Angel
"Well Peter, she's sustained a good amount of injuries. Her ribs are both fractured, her nose is broken, her eyes are swollen shut, she has a concussion—
"Doctor, what doesn't she have?"
Who was that? He sounded familiar....Oh! It was Peter. But who was he talking about, and why can't I move?
Then—like a train the memories came speeding back to me. Getting home, after walking hours because Candace refused to give me a ride home, since I, "broke her brothers heart," then getting there and seeing Blake. Who was standing in that dark room, like a...demon. For the first time, that night, I feared for my life.
That was the most horrific and terrifying thing I'd ever encountered. Scarier than any haunted house or horror movie. It seemed like his fists never stopped hitting me, and his feet never stopped kicking me, and he never stopped...pushing into me over and over. It was torture.
Oh god my hair!
OH GOD MY FACE!
I remembered the blade, and the violent attacks that he did with it.
He cut my hair, and my face, and my body, bruising me beyond repair. I probably looked like some sort of disgruntled and bloodied person, laying here with numerous bruises and...apparently injuries. It was obvious to me now that the man, and Peter were talking about me.
"Be glad that she has her life. Peter, I know we're friends and all—but I don't know how I can spin this. I mean look at her. She was obviously beaten to a pulp. What if someone finds out about this?"
"Well, I'm paying you a lot of money to make sure they don't." Peter continued.
That was probably for the best. If people found out that I was almost beaten to death in Peters care, months after my mother's death—they'd probably assume it was Peter that did it. Never would they suspect the innocent looking stepson.
The stepson...the stepbrother...the guy I loved—or used to.
Last night was a wake up call. Last night made me realize that I indeed, did not want to die. I remember crawling away from him because I thought I was about to die, and I didn't want to. It was a breakthrough for me, because for the longest time I just thought I'd accept it when my time came. But last night—I didn't want to accept it. I was fighting so hard to get away, and to protect myself. I actually valued my life and wanted to live. Even though life was somewhat random, and sometimes strange—it wasn't pointless like I initially thought.
Everyone is here for a reason.
I realized something else too. Blake was right. He never loved me. Perhaps I was a distraction to fill a void, or some kind of play thing that he enjoyed messing with whenever he could. Maybe I was just a person who helped him fulfill his sexual desires whenever he needed to; but last night made me realize he did not care about me.
It wasn't because of the punches or the cuts or the kicks—not even about him raping me...
But it was because of everything he said. The fact that he had sex with Alexis to purposely spite me? Wishing death upon me, and saying that I deserved to be alone? Those weren't words that could ever come from someone that cared about someone else.
He didn't care...he doesn't care...he never has.
The whole time, I was fooling myself into believing that I finally had someone who cared about me; when all along he never truly did. And truthfully, I couldn't even tell if what I had for him was love? Maybe, I cared for him too—but because of what he did for me and how he made me feel.
He made me feel not so alone, and made me feel like someone else actually cared about me. And for that I was so grateful. I never really dealt with my dad dying, and then with my mother dying so shortly after him—I just felt broken. But Blake came along and seemed to put me back together again, and I was so grateful for him.
Grateful that he could make me feel something again. For the longest time I felt like I wasn't living, I was just existing, but he reminded me that I had a heart pumping inside of my chest, giving me life. He reminded me that there was a reason to feel and to live and to care.
It felt good caring again.
Because of that gratefulness, I just assumed I was in love; but maybe it wasn't love. Maybe this whole time it's just been gratefulness mixed with...fear. Initially, I didn't even want to be with Blake sexually. I didn't know a thing about romance, or anything of that nature and he just came, then ripped my innocence from me. Since that happened, I went into survival mode doing what I could to protect myself. A part of me figured, the less angry I made him, the more I could survive.
But that wasn't love.
That was fear, and control—and it was wrong! I realized now, how bad our relationship actually was, and I felt tears coming from my swollen eyes. They burned the cuts that were against my face, and burned my lips as they touched them before they reached my chin and dropped from my face.
Right when I started crying, someone else entered the room. I heard footsteps, but my eyes hurt too much to open them and see who was inside of the room now. Not to mention, I couldn't move my body at all.
"The doctors have her on some heavy sedatives so she'll feel kind of numb to the pain. I paid Daniel, so he won't be doing a police report."
"I still can't believe that my Blake would do something like that..."
Who was that? It was a woman's voice, that much I could tell...but who?
My Blake?
Was this woman...Blake's mother? It would make sense. Who else would be here with Peter? Plus, who else would ever say that about Blake?
"You should've seen it. It was mortifying. I found her trying to stay conscious...in a pool of blood, it looked and smelled like vomit....It was disgusting and—vicious. I found a kitchen knife on the floor...and then I saw what he did to her face."
"Oh God..." The woman, who I assumed was Blake's mother was softly crying now. "He used to be such a good boy. I don't know what happened to him. I love him, and don't want anything bad to happen to him....but should we let this go unchecked? I mean, should we forget the bribe and just tell the doctors the truth?"
