love made me blind

two

It's late. I walk into my home with my bags, half stuck on what happened this afternoon. Leon walk up to me that closed the door behind me. I look at him and smile.

"Hey." He stare deep into my eyes as I waited for him to greet me back.

"Take that smile of your face or I break it." He said threatening. My smile dance away as my heart start racing. He's being mean. Not right! What do I do? Obey his orders or confront him that he has no right to rule my emotions?

I look down as my phone start to ring. I take it out of my purse and saw Evan's name on the screen. I walk out of Leon's sighed up the stairs as I answered my phone.

"Hello?"

'"Hi Liz. Did you talk to Nancy?" He asked as I enter my room.

"Not really. I tried but she's so secretive." I replied as I walk to my closet.

"Well she's a girl so of course." He said reasonable and I had no other choice but to agree. I got quietly emotional over the phone hoping he wouldn't hear but he's likely everywhere. "Liz, are you okay?"

"Yeah I'm fine." I lied as I look down hearing him disagreeing with me answer. "Evan, do you think I'm doing the right thing?" I asked taking out pyjamas.

"What do you mean? You're a grown women Liz of course you're doing the right thing." He replied. I hear Leon walking into the room as I froze. "Send my love to the kids. I need to go. See you tomorrow." I hung up the phone knowing he thinks something's suspiciously wrong. And he's right. There's a lot wrong at this moment.

I walk to the bathroom closing the door behind me as I changed into my pyjamas afraid to look at myself in the mirror. I walked into my room as Leon walk up to me and place his fingers under my chin. I let a tear role down my cheek.

"Are you scared?" He asked like a monster. I took a deep breath not replying to his answer. I can't look at him. "Look at me." He commanded threatening. I keep my eyes away from him as he try to use his power to let me look at him. "I said look at me!" He was more angry. I don't know why I never mentioned this but Leon hits me every night like abusing me mostly but I never admitted it. I hated to admit it. He's a biker and if I tell on him he's group would probably tie each part of me with a rope to their bikes and rib me apart.

I feel a clap flying right through my face. I just cried. Well that's all I could do. I'm not strong enough. I'm too weak to fight this monster off.

***
The next morning I walk up to my class. So this is how it's going, I fake myself infront of people but at home I'm a victim. It's alright, I may be afraid of Leon but atleast I'm not afraid to admit that I'm one of the victims I'm trying to help. Now I actually know how it feels for other children to break from people such as that. And the answer is... NOT EASY!

The class is empty which was great that would give me time to make sure the make up on my face is really hiding the mark on my cheek.

Great, everything is undercover. I deserve an oscar for this, like really, I do.

"Well you're early today." I turn around and see Lola.

"Lola." I gasped and give her a tight hug. She giggled and look at me happily. "Where's your father?" I asked with a smile.

"Oh he's on the phone." She replied with a smile. "We need to have a family time some other time. Me, you, dad, Ella and Ethan." She giggled.

"Yeah. Totally." I agreed with a smile. I don't know what to say. Is it weird that I don't know what to say to my own daughter? Well I'm afraid that if I start speaking that I won't know when to stop and I would probably explode with the truth.

"So I heard that you and dad agreed to make turns on having Ella on weeks." Lola mentioned. I laugh and nod.

"Yeah well she's your father's this week. Next week she's mine." I replied trying to build a conversation.

"Must be pretty cool. Anyway I'll see you again." She smiled and turn around.

"Okay. Don't be shy!" I shout after her as she smile at me and froze with a run away smile. What is she staring at? Oh no, she must be seeing the mark in my face.

"You have something on your front head." She said walking back up to me.

She take a tissue out of her bag and just when she was about to wipe what ever it is off Ethan came in.

"Hey mom." He greeted me.

"Hey." I walk to him and give him a hug.

"Oh my gosh..." I heard him whispering.

"What?" I asked half shocked.

"Have you loose weight?" He asked. I laugh mentally and just nod. "Yes. I've been working on it." I lied. Truth is I don't really eat except when I feel like I'm gonna collapse.

"What do you have to loose?" Lola asked.

"Everything." I replied. The look she gave me told me she doesn't believe me. So that's when I flipped a little. "It doesn't matter okay."

"To me it does. Mom, we barely see you. You don't call us or anything." She said half irritated.

"Because I'm busy! Lola I'm working okay. I don't sit back watching tv every day of my entire life!" I overreacted. Damn I could be such a maniac.

"Well dad doesn't either but atleast he calls me and I believe that he calls Ethan and Ella too but the only person not calling us is you!" She shout at me.

"Oh so now I'm the blame?" I shout back which was a stupit thing to do.

"Yes mom you are!!! What's more important then your own children!" She shout very loud at me half irritated.

"Don't go of on me misty! You don't know half of what's going on in my life so don't you dare speaking like that to me ever again!" I shout threatening just like Leon. Oh no. I'm turning into that monster. I'm such an idiot.

"You changed." Tears start running down her cheeks. "I don't...know you anymore. You're dead to me. Who ever you created these last years better die because I want the mother back that use to tie my shoe laces and pack three lunch boxes every early morning standing so beautiful in the kitchen with a smile on her lips not the cold hearted witch I'm getting to know now." She cried and ran out. It all felt like a bomb exploding inside of my soul.

I look at Ethan with tears in my eyes as he look at me in shock. "I can't believe what just happened." He said. There I go again crying.

"I didn't mean it like that..." I cried drying up my tears with my sweater.

Ethan's P.O.V

I stand infront of my mother half in shock of what just happened. She dry up her tears over her cheek no possession of what's appearing to look like a hand mark on her cheek. Looks like a man's hand. Only guy I know that would do that is Leon. I don't trust that guy! Mom met him two years ago and ever since they moved in together she became really quiet.

I walk to her and hug her.

"Mom..." I started to whisper. "There's a hand mark on your cheek." She gasp and break away grabbing her handbag. She grab a little mirror and start putting something on for it.

"Mom, are you alright?" I asked concerned about to touch her shoulder. She look at me. My gosh she's white with fear in her face.

"Please don't tell anyone about this. I just had and little fight with a women at a super market." She begged which I knew was a total lie. "Promise!"

"I promise." I said crossing my fingers behind my back. I turn around in shock and speechlessly as I start walking out.

"Ethan what's wrong?" Dad asked me as I just looked around half confused about what to think. My mom's being abused and I knew it that moment right away when i saw the mark on her face. "Son?" Dad run up to me and grab my arm. I stop and look at him.

"Ethan are you coming!" Lola shout from her car. I look at her then back at dad. I wanna tell him so bad but not yet. I wanna make sure about my facts before I do something that could've stayed.

"I'm fine. See you again." I just replied to dad and walk up to Lola's car.