Emily, Please Don't Go Away

Nineteen

 There was a knock on the door. I unlocked the deadbolt and opened it.

"Hey," I greeted halfheartedly. He shook his head when he saw me.

"Em..."

"No, Frankie... It's okay. It was just a bad night..."

"Okay, so what happens when just a bad night gets worse?" He asked as he shoved his hands into his pockets. "I don't want to find out. I can get you help, and he'll never even have to know. The police can say it was a noise disturbance call..."

"Frankie, don't. We are going to get his meds switched, find one that works better..."

"My God, he's got you. Let me guess. After he hits you, he breaks down and cries about how he doesn't deserve a girl like you, right? Then, he promises he'll get better. Stop me when it starts to sound familiar."

"He's not always like that," I tried to defend. He rolled his eyes.

"Right... Well, let me know when you've finally had enough. Maybe it won't be too late..."

"Please, don't be that way. I don't even know you well enough to even be having this argument," I pleaded.

"How could you when your psycho husband never lets you talk to anyone?"

"He just has trust issues. His ex cheated on him with their neighbor. He's just worried..."

"Glad to know I could put his ass on notice," he smirked bitterly. "Look, I know you don't know me, but I'd like to know you, and I can't exactly do that if he hurts you."

"Maybe if you guys got to know each other... He could see that you're not a bad guy," I suggested helplessly.

"Nah, I have no interest in being all buddy buddy with a wife beater. If you change your mind, I'm right next door."

* * * * *

"Are you trying to get a rise out of me?" He screamed. I dodged the book he had thrown. "Do you just wait for me to leave so he can come over? You stupid whore."

"Gee, calm down-"

"Don't you fucking tell me to calm down! If you wouldn't go behind my back, this wouldn't even be a fucking issue!"

"It's not like that!" I cried I couldn't tell him why Frankie waited until he left to come over, but I wanted him to understand that it wasn't for sex. He picked something up off the table and hurled it at me, and it barely missed me.

"We just had this fucking fight last night! You couldn't even go a day without seeing your lover boy? That is so fucked up, Emily! How could you do this to me?"

"Stop it! You are being fucking insane! Maybe you should take a look in the mirror before telling me that I did something fucked up!" I yelled back. In one swift movement, he had me pinned to the wall, his hands firmly gripping my throat.

"Oh, so now I'm fucking crazy? I'll show you crazy," he hissed as his hands squeezed my throat tightly. A new level of panic set in as I stared into his emotionless eyes. I struggled to get his hands away, but he only tightened his hold.

"Ge- St-" No words could escape. I felt the room begin to spin as it got harder to breathe. He gave me a very sinister smile.

"I told you that I would kill you if you ever cheated on me." I felt my body grow limp as I began to lose consciousness. The last thing I saw was the look in his soulless eyes.

* * * * *

"Emily?" I heard the panic in his voice. "Em, baby, can you hear me?" My eyes fluttered open, and the first thing I saw was his face directly beside mine.

"Ah," I groaned as I reached for my head. There was a dull, throbbing ache filling my head. I looked away from him as I struggled to remember what happened.

"Emily, I'm so sorry... I think you need to leave. I... I almost... I thought I killed you..." A surge of memories flooded my mind, but the one that stuck out was the look in his eyes before I blacked out.

"I don't... I... I don't know..." I stuttered. He laid down next to me and wrapped his arms around my waist, pulling me tightly towards him. I could feel that he was crying, but I couldn't look him in the eyes.

"I'm so sorry... I haven't gotten any better. I've gotten worse... I almost killed you... I can't... I won't hurt you anymore... You need to leave," he choked out between sobs.

"What about you?"

"I don't care about me. I'm worried about you. I love you..." He whispered. His words were barely audible.

"I love you, too."

"If you really love me, you have to promise me... You have to go... You have to get out of here... You have to look out for you..."

"Okay," I whispered.

"Em, promise me."

"I promise."