Faith sighed to herself as she walked inside her apartment. Before she went off to work it was spotless, now it was a mess. Thanks to her boyfriend Demarcus.
"About time yo ass came home woman."Demarcus slurred eyeing her.
Faith just ignored him and proceeded to walk towards the back. She walked inside her room and sighed to herself before taking her jacket off.
"So you don't hear me talking to you girl?"Demarcus leaned on the doorway eyeing her.
Faith just proceeded to go in her dresser for her sleep clothes. She didn't have time to go back and forth with Demarcus, when he got this way she just decided to stay quiet.
"Bitch you hear me!"He yanked her up roughly against the wall, "Where the fuck were you?"
"A-A-At w-w-work you know that."She stuttered out as fear came over her body.
Demarcus smirked and let her go, "You lying bitch!"He lashed out slapping her hard making Faith fall to the ground.
Tears came down as she held the side of her burning face, "You think I'm stupid bitch!"Demarcus continued his attack hitting her with hard punches.
Faith balled up on the floor trying to cover herself,as she took Demarcus beating. She silently prayed to herself wishing he would stop.
"Don't lie to me again."Demarcus gave her one last kick before making his way out of the apartment.
Faith slowly got up and made her way into the bathroom, purple bruises formed on her face and her arms.
I can't keep taking this...She thought to herself.
Everytime Faith tried to leave Demarcus he would apologize for his actions or just show up at her apartment unannounced. She even had a restraining order on him, but that didn't stop Demarcus. It was like he was obsessed with her.
She looked at herself in the mirror and sighed, she then continued to treat the bruises and cover them up the best she could.
She stripped out of her clothes that had blood stains on them, and got into the shower. After her shower she put her sleep clothes on and fell asleep.
The whole entire night she tossed and turned, having nightmares of all the horrible things Demarcus has done to her.
She dreamed about her holding her beautiful baby girl, but ended up setting her up for adoption. She didn't want her babygirl in the same house as Demarcus.
Growing up Faith had crackhead parents who were abusive towards her. At sixteen she saved up enough money and ran away,that's when she met Demarcus. He was eighteen at the time but he had his own place, he was so charming and sweet and caring that Faith fell instantly for him. He was her first everything. Their relationship was good for about two years until she had her first miscarriage and that's when the beatings started.
Once Faith got pregnant again Demarcus was constantly hitting her the whole pregnancy, she wouldn't dare let her babygirl go through what she went through so she let her have a better life.
She silently cried to herself as she thought about how fucked up her life was. She felt so alone in this world.
She got out of bed and made her way into the bathroom. She looked at her face and ran her manicured fingers over her bruises, "Damn he got me good this time."She said aloud as she ran the water to brush her teeth.
She did her hygiene things and proceeded to cover up her bruises. She got dressed in her work clothes and headed towards her job.
Faith worked at this little diner called Chico's, she's been working there for a couple of months. She made a good enough pay to pay her rent, but she was also saving on the side to get away from Demarcus.
Chico's was owned by Chicago Knight who was very known around Texas. He was a brown skin man that stood at about 6'7. He was always in a suit which complemented his hazel eyes and toned body. He had full plump lips, coily curly hair that always stayed in neat braids with a crisp haircut.
Every girl wanted Chicago, but he declined all of them and stayed single. He didn't have time for a relationship, he was all business.
Chico's wasn't the only thing Chicago owned, he always owned his own record company, called Dynamite Records.
*
As Faith walked inside the diner a chill hit her as she looked around the empty diner, she furrowed her eyebrows because Chico's was always busy. Everybody loved the food and drinks there, plus the entertainment. Chicago always had at least one of his newest artist perform at his diner to get them warmed up to a crowd.
She made her way to the back and saw that no one was there at all. After putting her things into her locker she proceeded to get everything ready that she needed.
As she was grabbing her notepad and pen, she heard the back office door close..A tall figure walked down the hall with another person behind him.
As the men came into clear view Faith started to get a little nervous at the unfamiliar faces, "Um...Excuse me."She said a little above the whisper but loud enough for them to hear.
"What you doing here? Nobody's supposed to be here today."Chicago looked up from his phone and eyed Faith.
"I-I-I didn't know.."Faith stuttered instantly regretting it.She hated that she stuttered when she was nervous.
"You work here?"
Faith nodded slowly, "I'm sorry...who are you again?"She cocked her head to the side looking between the two men.
Chicago looked back at his bodyguard Vernon and they both busted out laughing at her words. Faith didn't find anything funny though, she was really curious on who these strange men were.
