FicWad

Part 1
I sat on the living couch doing a word search when Daniel came home. He came stumbling in to the small apartment reeking of tequila. I didn’t even look up when he drunkenly bumped in to the wall.
“Goddamnit who put that wall there” Daniel whined.
“It was always there” I told him.
“Ellie don’t play games with me I know that it was never there before today” he growled.
Not wanting to start a fight with him I said “fine whatever just go to bed.”
“Don’t tell me what to do bitch. Now I don’t want to go to sleep, I’m hungry.”
I stood and walked over to him. “Come on Danny lets go to bed you’re drunk,” I took his hand and tried to lead him to the bedroom.
“Don’t touch me” he roared “now go in the fucking kitchen and make me dinner like the good little whore you are.”
And before I could protest Daniel lifted his hand and swung. The back of his hand connected with my cheek with brute force. I fell to the floor. I held my head down, not wanting to give him the satisfaction of seeing the tears that started to stream down my cheeks. He crouched down next to me and grabbed my wrist.
“Since you’re not going to make me something to eat now you better have something ready in the morning when I wake up” his grip was iron tight and only got tighter with each slurred word. He held me there for a second, before pushing me in to the wall.
Three things happened simultaneously at that moment. First my heart shattered. Second I realized that I needed to leave and never to come back. Third I made a plan.
I waited and watched. Daniel had flopped down on the couch and turned on the TV. I had gotten up and went to our bedroom and closed the door. This part was the easiest because I knew that he would probably fall asleep there. So I rushed to the closet and pulled down my old army pack that my brother had given to me. Without hesitation I started to pack. I only grabbed the necessities, A few changes of underwear, two pairs of jeans and five tee-shirts. Next I went in to the bathroom, which was thankfully connected to the room. There I grabbed my tooth brush and a hair brush. Finally I only had one more thing to get.
In our room there was a loose floor board that I had kept a secret from Daniel. In it I kept my hoard of money. In all there was about five-hundred dollars that I managed to save up over the past two years. I carefully lifted the board and took the money. Then I placed it back, not wanting to make a noise that would bring suspicion on me.
I listened and periodically peeked in to the living room. Finally I heard Daniel’s drunken snore and when I peeked he was sound asleep. His head was slummed over the back of the couch and there was line of drool on his chin. Taking the chance I slung my backpack over my shoulder and slipped out the room and tip toed past him. I grabbed my purse of the end table on my way to the door. Luckily in his drunken state Daniel hadn’t locked the door.
My heart was pounding as I turned the door knob. All I could imagine was him waking up and dragging me back. Once the door was open I swiftly sneaked out and shut the door behind me. And in the same heart beat I took off sprinting down the hall way of the apartment building toward the elevator. I pushed the button and immediately the doors slid open. It didn’t take long to reach the first floor. And as soon as the doors opened again I raced to the street.
Once I knew I was in momentary safety I grabbed my cell out of my bag. I found the name quickly and called. It rang four times before he answered.
“Ellie two am is a little late of a booty call.”
“This isn’t a booty call I promise. It’s more of shining the bat signal in the sky.” It wasn’t until now that I realized that I was still sobbing.
“What’s wrong are you hurt. Where are you?”
“I’m in front of my building. Do you think you could come and pick me up.” It took me second to understand what I meant. “Please Bren I need you.”
___
When I saw the black Camaro pull up to the curb I started to walk over. But Brendon was faster than me. He had gotten out and ran over to me. I made sure to hide my bruised cheek from him.
“What happened? Are you okay? Where is Danny?” his questions coming fast. But I didn’t answer any of them I just conitued to the car.
But he stopped me, but stepping in front of me. That’s when he saw it. And he understood what was going on. So without another word he took my back pack from my shoulders and looped his arm around my waist. He helped me in to the car and put my pack at my feet. I pulled my seat belt on and curled up in the seat. I tucked my knees under my chin. I watched as he went around the font of the car and got into the driver’s side.
