Verbatim [h.s]

Nine

"No, I have all my things there because I go so often." He hums in response. Moving over to my chest of drawers, I pick out a white lace matching underwear set and head back over to the bathroom. "I'll just be a minute. You can go to the living room if you want."

"Nah, I'll wait here." So I close the door and get dressed, I quickly blow dry my hair so it isn't soaking wet but is kind of left slightly wavy. I apply some concealer over my bags, although I slept like a log, I don't even know what time we fell asleep but it was late enough for me to wake up with these heavy bags.

Harry and I head into the living room and its suspiciously quiet, I check my phone and its about 9:20am, I know Aud is probably feeling rough today but I figured she'd be out here watching TV. I make Harry a coffee and leave him at the breakfast bar whilst I go knock on Audrey's door. She doesn't reply so I enter, not wanting to walk in on her and Tim doing the dirty, I cover my eyes and announce that I'm there.

"Put it away, I'm coming in." But when I hear nothing in response again, I uncover my eyes to see the bed empty of one of the bodies. I just see Audrey wrapped in her duvet, her back to me. I walk around the bed and bend down to see her face covered by the duvet. It makes me laugh looking at how much of a hermit crab she is.

"Aud, wakey wakey." I rock her gently, hearing her groan and cover her face more. Laughing, I tug the cover at her face but she keeps a tight hold of it. "C'mon Aud, wake up, I'll help you-" I stop midsentence. I manage to tug the duvet from her face but that's when I see it. Her face is black and blue. Her pained eyes watch me as she winces when I reach forward to touch her eye. "What the fuck happened?" I stand, stumbling backwards looking at her face.

"Is it really bad?" Her small voice squeaks pulling the cover back up.

"Aud, please tell me this was an accident and not what is going on in my head." Big red warning signs are flagged up screaming Tim and abuse. If he laid a finger-

"No!" She shouts sitting up but winces and calms but stays sat up. "No, it wasn't Tim. I decked it getting out of his car, you know how plastered I was."

"Aud, that doesn't look like you fell. It looks like you were hit, please don't lie to me." I sit beside her, taking her hands in mine and plead with her. I have a really bad feeling now. I need to see Tim. He's fooled me, I already know it.

"I'm serious Zur, I really did fall flat on my face. He tried to help me out of the car but I was being stubborn and fell. I spent the whole night crying about how I was going to look this morning. How bad is it?" Her eyes fill with tears and my heart sinks. I'm still unsure of the truth behind her words but I can't question it. At the end of the day, she is my best friend and I trust her to tell me the truth. I hope so.

"Where is Tim now? Why would he leave you here alone?"

"He had to work. He's at the club."

"Well, I'm going there now with Harry so I'll be having a word with him." I stand and she pulls my hand, grabbing my attention.

"Why are you going to Verbatim on a Saturday morning? Aren't you going to your mums?"

"Harrys going to take me to my mums." I shrug my shoulders, not mentioning about the whole helping with the events things. There's one thing going to Verbatim again but getting involved? Well, that isn't something I'm even sure on at the moment.

"You two do certainly seem more friendly now." She smiles, winking at me, I just roll my eyes pulling my hand back.

"Friends. Exactly. Now rest up, get some ice on that eye and I will see you tomorrow night."