"You hear this shit V? She had the nerve to ask me Chicago the OWNER of this bitch, who the fuck I was."Chicago laughed some more.
"Bitches be trippin boss."Vernon chuckled at his words.
"I didn't kno-"
"Well now you know."Chicago's face went serious has he gave Faith a look that scared her.
His hazel eyes pierced through her as he stared at her intensely. She rubbed her sweaty palms together and swallowed hard.
"Nobody is supposed to be here today. It's a gas leak so we're closed today, you don't read your emails?"
Faith shook her head slowly and Chicago scoffed to himself, "Your starting to irritate me, please leave before my temper gets bad."He continued to give her that look that brought fear into Faith.
She nodded and quickly made her way to the back to get her things so she could leave.
She made her way back to the front she glanced over and saw that Chicago was on the phone, she wanted to apologize but decided against it.
Faith was so embarrassed that she didn't know who Chicago was. She never met him before, just only heard about him. She just couldn't get over the fact that he was so rude and cold to her, and that look...she knew it all to well.
That was the same look Demarcus gives her before he beats her. It always brought fear into her.
*
Chicago walked into one of the recording studios where one of his number one artists Taliah was recording her newest single.
Chicago studied the girl as she sung. She was singing but she had no passion or emotion behind it.
"Cut that real quick."He nudged the engineer a little.
He nodded and cut the beat off.
"What?Why you stop it?"
"I stopped it because your not singing."Chicago stepped in the booth with her, "The words might be coming out, but your not making those words mean something."
"What? I a-"
Chicago stopped her and gave her a stern look, "I don't want to hear that shit! When people listen to your music T they feel your pain they feel the words. You drop this and their going to think where the hell your passion went."
"Now I want you to put those headphones back on, and actually sing like you mean it or I have no problem pushing your release date back till you get it right."Chicago kept that stern look before leaving out of the booth.
Taliah sighed and put the headphones back on, "Run the verse back."She instructed the engineer.
He nodded and did what was told, as Taliah started singing the verse again Chicago nodded in approval at her change in voice.
He left out of the recording studio and made his way up to his office. He passed by his assistant Sarah's desk.
"Mr.Knight, the numbers from last week's festival came back."She grabbed the folder off her desk following him into the office.
"How are they looking?"He asked as he sat down at his desk.
Chicago's office was decorated neatly thanks to his decorating team. He had two cream colored sofas parallel to each other with the pillows to match. A big painting of Chicago with a crown on his head hung above his desk. His desk was clean with papers neatly stacked with labeled folders.
Chicago hate clutter, everything had to be stacked and labeled so he could get to it faster.
"Their decent, could've been better if some of those sponsors didn't drop out at the last minute."She sat in one of the leather seats that was in front of his desk.
She crossed her legs and pulled her pencil skirt down a little.
Chicago nodded as he rolled the tennis ball in his hand, "Decent isn't going to cut it. Set up a meeting with the board to discuss this matter."
Sarah nodded as she typed away on her Ipad mini, "Also did you want to cancel your lunch at one?"She glanced up at him waiting for his answer.
"Nah."He looked down at his apple watch, "Clear my schedule for the rest of the day, I got some stuff to handle at the diner."
"Ok but sir...the contractors want to know your plan for your new club."
"Tell them I'll get back with them myself."He stood up out of his seat and straightened up his suit a little.
Chicago had some big plans on his new club he was about to open, and it wanted everything to be exactly how he wanted it before he sent it off to the contractors.
Sarah nodded and got up as well, "I will let them know."She pulled her skirt down as her nine month stomach showed. She walked out of his office and back to her desk.
*
Faith locked her car door before walking onto the porch of her aunt's house. Before she could knock the door swung open.
"Hey baby."Her Aunt Amelia pulled her into a tight hug.
"Hey auntie."Faith smiled a little as her aunt squeezed her.
Her auntie Amelia was just let out of the pin about two days ago, she had served nineteen years for selling drugs.
"Oou girl your just so pretty now, how have you been?"She asked as they both walked inside the door.
"I've been good."Faith lied with a closed lip smile.
"And Demarcus? How is he?"Amelia asked walking into the kitchen.
Faith slightly rolled her eyes at his name. She didn't want to talk about him at all.
"He's ok."Faith sat at the table watching her aunt move around the kitchen swiftly.
"That's good baby."Amelia turned around and smiled at her niece, "But if it's one thing that this world have taught me..."Amelia trailed off filling up a plate of food.
"Is to know when somebody is lying."Her face got serious as she dropped the plate of food in front of Faith.
Faith noticed her expression and swallowed hard, "What do you mean?"
