by Marie Skye
I looked in my fridge. I had four bottles of wine, and douchebag’s number. He said all I was good for, was a good fuck. Fine. Let's prove that theory.
Seven
Hawkins
"What time is your plane coming in?"
I cringed. I'd forgotten to tell my family I wasn't coming in after all. "Yeah, about that. Change of plans. I won't be there."
I could hear my mom let out a sigh. "You promised. What happened this time?"
I ran my hand through my hair. "Work."
She grunted. "It's always work. Work, work, work. You have a family, you know. We didn't even see you for the holidays. I'm starting to forget what you look like."
I smiled. "I'm still the same boy. Just no longer gangly. I’m now taller, muscular, and sexy as hell."
"Well, it would be nice to see you before the year is up, yeah? Maybe make a grandma out of me before I'm dead, maybe?"
I rolled my eyes and laughed. "I'll talk to you later, Mom. Love you."
"Love you, too."
I hung up, and once again hovered over Gwen's name. It was late, but not too late.
Me: What are you doing?
I pulled up Netflix. She was probably already in bed. My phone pinged a few minutes later.
Gwen: jkreal;jifoaek ke
Me: Are you having a stroke?
Gwen: Drnku
Before I could reply back she did
Gwen: wrking on 3rd bottle of wine
Me: Did you eat anything?
Gwen: Yepp! The grapes that made this wine lol
I could feel my blood starting to boil.
Me: Are you alone?
Gwen: 4 now
That had me breathing a sigh of relief. At least she wouldn't be drinking alone. The next text had me speaking too soon.
Gwen: Thought I would text that douchebag to come over. Take him up on his offer ;)
Well that was the wrong fucking thing for her to say. I dialed her number. She answered on a hiccup.
"Are you fucking with me right now?"
Her words were slurred. "Nope. He'll be here any minute."
"Fuck, Gwen. Why would you do that?!"
She hiccupped again, and this time she sounded sad. "Because it's all I'm good for." She let out a sigh. "Anyway, I have to go. I should get ready." She hung up. Didn't matter. I was already out the door.
* * *
Twenty minutes later, I was pulling up to Gwen's apartment. I didn't even bother to knock, and instead broke in. Fuck face was sitting on her couch, with Gwen a few feet from him giggling at I don't know what. He immediately turned toward me as I threw open the door, and his eyes bulged out of his head.
"What did I tell you would happen if you went near her again?"
He immediately stood up as I started taking off my suit jacket. He looked toward Gwen, with complete fear in his eyes before turning back to me. "She invited me here!"
I pointed toward Gwen. "You don't listen to her! You listen to me! What did I fucking say?" My voice had boomed throughout the room, but I didn't give a shit. Fuck face started backing up with his arms raised.
"Look, I don't want any trouble. I just thought..."
"You thought what? You can come here, and take advantage of someone that was clearly inebriated. Take advantage of someone that was most likely too drunk to say no and can't fight you off? They call that rape, asshole!"
Before he could dodge out of my way, I had him by the neck, up against the wall. "If I ever, and I fucking mean ever, so much as see you in a fucking restaurant." I grabbed the gun out of my back and cocked it, as I pressed it to his side temple. The gasp from Gwen didn't go unnoticed by me. "I will fucking kill you. Do you understand?"
He nodded.
"Say it."
He thickly swallowed. "Yes."
"Now get the fuck out of my sight."
He ran out so fast he actually ran into the door. Fucking moron. I turned to Gwen, who was still staring at me wide eyed, only now she looked a little green. She had that look. I hauled her up, and ran us to the bathroom just in time as she heaved into the toilet. I held her hair, and rubbed her back.
When she was finally done, I grabbed a face towel, wet it, and wiped her face. She peered up at me with tear stained cheeks. I handed her a small cup of mouthwash, which she took gratefully and swished in her mouth before spitting it into the toilet bowl and flushing.
