New Beginnings

III

I laid there in bed that night, unable to sleep. I had so much fear cramped inside of me from how angry Aaron became this morning, that just laying next to him while he slept was enough to give me anxiety. It's been two years since I felt this way. It feels like just yesterday, I had gotten away from the abuse my father dealt towards me only to walk right back into it.
I felt Aaron stir beside me and I froze in place, closing eyes to make it seem like I'm asleep.
"Jess?" I hear him say my name, as he reaches his hand out and caresses my cheek. I don't move a muscle, as I'm frozen in fear, and ignore him.
He sighed and got up out of the bed. When I heard the door close, I open my eyes; breathing a sigh of relief. I had called up my work and asked if I could start my shift early today, so I quickly get ready, while he's out of sight, and grab my bag; rushing out of my flat before he could stop me.

                                       *******

Nick's POV

A couple days had passed, and I still hadn't heard back from Jessica. Worried, I thought about going to her workplace but I didn't want to come off as a creep. Deciding against it, I hear James walking out of his room.
"Morning," he said to me. Nodding to him, I go back to my phone.
"You alright, mate?"
"Uh, yeah, I'm fine. I just haven't heard back from Jessica."
"Eh, don't worry too much about it. She's probably just busy."
"Yeah, but I don't know. I just have this feeling..."
"Feeling of what?"
"Just forget I said anything. I'm just thinking too much."
Despite a look of confusion appearing on his face, James nodded to me and walked into the kitchen.

                                       *******

Jessica's POV

Realizing it was the end of my shift, dread of going back home coursed through me. Suddenly, I hear someone call out to me, breaking me away from my trance.
"Jess." I look over to the door and see Aaron walking in. I felt like I was going to implode with panic.
"Uh, hi, Aaron."
"Why'd you leave so quickly this morning? I wanted to spend the day with you. I thought your shift started later?" I slightly flinched when he came close to me.
"Um, they called me this morning and said I needed to come in sooner."
"Hmm, well, if your done with your shift let me walk you home. I can stay another night, too, if you let me."
He leaned in and kissed my cheek. I cringe away and say, "Um, I don't think it's a good idea. I need to be in at work early again tomorrow."
Suddenly, his eyes darkened as anger began to stir inside of him. He went to go say something, but someone else called out for me.
"Hey, Jess."
"N-Nick, what are you doing here?" If I thought I was scared earlier, it can't compare to how I felt in that very moment; I was terrified with both of them being here.
"I wanted to see if you and your friend, Maeve, wanted to come hang out sometime soon but I didn't know if you saw my message."
"Maybe she didn't respond because she didn't want to." Aaron stepped in front of me like he was going to pounce on him.
"Um, I don't think I've met you. Name's Nick," he said, frowning in confusion, but stuck his hand out to calm down the situation. Aaron ignored his hand, and began to get in his face.
"Relax, mate," Nick said, lifting his hands up in surrender and backing away.
"Aaron, please-"
Looking back at me quickly, he shot me a glare causing me to cower away in fear of what he might do next.
"I think it's time you left," Aaron said, turning back around.
"Alright, I'm leaving."
I watched him begin to walk towards the door, hoping he would just turn back around. I didn't want to be left alone with Aaron; but he didn't. He kept walking until I no longer had my sights on him.
"Are you daft? Or do you just like being a bitch?"
Towering over me, Aaron scowled down at me and spoke with a condescending, but low, tone so no one else could hear.
"I-I didn't know what to do, Aaron. I couldn't be rude and ignore him."
Grabbing hold of my arm, and tightening his grip, he sneered at me; seething with anger.
"I don't care. If I tell you to not talk to someone you listen. Got it?"
He pulled me closer and his grip got tighter.
"Aaron, you're hurting me," I whimpered, begging him to let go.
"Let's go."
Letting go of my arm, he puts his arm behind me; leading me out of the building.

I finally get home, and Aaron finally left. I was never so happy to just be alone and away from him.
I don't know how I'm going to get myself out of this one. I've been abused before and even then it was difficult to get away. There were many times where he almost found me but, thankfully, I would always be on my way to the next town; he gave up after a few months.
However, I don't know how to escape Aaron because he has more information on me than my father did: my workplace, my address, who my friends are.
Laying there, I began to sob; the feeling of hopelessness coursing through me. Suddenly, I hear a knock at the door and I shoot up; the tears ceasing. I didn't want to make a sound, so I quietly walked towards my front door. Looking through the peephole, I see it's Maeve... with Nick? Opening the door, they immediately walk in.
Maeve quickly noticed I had been crying.
"What happened?"
"Nothing. What are you guys doing here?"
"Well, I was worried about leaving you alone with that guy you were with. I stayed back a bit to check on you before I actually left and saw how he grabbed your arm."
"Then I ran into Nick on my way to come and see if you wanted to hang out and he told me about what he saw. If something is going on, you can tell us, Jess."
Not knowing what to say, I just stood there. Suddenly, the tears started flowing again.
"Nick, wait here while I go and talk to her myself."
"Yeah, no problem."

The second she closed my bedroom door, I thought she was going to rip into me with the "I told you so's" but she didn't. She sat down and just held me as I cried.
When the tears finally stopped running, I spoke up. "I'm so scared, Maeve. I have no idea how I'm going to get out of this one. You know it was easier to get away from my dad because he knew nothing about me. However, Aaron knows almost everything: where I live, where I work, who I'm friends with. To top it all off, I don't even have a phone anymore because he smashed it when he saw Nick's text."
"Listen to me, Jess, I have a place my family left to me. I don't ever use it because I had already bought my own place by the time they passed."
"But what if he finds me? It'll only make it worse. I don't know what he'll do, but I know it'll be a lot worse than what he has done."
"I promise, he won't find you. No one else knows I have the place except my sister, Nick, and you. We'll also be changing your work schedule and have your coworkers tell Aaron, if he asks, that you don't work there anymore. He won't get to you, not on my watch."
With that, she wiped the tears from my face and hugged me once more before walking back out to Nick.