The Girl In The Mirror

Prologue

“Don’t you dare use anything in that bathroom. You didn’t pay for any of it.”

      I was crouching between the toilet and the bathtub, crying and waiting for the shouting
to stop. Too afraid to use the toilet paper to blow my nose and wipe my tears. I had seen
him like this too many times before, I knew that soon he would fall asleep.
 
“Natalie, get your ass out here and face me. You’re the one that wanted to get this hotel
room so stop hiding like a bitch” He yelled as he banged his fist against the bathroom
door.

He was right. I stood up, calmed myself down, and opened the bathroom door. I knew
the twisted look on his face and the smell on his breath. It was a scene I had become all
too familiar with. Like a fool I thought this time would be different. I thought getting out of the house and away from where so many of our problems were would help. His hands
grabbed for my neck before I could even step out of the bathroom.

“Don’t you ever try to hide from me like that again. Especially when you didn’t pay for
that bathroom in the first place.”

“I’m sorry, Ray, I got scared. Please stop, I can’t breathe.” I begged as he forced me
over to the bed. His hands are still around my throat, squeezing.

“Stop, I’m scared. I can’t breathe.” Ray mocked as his grip became tighter. “You’re
pathetic” He said to me in disgust.

He finally let go and walked across the room to where his bottle was. As his back was
turned, I finally had my chance. I grabbed the bag I had intentionally not unpacked and
left by the door, grabbed my car keys and phone that were on the table by the bed and
ran out of the hotel room.

After a year, I was finally free. I swore to myself that never again would I allow myself to be put in a similar situation. That night changed me.

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