She started to get up and I placed her arms around my neck, lifting her up in my arms. She felt so right there. "What are you doing? I'm too heavy!"
"You're perfect, Gwen," I whispered in her ear, and I felt her relax in my arms as I walked toward her bed. I toed off my shoes and pulled back the comforter before slipping us both under the blanket. It didn't take long before her breathing slowed, and she finally drifted off.
I lay there for a few minutes listening to her against my chest. I liked her there. I finally moved myself from underneath her, as gently as possible, without disturbing her. I went back out into the living room, and locked the door, making sure it was secured. I then looked at the three empty bottles on the coffee table, collected them, and put them in the trash.
I opened her fridge, and scowled at the contents. She barely had any food. It was full of pre-mixed protein shakes. I looked over one of the meal replacement shakes. I opened the freezer. It didn't fare any better. Frozen healthy crap that probably tasted like shit. She was basically starving herself.
I went to her room and checked on her again, before grabbing her door key, and heading out, to get some real food, to stock her fridge. She would need some real food for breakfast.
Eight
Gwen
My head was pounding. I rolled over, and thanked myself for putting up black-out curtains. I grabbed my head. What the hell happened last night? Do I smell bacon? I slowly sat up, and looked at the clock on my nightstand and squinted at the clock. It was just past nine. There was also a glass of water, and two pain relievers with a note that said, 'Take these, and drink all of the water, before joining me in the kitchen.'
My eyes widened. Who the hell was in my kitchen? My head turned swiftly toward my bedroom door, which didn't help my headache not one bit. Begrudgingly I took the two pain relievers, and drank all the water. I gently got out of bed, not even bothering to check myself in the mirror, because whoever I had to fight off, probably didn't matter if I looked like death. Regardless of the fact that they cared if I got a hangover or not. I grabbed my umbrella, since it would have to do as my only source of defense, and walked toward my kitchen, where the smell of bacon grew stronger. I didn't even own bacon. Was that hash browns?
Whoever broke into my apartment decided to cook before slaughtering me! I hope they at least had the decency to make coffee before deciding my fate first!
I rounded the corner and I gulped. Hawkins was standing at the stove with his back to me, sans shirt, and my God, all I saw was a muscled back draped in one huge tattoo that took up his entire back. As if hearing me, he turned around, and raised an eyebrow at me.
"Sit."
I stood there gawking at him. I also took that moment to look at the mirror on the side wall. Holy fucking shit. I looked like Satan’s ass. I had mascara smeared all over my eyes, and my blonde hair was in a tangled mess. I was death. Hawkins had already turned back to the stove, stirring whatever he was stirring. I needed to go back to my room and hide, or at least look semi presentable.
Before I could make an escape, he spoke again.
"I said sit, Gwen."
I jumped at his voice, and slowly sat in the chair furthest away from him. After a few minutes, he finally sat directly in front of me as he placed a plate in front of both of us. I peered down at the plate that was full of bacon and eggs and potatoes with a side of toast. Toast. I can't even remember the last time I bought bread.
"Eat. All of it." He motioned toward my plate as he picked up his fork.
I studied my plate, as I carefully picked up my fork and stabbed a potato. I smi
led. "I can't remember the last time I had a potato." I blew on it gently before putting it in my mouth. I shut my eyes, as I chewed on it. Damn it was good. When I opened them, Hawkins had an amused look on his face.
I covered my mouth. "What? Do I have something on my face?" I reached for my napkin.
He shook his head. "No. You just looked...happy."
I felt myself blush, as I reached for my juice. Damn, he got orange juice, too? I could get used to this. "I don't normally eat like this. It's a luxury."
He briefly frowned as he set his coffee down. "There's nothing wrong with your body, Gwen. It's perfect. I don't know who's making you feel like you need to look a certain way, but I'm telling you right here, and right now, you better fucking stop listening to them.”