"If we do that, his future will be ruined. There will be no chances of him going to college, or ever having a normal life. He'll be in and out of mental facilities, and once he turns eighteen he'll be in and out of prison. I can't afford to let that happen to him."
"So what do we do?" The woman asked.
"We do the same thing with her that we did with you. Remove her from the equation and give him some serious therapy sessions. I'm thinking he needs some every single day after school. I mean I love our son too, but he has some serious issues. Sometimes, I feel nervous sleeping under the same roof as him, and I don't want that. I want him to work out whatever problems he has, and I want him to go back to normal."
"But she's only sixteen Peter. We can't just...give her a house and make her live on her own. She needs someone to care for her."
I was listening intently. I wanted to speak up, and say I'd be fine staying as long as Blake left but I couldn't speak still. I was trying my hardest to open my eyes and put a face to the woman whom I'd heard so much about, but they were still swollen shut and were starting to hurt a bit more.
"Well, I tried calling that relative. I was going to send Angel there when Katherine first passed—but the lady doesn't want her. She refused her. And it seems heartless to just...put her in the foster system. Especially after everything she's been through."
The foster system?! I felt panic rise up inside of me. Sure my life was hell, and Blake was hell, but moving inside of a foreign house all over again but this time with lots of people that I don't know..? I couldn't handle that all over again, I was only one person!
"We can't do that to her." The woman said.
"So, do you have any ideas?" Peter asked.
"Yes. Just one...it's crazy and maybe not the brightest. I mean—I don't know how we'll get along. But she needs a mother figure in her life, she needs to get away from Blake. She needs to get from under his thumb, but I doubt she wants to move states and stuff—so—I'll take her."
There was a deafening silence between the two of them.
"You will?" Peter asked finally.
"Yes, my house is big enough for her. It's right by that really nice high school. I mean sure it's not some fancy private school...but it'll be good for her to be around new people."
"Do you think so?"
"Yes. I don't know why I'm doing this. I just feel like she needs help—she needs someone to care. I mean, you've done all you can, but she can't stay with you anymore."
"Well what about her? I mean, how do you think she'll react? What do you think she'll say and do?"
"If she says no...then I don't know actually. I don't know...we'll deal with that when the time comes." The woman said.
"Yes..." I whispered, finally managing to crack open my busted lips. "I'll go with you."
xxxx
The next morning, I felt so much more pain. The medications they had given me were beginning to wear off, and it felt like every single bone in my body was broken—and every muscle was torn through or ripped.
I was just...hurting.
Not only hurting physically, but mentally too. Last night, I agreed to go with Blake's mother to her home which was in some random location that I didn't know. I would have to once again, say goodbye to everything that I was used to. Although, I did hate that school...and my only friends there probably hated me now. So maybe I was getting out right on time.
I would have to say goodbye to another house that I had grown to love and call home. I'd miss the big kitchen, deluxe bathrooms, and I would miss that little window seat in my room that always let in the best breezes and the most beautiful sunshine. I'd miss my pink bedspread, and I'd miss the way the canopy curtains falling on either side of the bed made me feel like a princess.
Strangely though, most of all, I'd miss Blake. My torturer, the person who I'd grown to know more then I know myself. I'd miss the way he was always eating something, and the way he looked when he was amused by something. I would miss how he used to protect and care for me, and how he made me feel.
Surprisingly enough however, I wasn't sad about this departure. This felt like the next right step. The walls were beginning to close in on me, and this was probably my only chance to escape. The crazy thing was, because of this situation I'd come out mentally stronger. I didn't think life was stupid and pointless anymore, I valued my life, and not only my life but just life in general.
I realized every minute on this earth is precious, and that I should use to wisely. I shouldn't waste it, wishing I was dead and allowing some boy to beat on me and rape me whenever he felt so physically inclined. I should be living my best life, with a great group of friends and a nice boyfriend—
like Jayce.
But that train has definitely left the station. He would probably never talk to me again, and I couldn't blame him. I was just glad that he got to say whatever he needed to say to me before I left that school—maybe it would leave him with all the closure he needed since he'd probably never see me again.
I would miss Candace too, her spunky personality and bright charisma always seemed to light up any room she entered. I'd miss our sleepovers, and our laughter together that I hadn't ever shared with anyone else. She was becoming my best friend, and I just hoped she found another one as amazing as she was.
I was crying again, for what felt like the thousandth time. Mainly because I was saying goodbye to all these people in my head. To me, this was a necessary ending, it was the only way for me to move on healthily with my life. If Blake hadn't did what he did and said what he said, I'd still be in that toxic situation, and I would have never escaped from him. I would never have had this new outlook on life, and this newfound hope or freedom.
I'd still be cowering in corners, and tricking myself into believing I was in love. It was funny because, even though Blake almost took my life last night—he saved it last night too.
And for that, I'd be forever grateful.
Okay, I know this kind of sounds like the end—but it is not lol. This is just the end of the way she is currently living now, so I figured I'd show how she was processing all of those emotions. Are you guys glad she's finally getting away from Blake because I know I am?
But...we all know he most likely won't stay away. Lol. So what happens when and if he finds out about everything that's going on?
Until next chapter ❤️