Falling for the unloveable

Past induced panic

Iris:

"Only 13 days left!" Gracie squeals as she jumps from the car. Her feet hit the frosty sidewalk with a thud and I cringe. "Be careful!" She waves me off, running away with addy inside the house. Richard has gone away for a week with his girlfriend so we have plenty of time to prepare for the holidays. However, since Elias got back he's become ruthless. His beatings have become daily and more brutal than before. From burning my skin against the stove to carving up my back, I've become his personal rag doll.

My limbs are constantly aching and I'm becoming weaker and weaker as time goes on. My body is constantly battling the pain and trauma it's going through but hopefully this week will be enough to heal all of my wounds that cover everywhere besides my face. He's also gotten cleverer by avoiding giving me a black eye or split lip. That way no one questions what's happened to me.

"What's wrong?" A gruff voice belonging to Luis asks from my side. I shake my head, "nothing" he huffs with annoyance but I pretend to be oblivious to the noise and continue to trudge my way up the driveway. Winter is nearly in full swing and the layers I had insisted on everyone putting on, attested to that. So did the crunchy grass as I kept walking up to the front door.

"You look like you've been dragged through hell and back" he deadpans, clutching onto my arm not harshly at all but I have to steel my expression as he presses on a deep cut my father placed there. "Gee thanks" i mutter sarcastically, though he really isn't wrong. My hair is like a birds nest thrown on top of my head, I'm covered head to toe in baggy clothes and I haven't been able to keep anything in my stomach for two days now.

Elias has been incessant as always making me eat but not long after I'm puking it back up and I'm not sure why. "You know I didn't mean it like that" i sigh. "I know I'm just tired, let's get inside where it's warm" he frowns deeply but let's me move forward. I slip inside, unwrapping my scarf from my neck, shrugging my coat and shoes off before following the giggles into the kitchen.

The girls are pulling weird faces as they take photos and I quietly brush past them to grab myself a cup of coffee. "Iris your phone is ringing" Lu calls from the front door where I left my phone in my coat pocket. With a heavy sigh I leave my empty cup and head back to where I came from.

"Who is it?" I ask before taking the phone from his hands. "The idiot you keep around for some reason" I roll my eyes, seeing Elias' name flash across my screen. "That's weird based on your description i thought you'd be calling" he takes his turn rolling his eyes as I press accept.

"Is this Moore?" A strangers voice blares through my speakers, sounding panicked and rushed. "Who is this?"
"I apologise that this is our first time speaking but I'm Elias' cousin or newbie as you call him. He really needs you're help right now" my mind spirals into every worse case scenario.

"Is he okay? What's wrong? Where are you" I'm already grabbing my car keys and pushing my shoes on as I talk. "I'll send you the address. Hurry but be safe, he'd kill me if you got hurt" I nod, not even processing that he can't see it. The line goes dead and I rush out of the door with Lu running behind me.

"What happened?" I fling my door open, jumping into the drivers seat but he opens the passenger door just as quickly and his brother follows him. "I need to leave now" he can hear the panic in my voice and for some reason decides to get in the back, Diego who was just with Ava joins as well and I don't take the time to question that decision as I press my foot down and reverse.

"Seat belts boys" is all I manage to say before my throat constricts and I throw my phone over to Lu who gets the directions up for me. We drive in silence, the two boys holding on for dear life as I drive with reckless abandon. I just need to see him, to know that he's alright.