Please be my nightingale (Camren)

Part 17

Heeeeeellllllloooooo there! I know this part and the last were kinda depressing in a way and not lightful, BUT I promise, that there's some good stuff coming, you just have to read through some rougher chapters first. I hope that's ok, It's just a part of the story.

I love you! And thank you for all your support ♥♥

Part 17.

I slept over at Normani's house even though I knew it wouldn't be the best idea ... But I needed this. I needed to spend more time with her, because she's right. She's my best friend. My only friend that I can trust and she and her mom do everything for me. I can't keep on pushing her away the way I did the last weeks. I knew what was coming when she said she would sew me a dress only under one condition. I knew she wanted to see things. Things I couldn't talk about and yeah....she gladly didn't say anything when the time came and I had to strip down. But her eyes told me what she couldn't express. I was relieved that she didn't hug me, I would have bursted into tears and I promised...I promised I wouldn't tell....I can't...She didn't ask, but I felt that she knew...but what could she possibly do? She can not defend me in school and especially not for what awaits me at home.

Normani did a great job on the dress. It was beautiful even though I doubt that I looked good in it...and for the first time in my life, I wanted to look good. She changed it and made it even tighter in places where I didn't want it to be tight, but her eyes were shining so bright in proud the moment she was done, that I held my mouth shut and tried to see me through her eyes. I failed of course, but I tried.

After spending another night, I realized that I should head home and hide. Today is Saturday and it is Camilas ball whatever it is where I am invited to. I packed my things as soon as I opened my eyes to head out of the house and sneak into mine as early as I could to avoid any contact with anyone that could wait for me or hold me back. I scribbled a short note for Normani, saying that I'm sorry I couldn't stay longer and thanks for the dress. I put all my stuff in my bagpack and headed home. I know a sneaky short cut that I found to run faster to Mani's house when I still had the time and opportunity to run.

I'll thank myself later for my next step. I threw my bag onto my balcony before I had to head to the front door, because I forgot the key again. I turn the doorknob as quiet as I could and step into the house, gagging at the smell, closing the door behind me.

I'll regret going home only minutes later.

!This next part might be explicitly triggering. Please do skip if you don't want to read this!

Skip until you see ******

I'm about to step onto the stairs. Yes, I was surprised no one approached me until then, but I thought, I had luck once in my life. Little did I know that he was totally aware that I was home.

I walk up, always turning around to see if my back is still clear as I feel a movement from before me. And then I see him. The booze is next to him, the baseball bat in his hand as he gets up with this stupid smirk on his face and his bloodshot eyes. I turn around as fast as I can and suck in air to avoid screaming as the baseball bat hits my head and I fall down the stairs, before my world turns black.

......

Someone pats my face. I groan. My head is throbbing like never before and I feel something wet as I turn away from the familiar hand.

"Open your eyes bitch. I want you to see what you deserve", he spats in my ear.

Open your eyes Lauren, I tell myself. It'll not get better if keep then closed.

"There you go" I smell his disgusting breath and try to turn my head to the other side as I feel his hands on my pants. My eyes grow wide in shock and panic as I try to kick him, to stop his hands off my body. He starts to pant and gets up after he gave one hard punch into my stomach that makes me crumble together on the cold, dirty floor. I feel that he has something planned after he locked the door and sat down opposite form me as I crawl behind the kitchen counter. I have nowhere to go except of jumping out of my window, there's nothing I can do to escape.

My hand lifts up and finds the back of my head. I'm indeed bleeding as I observe the drying blood on my hand. Not too hard, I guess. I have to get out of here. He has something planned or something is wrong. But I have to get out. NOW!

I clench my teeth, get up and see his surprised face that turns into anger. I guess he thought I wasn't able to get up anymore. He's getting older I notice, before I scream and limb away, after he broke his liquor bottle and is walking straight into my direction.

I run, I scream and stumble as he gets ahold of my arms and turns me around. His body is clearly getting older same as his balance as he's having a hard time standing without falling over as his body gives into the body weight and I fall down. His head is red, dark red and all I see in his eyes is evil and then I don't see anything...I close my eyes and scream....as loud as I can to numb the horrible pain that flows through my body as he cuts my skin with his bottle. I try to kick, which makes him cut deeper and I feel dizzy all of a sudden. If I want to be still alive...to make it to....to Camila..then I have to make him stop, before I lose too much blood.

My hands try to get the bottle out of his hands as his cuts get more uneven and he seems to be tired. I fail as his grip still is too strong than my tries. I lean my head back and try to find something beside me that could help. I find nothing. My hands scratch over the dirty wooden floor and touch nothing. I throw them aside and hear a kling. Something is on my right side. It's cold and heavy. I try to get it closer and it gets closer...inch by inch..before the thing I couldn't even hold falls, my back drenched in water as I remember. The vase of my mom. I smell no flowers because I stopped replacing them after my mom left and took all my hope with her. But it's her vase that I pull closer until I have it in my hand and smash it against his head. I duck and roll to the side before he falls headfirst onto the floor besides me. Knocked out. I can run.

************************

I promised her I'd come.

Holding onto my stomach, I carefully walk up the stairs, right into my bathroom, where I put as many bandages around my stomach and hand as I can to stop it from bleeding as tears stream down my face. I have to see her one more time ..before...

Brushing my hair, flinching at every contact the brush makes with the wound on my head after removing the blood on my face... I put some light make up on. I don't have to and I can't cover up my face like I would want to. My bags under my eyes are deep and dark, my eyes red form crying and my eyes emotionless.

I bite my tongue as I walk to balcony to get my dress and slip into the nice, warm fabric. I have to thank Normani one more time. She did a great job.

And then, it's time to hide in my hiding spot and do what I can do best, dream.