Never Alone || Carchelle

Michelle

2 days later. 

"CARLA? Will you get your butt outta the bathroom please?" I yell "Gimme a sec" she calls back. "I DON'T HAVE A SEC! I NEED TO PEE!" I scream and Carla laughs, sliding the lock on the door as I burst into the room, "thank you!" I pant. She chuckles and exits the room. I return to find her sat on the sofa, a book in her hands and I know then, something has gotta be up. "You're reading?" I ask and she nods. She glances up at me, a question brimming in her eyes and I roll my eyes "what?" I sigh. "Can you help me move my stuff outta the flat today?" she asks and I frown "Um... sure...". Carla looks at me "What Chelle?" she asks. "Please tell me you're not going away?" I ask and Car shrugs. "I have a house I'm looking at buying in Devon" she states and my jaw drops "DEVON?" I shriek and she winces "sorry... But Devon?" "Yeah Devon, why does it matter so much?" she snaps and I flop onto the sofa next to her "Because Devon is aaaaages away!" I whine at her and she rolls her eyes "Well I don't zactly have anywhere better to go do I?" she states and I stare at her in disbelief. "What now Chelle?" Car says "Stay here with me." I murmur, brushing her hair gently out her widening eyes "I couldn't do that" she shoots back. "Why?" I ask and she hesitates "Car?" I say. "Well... cos you're with Robert and I don't want to stop ya from moving in together... You've spoken about it..." she whispers gently and I smile "Eves dropping much?" I shake my head and her eyes widen "No?" she says, her voice rising and I giggle "You're not very good at it, if you'd stayed longer, you'd have heard him say he's not ready". There's a moment of silence and Carla looks at me sheepishly "oh..." she mutters going a brilliant shade of red and I nudge her "Thank god you're not a spy, we'd be soooo screwed" and she gently slaps me "HEY!" she laughs, standing up. "cuppa tea?" she asks moving towards the kettle and I smile "Sure... She comes back a short time later, two cups of tea in her hands and slumps on the sofa besides me. "so... when we going to move you're stuff then?" I ask sipping my tea and she shrugs "whenever". "Howsabout we finish these and head over there? Get it outta the way?", she nods, her chestnut hair falling over her face and I sigh "You ok?". She doesn't reply, only reaches for my hand and clasps it to her chest. I pull her in and stroke her soft hair as she lies on my lap, in tears for the umpteenth time since she told me what happened... 

I watch Carla as she stands there looking at the door to her flat. I stroke her shoulder gently "You've got this" I whisper and she shakily turns the lock in the door. It eases open, light spilling from the hallway into the semi dark flat. Carla grabs my hand, which I squeeze and we walk in together. The flat looks worse than I remembered it looking. There's wine bottles everywhere and the carpet is still covered in shards of the vase Carla knocked over. I look at her, giving her hand a gently squeeze "You ok?" I ask and she nods, a look of determination crossing her face. "Hes not here" she states, moving away from me. "What do you want me to do?" I ask and she points towards the bedroom and en-suit. I nod, grabbing a box and heading into the room. Inside the room, the bed is unmade, there's a large dent in the wall above the headboard. Franks clothes are strewn everywhere, there's a series of empty and half empty bottles of wine and whiskey  and what I can only assume is a wine stain on the wall. Presumably from where Carla had thrown a glass or bottle at, for there's a pile of shattered glass scattered on the floor beneath it. I shiver as I step through Franks clothes towards Carlas wardrobe. I gently move her clothes and piles of shoes from the wardrobe into the suitcase lying open on the bed and before long, the bedroom is free of all Cars things. I grab the box I'd bought in with me and head towards the bathroom. The door creaks slightly as I step into the room. I flick on the light and gasp. The room's a mess. The mirror on the wall is shattered and lying wonkily on its hood. The door to the medicine cabinet is hanging off its hinges and the contents are strewn all over the dirty tiled floor. I spy a razor lying in the shower, blood splattered on the wall and floor around it and my heart sinks. She wouldn't? Would she? I think to myself, hoping it was just an accident from shaving rather than something self inflicted. I scoop Carlas shampoo, conditioner, deodorant, hairbrush and tooth brush into the box and proceed to pick up the many boxes of pain killers, tampons, condoms and other assorted things smushed together in a heap on the floor. I hear the floor creak slightly and turn around to find Carla standing tiredly in the door frame. I flash her a smile as she steps towards me "Chelle..." she whispers as I turn back to survey the floor. "What?" I ask as I tip the contents of the bin into a bag and then I spot it, lying unopened in its box on next to the sink... "Carla?" I ask holding the empty box up "Please tell me you're not..." she shrugs "I dunno, it was inconclusive" and with that she's gone from the room. I place the empty pregnancy test box in the rubbish and gently bring everything out the room. Bundling the suitcase and box in my arms, I stumble out the bedroom and spy Carla lugging a similar sized box and suitcase out the study. She shoots me a look as I open my mouth to question her more about the test and turns to leave the flat "You coming?" she asks and I nod, deciding to leave the possible pregnancy until she was more settled and we leave the flat, her entire life with Frank reduced to four boxes. Carla's in tears, my heart is heavy with the knowledge that Frank may have done more to my best friend that I had originally thought but at least she's safe... At least she's out that damn flat I think as I watch her strut down the road to my flat, turning back only to check I was still there, a cheeky smile on her face as she shakes her hair out and lets out a small laugh. Maybe everything will be alright I wish, hoping with all my heart I am just over thinking the entire thing. "COME ON CHELLE! 'FORE I FREEZE MY TITS OFF" Carla bellows at me, waiting by the door to my flat and I laugh as I let us in. For now at least the world was ok, I had my Carla, my best friend and I was never going to let anyone hurt her again!