He runs towards me and I open my arms for him to jump into. I watch, mesmerized, as Grayson appears, running after the little boy. The brown-haired little boy looks up at me and smiles before running away laughing. I feel a little hand slip around mine and look down, only to be met with green eyes that match Graysons’. I see myself waving at them and my heart fills with joy at the sight of them. As I slip further and further into unconsciousness, images of my parents pop into my head. The world around me fades as darkness takes over and blankets me. I think I hear Demi crying but I’m not sure. My eye lids flutter and I hear talking but I can’t make out the words. Grayson is at my side and I want to smile at him but my face and my body feel like lead. Brody pins him to the ground and yells, “Gray, I’ve got this! Call an ambulance!” Brody follows and soon they’re both tackling Jake to the ground. Grayson is much bigger than Jake and when his body collides with Jakes’, Jake doesn’t stand a chance. I turn my head and watch as Grayson runs down the hallway in slow motion, followed by Brody and then Demi. The front door flies open and smashes against the wall. For a split second I see remorse flash in his eyes. I expect him to hit me again but he doesn’t. “I could never love you,” I whisper, struggling for air. My head rolls and I feel the fight leave my body as I look up into his dead eyes. Crack… And again… Crack… And again… Crack… I would rather die than have Grayson not want me.Ī strangled sob escapes my mouth and Jakes’ fist makes contact with my face again. Grayson won’t want me anymore and that possibility has me wishing that Jake would just kill me already. Oh God, no! Please don’t touch me there, God, PLEASE! I will not be able to look at myself in the mirror again if he touches me there, knowing that part of me is sacred and for Grayson only. His hands fiddle with the button of my jeans, slipping his fingers into my panties. It feels like my ribs have splintered with the force of his fist and it brings back the memory of the night he pushed me down the stairs. I’m still screaming when the second blow lands in the same spot. When I don’t respond, he lands a sickening punch to my ribcage and I scream in pain. “Kiss me back,” he mumbles angrily against my mouth. I cry into his mouth and recoil when he starts fondling my breasts again. Jake lowers his head and presses his lips to mine, forcing his tongue into mouth. I will my eyes to open, but my vision is blurred and I can’t see anything beyond my tears. “Let me see how much you like it when I touch you.” His fingers wrap around my throat, squeezing until I’m gasping, and his face hovers over mine. He starts touching my breasts and I squeeze my eyes shut. He tears it until my torso is bare and my pink lace bra exposed. He pulls out a knife and starts cutting Graysons’ shirt. “Did you really think that you could ever belong to anyone but me?” he snaps. His eyes travel down my torso and his face contorts in anger. He slaps my face so that I’m looking at him and I cry harder. His finger touches my cheek and I turn away. “Please,” I beg between sobs, “Don’t hurt me Jake. This is going to hurt me more than it will you.” I’m trapped beneath his body with his legs on either side of me. My tears spill over and start sliding down my cheeks. I kick wildly, thrashing and writhing as he grabs my hair and drags me until I’m next to my bed. All I can think about is Jakes’ dark figure looming over me. My head hits the ground hard and my eyes roll as I try to orientate myself. The pain shoots through my cheek and travels down my jaw.
#Would you let me see beneath your beautiful meaning crack
The loud crack resounds through my ear as his knuckles make contact with my flesh. Jake grabs my arm, swinging me around and before I can register what he’s doing, his right hand is balled into a fist and flying into my left cheekbone. I push forward, stifling a scream when I feel my hair being pulled out at the back of my head. I can feel my fear starting to suffocate me. “Where do you think you’re going Princess?” His voice is rough and menacing and only makes my need to escape so much greater. I ignore the pain and give in to my survival instincts. I stumble and grab onto the door frame, digging my nails in so hard that I feel them separate from the flesh of my nail beds and start to bleed. I reach the entrance to my bedroom but stop short when Jakes’ fingers tangle in my hair and haul me backwards. If I can reach the baseball bat I might just be ok. My fight-or-flight response kicks in and I turn and start running for the room. “I’m not leaving without you!” he barks angrily.