The engine started with a roar but ebbed to a purr. Brendon slipped his hand in mine. I squeeze back assuring him I didn’t need him to do anything but take me away from here. And before I knew it we were speeding down the street and towards the highway.
I felt safe, loved, and somehow happy with Brendon in the car. These were feelings that I hadn’t felt in a long time. And at that moment I seemed to forget the throbbing in the back of my head or the sting that ran across my cheek. And I only seemed to be aware of two things, my best friend next to me and his warm hand in mine.
___
I must have fallen asleep because when I opened my eyes I was in Brendon’s arms. He was carrying me across his lawn toward his house. My purse and backpack were on his shoulder as he carried me. We must have been here a while because the door had already been opened and some of the lights were on.
“Let me down I can walk” I whispered, my voice still groggy with sleep.
“Hush, it’s only a couple more feet to the bedroom.” He soothed.
He was right because in seconds I was being placed on his bed. I turned over on my side trying to wake up. And the fatigue did slowly fade. I watched as he place my bags in the corner of the room and recede in to the bathroom. I could hear him turn the water on and off. Then I heard him go in to his closet and turn on the light. He came back out with a small plastic cup of water and a white button down of his. He placed both items on the side table and knelt next to the bed. I sat up meeting his gaze.
“I’m sorry” I told him.
“For what.”
“For making you do this, for forcing you to take care of me all the time…”
“Shut up” he interrupted me “I want to take care of you.”
I couldn’t help but wrap my arms around his shoulders and hugged him. Brendon hugged me back, wrapping his arms around my waist.
Once we let go of each other he said “here let’s get you cleaned up.”
He grabbed my thighs and swung them off the bed. I felt him unlace my boots and toss them over his shoulder. “Come on take off your shirt” him encouraged.
I couldn’t at least not in front of him
“You act like I haven’t seen you naked before,” he teased.
But I still dint budge. All I did is shake my head.
“Please don’t make me” I whimpered.
His face twisted in confusion. Brendon knew when I was hiding something from it and was determined to find out. So he tugged the hem of my blouse letting the buttons come undone. I winced as the shook registered in his face. The bruises that covered my body ranged in color from black to yellow, each looking worse than the last.
“How long,” he demanded.
“The last couple of months” I answered meekly.
“When I get a hold of that son of a bitch I swear to god, hurting you will be the last thing he will ever do,” Brendon’s voice was angry but still leveled.
“Please don’t do anything irrational. I’m going to the police tomorrow.” I placed a hand on his cheek wanting to calm him down.
"I didn’t mean to upset you. I won’t talk about it anymore.”
“Thank you” I said wanting him to not be mad “just help me take off these jeans.”
I unbuckled my pants and slid them past my hips. I lie back on the bed and let Brendon do the rest, also I didn’t want to see his face when he the other marks.
“Here you can have one of my shirts to sleep in. I’ll go and get you some ice.” Brendon said as he tossed the shirt on my tummy. The fabric ticked as it fluttered on my skin.
“Wait” I called out as he left the room “I don’t need the ice, I need you Bren. Can you just lay with me until I go to sleep?”
He hesitated in the door way for a second. “Sure” he finally said.
I sat up and pulled the oversized shirt on. I rolled the sleeves up to my elbows and pulled my crimson hair out the collar. I pulled my feet back on the bed and crawled under the sheets. Brendon was already wearing basketball shorts so he just stripped of his t-shirt, and climbed in next to me, pulling the covers over both of us. I smiled as his masculine arms engulfed me in a protective embrace.
I turned on my other side to face him and said “Bren are you mad at me for not telling you sooner.”
“Of course not Ellie, I’m mad at myself for not noticing that you were hurting.” He pressed his lips to my forehead and this time whispered “sleep now, I’ll be here when you wake up.”
I knew he would be so I shut my eyes and nuzzled in to his neck. The last thing I remember before falling asleep was the faint smell of Brendon’s cologne.