"Don't do that now girl, I know your lying."Amelia studied her carefully, "He's hitting you isn't he?"
"No-"
"Your lying again."Amelia cut her off, "How long have this been going on Fay?"
"About two years.."She mumbled as tears formed in her eyes.
"Two fucking years!"Amelia lashed out, "Hell no, I want you out of that house right now!"
"Where am I going to go auntie? Your house is full. I mean I have some money saved but it's not enough for my own place."
"Chile don't you worry about that, your cousin Shayla just moved out the other day before I got out. It's an extra room here, you can stay here as long as you need to get on your feet again girl."Amelia put her hands over Faith's and looked at how much pain her niece was in.
She would kill Demarcus herself, but she didn't have time to go back to prison.
"You have to promise me Faith that you'll be back over here tonight."Amelia reached over and wiped her eyes.
"I promise auntie, thank you."Faith smiled bringing her aunt into a tight hug.
A wave of happiness rushed over Faith as she thought about getting away from Demarcus.She thought this day would never come.
"Now eat chile, you ain't nothing but bones now."Amelia ordered before leaving the dining room and going upstairs to fix the room up for Faith.
As Faith was going in on the food her cousin Demetrius came downstairs, "Ahh shit wassup cuzzo. Long time no see."Demetrius walked over and hugged her.
"Hey D, dang your big now."Faith smiled at her little cousin.
Demetrius was seventeen, he was Amelia's son. He was only two years old when his mother was locked up, but they still kept a close relationship as he grew up.
Demetrius was about six foot, with nice defined waves smooth chocolate skin with a pretty white smile that was complimented with braces and deep dimples.
"You should come to one of my basketball games, we're about to go to state next week."
"Yea I would like that."Faith smiled as she finished up her food.
After putting her plate in the kitchen she walked back to the front, "D can you tell auntie that I'll be back by here in about an hour?"
"Yea I got you cuzzo."Demetrius replied as he turned his PlayStation on.
Faith nodded and walked out of the house. She unlocked her car doors and got inside and drove off.
*
Once Faith arrived at the apartment she silently prayed that Demarcus wasn't there. As she got out of the car she made her way towards the apartment.
"Where you been baby?"Demarcus asked as he sat on the couch looking at the television which wasn't even on.
"Work, you know that."Faith mumbled.
"That's funny, I went by there today and it was closed..."He trailed off getting off of the couch, "I'm going to ask you again. Where were you?"
Faith swallowed hard as she watched him carefully, "I went to visit my aunt Amelia, remember I told you she got out."
Demarcus nodded smirking, "Oh ok then. Don't lie to me like that again."He patted her shoulder before walking off into the kitchen.
Faith let out a breathe as she immediately walked to the bedroom.
"Where the fuck is it?"She panicked as she was searching for the stashed money she had.
"Looking for something?"Demarcus asked as he leaned on the doorway.
"You took it, didn't you?"She looked over at him as a big smirk came across his face.
"Took what baby?"
"Give me my money back."Faith got up and walked over towards him.
"Your money? If I remember correctly we're together we live in this fucking apartment together!"Demarcus yelled as he got closer to her, "Whatever is yours is mine baby."He gave her a sinister grin.
"No. Give me my money back!"Faith yelled as tears came down her face.
"Bitch is you deaf? I said what I said."He pushed her as she stumbled a little.
"Demarcus please."She cried as she back up and sat on the bed, "I need that money."
He edged closer to her and got down on one knee, "I want you to marry me baby."He smiled as he pulled out a diamond ring.
Faith looked at him like he was crazy before getting off of the bed, "I can't do this anymore."She mumbled as she start walking back to the front, "Your out of your mind."
"The fuck you mean you can't do this anymore?"Demarcus followed behind her, "Bitch you think you can leave me?"He yanked her back by her shirt collar making her fall to the ground.
He got on top of her and held her arms down, "Let me go Demarcus! I don't want to be with you anymore!"Faith yelled as she tried to fight her way out of his grip.
"Oh bitch you gone fucking marry me! Ain't no leaving me!"He yelled hitting her across the face.
Faith screamed out as her cheek throbbed from the pain, "No! No! Get off of me!"She cried out hitting him back.
"You gone fucking marry me bitch!"Demarcus got off of her and began pulling her down the hall by her hair.
Faith screamed and cried out for help as he was pulling her towards the back. She tried her best to fight him back but he was just so much stronger than her.
He pulled her into the bedroom and closed the door and locked it.
All you could hear was the muffled screams of Faith, and the hard punches coming from Demarcus.
*