is it won't be good for either of us, nor the baby, if I stay here tonight.
I've had plenty of arguments with my mom, but I've never called her an unnecessary name before, and she's certainly never smacked me. We're both going through rough times in our lives, especially with Dad's death so recent, but it still shouldn't have happened on either of our parts.
Once I'm packed I look around to make sure I'm not missing anything I'll need for the next few days. I pad down the hallway to the bathroom to grab my toothbrush. I happen to glance up into the mirror before shutting the light back off. I'm struck in place by the welting red mark on my cheek. You can see each finger etched across my face.
I run my fingers over it, feeling the bump in the skin. It almost stings to touch.
Tears instantly brim in my eyes. I rush back to the bedroom, avoiding the mirror in the hallway. Grabbing my bag, I double check that I have my purse and cellphone, then I head out the front door.
I race out of there, turning down a road nearby. I’m headed to Penelope’s when I realize she isn’t around right now. "Fuck!" I shout in the car. Pulling off to the side of the road, I try to think of somewhere I can go, especially with Sumner not speaking with me lately. My only other option seems to be Rochelle, so I dial her number. When she doesn't answer I scroll through my contacts. I didn't exactly want to waste the money I recently received on a hotel room, when there are so many other important things that need to be paid on.
Sliding through the list of names, one particular one stands out. My finger hovers over his name, but I give myself a dozen reasons why it wouldn't be smart to call him. He isn't supposed to be an option for me. He isn't supposed to be the one to save me.
I know he told me to call if I needed him... if I needed a weekend away. I need a lot more than that, but for now, that sounds like the perfect plan. No one will find me, no one will bother me. I can lay back and relax, I can think about things, I can focus. I can breathe. Yeah, it'll feel nice.
So I do exactly what I told myself I wouldn't, I call Leon.
"Everything okay?" He answers the phone. I can sense the fear in his voice as well. He'll make a good dad, I tell myself.
"I'm... fine. I, uh, just..." I don't even know how to finish it.
"What's wrong?"
"I don't know how to say this."
"I'll text you my address. You can head over."
Wait, how does he know I need his help? I don't argue though, instead I tell him I'll be on my way soon then hang up. His address pops up a moment later on my screen and I lock it into the GPS so I don't get lost.
Less than thirty minutes later my car is idling outside of a wrought iron gate. It opens before I hit the buzzer. I drive along the paved drive, which isn't long but is surrounded by absolutely beautiful fields. His home, or I assume it's his home, is large and white, and has what seems like hundreds of windows. I love the pillars in the front, and the balcony off to the side. It's fancy, but in a classic way. Somehow it's not suited to the Leon I've come to know, but I'm sure if I had his kind of money, I'd buy a house like this one. I could do without the five bay garage though.
Leon is standing outside the front door before I make it up the steps. He looks at me with worrisome, and I feel bad if I have stressed him out any. I don't want him worrying about his unborn child. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you on the phone."
He shakes his head. "No, don't stress yourself- What the fuck happened to your face?" He puts his hand over my cheek, his entire demeanor changing from worried to pissed. "Who did this to you?"
I'm ashamed to admit the truth, so I look away from him. "It was an accident, seriously. Can we forget it?"
"Not until you tell me who did this to you." I know he isn't going to let it go. I had honestly forgotten about the slap, or the fact it left a mark, until he said something. If I would have thought
I've had plenty of arguments with my mom, but I've never called her an unnecessary name before, and she's certainly never smacked me. We're both going through rough times in our lives, especially with Dad's death so recent, but it still shouldn't have happened on either of our parts.
Once I'm packed I look around to make sure I'm not missing anything I'll need for the next few days. I pad down the hallway to the bathroom to grab my toothbrush. I happen to glance up into the mirror before shutting the light back off. I'm struck in place by the welting red mark on my cheek. You can see each finger etched across my face.
I run my fingers over it, feeling the bump in the skin. It almost stings to touch.
Tears instantly brim in my eyes. I rush back to the bedroom, avoiding the mirror in the hallway. Grabbing my bag, I double check that I have my purse and cellphone, then I head out the front door.
I race out of there, turning down a road nearby. I’m headed to Penelope’s when I realize she isn’t around right now. "Fuck!" I shout in the car. Pulling off to the side of the road, I try to think of somewhere I can go, especially with Sumner not speaking with me lately. My only other option seems to be Rochelle, so I dial her number. When she doesn't answer I scroll through my contacts. I didn't exactly want to waste the money I recently received on a hotel room, when there are so many other important things that need to be paid on.
Sliding through the list of names, one particular one stands out. My finger hovers over his name, but I give myself a dozen reasons why it wouldn't be smart to call him. He isn't supposed to be an option for me. He isn't supposed to be the one to save me.
I know he told me to call if I needed him... if I needed a weekend away. I need a lot more than that, but for now, that sounds like the perfect plan. No one will find me, no one will bother me. I can lay back and relax, I can think about things, I can focus. I can breathe. Yeah, it'll feel nice.
So I do exactly what I told myself I wouldn't, I call Leon.
"Everything okay?" He answers the phone. I can sense the fear in his voice as well. He'll make a good dad, I tell myself.
"I'm... fine. I, uh, just..." I don't even know how to finish it.
"What's wrong?"
"I don't know how to say this."
"I'll text you my address. You can head over."
Wait, how does he know I need his help? I don't argue though, instead I tell him I'll be on my way soon then hang up. His address pops up a moment later on my screen and I lock it into the GPS so I don't get lost.
Less than thirty minutes later my car is idling outside of a wrought iron gate. It opens before I hit the buzzer. I drive along the paved drive, which isn't long but is surrounded by absolutely beautiful fields. His home, or I assume it's his home, is large and white, and has what seems like hundreds of windows. I love the pillars in the front, and the balcony off to the side. It's fancy, but in a classic way. Somehow it's not suited to the Leon I've come to know, but I'm sure if I had his kind of money, I'd buy a house like this one. I could do without the five bay garage though.
Leon is standing outside the front door before I make it up the steps. He looks at me with worrisome, and I feel bad if I have stressed him out any. I don't want him worrying about his unborn child. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you on the phone."
He shakes his head. "No, don't stress yourself- What the fuck happened to your face?" He puts his hand over my cheek, his entire demeanor changing from worried to pissed. "Who did this to you?"
I'm ashamed to admit the truth, so I look away from him. "It was an accident, seriously. Can we forget it?"
"Not until you tell me who did this to you." I know he isn't going to let it go. I had honestly forgotten about the slap, or the fact it left a mark, until he said something. If I would have thought
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