tom's shorts and one of his shirts. I sat on the couch as they cleaned my cuts, ever so gently, and helped me look a little tidier.

"What's been going on, Darya?" Nikki asked as she dabbed at a cut above my eyebrow.Her voice was so soft, and quiet, which made me cry even more. She was so kind, I didn't deserve this. I tried to tell her, but I was crying so hard it was a struggle. Tom filled in the gaps, making sure to leave out any horrifying details, such as the events that happened the night I was hospitalised and mum was killed. By the time I was cleaned up, Nikki and Dom had heard virtually everything. They were horrified at it all. They tried again and again to get me to go to the police, but I refused, knowing Steve would find me and kill me, point blank.I finally let them take me to hospital, where I underwent multiple x-rays. I was told I had three broken ribs, and bruised vocal chords. They prescribed me medication, and sent me home. There wasn't much I could do. I was sitting on the Holland's sofa, my head resting on Tom's shoulder. I was drifting off to sleep when the front door swung open to reveal Steve standing in the doorway. Tessa, Tom's dog, immediately started barking, and ran to the door to see who it was. He kicked her out of the way, causing Tom to run towards him, hands in fists. Steve knocked him over with one punch. He looked me in the eye, and I could see he was going to kill me. Dom ran in from the kitchen, standing between Steve and myself. Nikki helped Tom off the floor, and shut the front door.

"Steve, I'm going to have to ask you to leave. How dare you barge into my house, behaving violently towards my dog and my son, and expect to get away with it?" Dom was furious, and rightly so.

"She's my fucking daughter, and I'll be taking her home, thank you. Why the hell were you not in school today?" He shoved Dom out of the way, marching over towards me. I cowered in the corner of the living room, terriied of what he would do to me.

"She was with me. I convinced her to bunk off for the day." Tom piped up from the hallway.

"Do I look like I fucking care? You should have been in school, you stupid cow!" He slapped me across the face, and grabbed my wrist.

"LET HER GO! Mum can I swear?" Tom was being held back by his mother, whilst Dom tried to get Steve away from me.

"Let rip, son." She let go of her son, a rage inside of him.

"YOU FUCKING SON OF A BITCH. YOU DARE LAY ANOTHER FINGER ON HER AND YOU'LL BE SENT TO FUCKING HELL BY MYSELF. YOU HEAR ME?! NOW GET THE FUCK OUTTA THIS HOUSE AND LEAVE HER THE FUCK ALONE." Tom stormed across to Steve, hitting him repeatedly on the back.

"Aw, that's cute. Your best friend looking out for you? Sweet." He whacked Tom across the face, sending him back onto the floor.

"Tom! No!" I screamed, trying to get to Tom, who lying helplessly on the ground.

"You come with me you little bitch." Steve picked me up, and carried me out to his car. He threw me in the back seat, slamming the door in my face. I knew what was coming.

Two hours it went on for. Two hours of punching, kicking, spitting. He stripped me down, tying me to the bed. He went inside me again, pleasing himself. I could feel it inside me. He wasn't wearing protection. Of course he wasn't. I felt him let go inside me. It was horrible. He finally left me alone, leaving me tied to the bed, completely naked and afraid.

I heard him storm out of the house, slamming the door behind him. My dog, Milo, ran up to my room, barking and whining.

Milo was a fourteenth birthday present from Tom and his family. It was probably the best day of my life.

"No peeking, D!" Tom had his hands over my eyes, as Sam guided me into the living room.

"I'm not, I promise!" I giggled, stumbling over the corner of the sofa.

"Ok, sit there, alright, now, I know what you're gonna say, but I couldn't resist." Tom took his hands away, and handed me a box.I opened the lid and saw a little black nose peep out. It was a little Lhaso Apso. A grey cloud of fluff popped out of the box, licking my face, tail wagging like crazy.

"Oh my god!" I couldn't help myself - the tears began to flow. I finally had a friend that would be at home with me.

"Do you like him?" Tom asked excitedly, bouncing in his seat.

"I love him! He's so cute! Thank you so much Tom!" I pulled him in for a hug. He planted a soft kiss on the top of my head.

"I love you Cookie." He whispered, pulling away to wipe the tears away from my face with his thumb.

"I love you too, Tommy." I giggled, my new puppy wriggling in my lap.

"So what are you gonna call him, D?" Paddy leapt up beside me.

"I've always liked the name Milo, so I think I'm gonna go for that." I picked Milo up, and he licked my face, wriggling excitedly.

"That's a great name." Tom stroked Milo's head, scartching behind his ears.

The day Steve took me from the Holland's house was one of the worst. I managed to wriggle out of the ropes that held me onto the bed, and I got dressed. I grabbed my phone, grabbed Milo, and ran outside. I kept on running, and eventually reached mine and Tom's secret place in the park. That was the day I was taken home and Paddy saw me in a state.

That was the day my trust began to weaken, and the wall I had unknowingly begun to build inside me started getting higher and higher. Which is why I don't think I've ever fully recovered or begun to move on from the years of abuse, or the trauma I had suffered.