His gaze on me was so strong I had to look away and busy myself with making my coffee. Keeping my eyes on my coffee as I stirred, I asked the inevitable. "So, did you break in again?"
I jumped at the loud clatter of his fork hitting the plate. His eyes were narrowed at me, and he looked pissed.
"You're kidding, right?"
I stared up at him.
He shook his head and stared over my head, and took a deep breath. "You don't remember texting me, and rambling on about I don't know what, and saying how you had invited douchebag over, because he was all you were good for?"
I shut my eyes thinking back to the baby shower, and the outburst with my mom, and the wine. Oh, the wine. The many bottles of wine.
"Oh no." I groaned as I got up from the kitchen table and headed to the living room, and flopped down on the sofa. Hawkins followed.
"I came over, and let myself in. You were well past inebriated, and I'd be damned if I was going to let him touch you."
I looked up at Hawkins who hovered over me, as he stared at me, arms crossed. "You didn't kill him, did you?"
"Not this time."
My eyes widened. "What do you mean, not this time?"
"Well, when I pressed one of my guns to the temple of his head, and didn't pull the trigger, I think he got the point. Next time I can't promise anything."
I buried my head in the pillow, and groaned. I felt the sofa dip as he sat next to me and sighed. "You want to tell me what happened?"
I took a deep breath. "Not really."
He tapped my leg. “Let me rephrase. Tell me what happened. Does it have anything to do with a person named 'cunt face' on your phone?” He handed me my phone. “You had one missed call. There was also another number that called six times, that wasn't stored in your contacts. I traced it. A Blake Messing."
I stared at him in disbelief. This guy could run the world. I took my phone, and powered it down. I smirked. "Just one from cunt face, huh? I’m surprised it was that many.” I held up my phone. “Thanks. And yes, it's about that."
His eyes stayed on me, intense again. "Well, if they're a threat to you, you need to tell me.”
I shook my head and stared at my hands. “I’m sorry about last night. I shouldn’t have done that.”
His hand touched mine gently. “Gwen, I want to help, but you have to let me.”
I took a deep breath, deciding where to start. The beginning I guessed. "Blake is my ex. We were going to get married...at least I thought we were." I sighed before continuing. "We were together five years, then one day out of the blue he said he didn't want to be with me anymore. There were signs leading up to it, but I fought, you know? Even when his family was so nasty to me, I still fought for us."
I pulled my knees to my chest. "I always tried getting them to like me." I laughed, thinking how funny it was. "They never even gave me a chance. They took one look at me, and thought, 'What the hell is he doing with her?’" I smirked. "Using me, that's what he was doing. For five years, making promise after promise, and I sat there and believed him like a damn fool. I went to his cousin's wedding. I wasn't actually invited I later found out. I was introduced as his friend, not girlfriend, even though we'd been dating over a year at that time. Later on, he said I had embarrassed him by going, because I stood out in my size fourteen dress, amongst his brother’s girlfriends, and that he only invited me out of pity. So, from there on out, he would call me the vilest things he could think of, whenever I grabbed something other than a salad."
"So, he abused you."
I stopped at the low voice that came from Hawkins. "I think he was just trying to help me."
He shook his head. "I wasn't asking you a question, Gwen. I was telling you. He abused you."
"Sometimes he grabbed me too hard or…he was different when he drank and…"
Hawkins turned more to me. "He abused you. For five years, he abused you mentally. He made you feel lowly of yourself, and doubt your worth. He mind raped you, and had you believing that he was doing it for you, and when he had you right where he wanted to, he left you out in the cold. Am I, right?"
I stared off into the distance, my eyes welling with tears, thinking back to all the things Blake would say to me. Was I really that naïve, and stupid, and apparently blinded by love that I didn't see what he was doing to me? I felt my stomach churning as the contents from breakfast suddenly decided to make their way up. I leaped off the sofa and ran to the bathroom. I felt Hawkins hot on my heels, but I shut the door and locked it before he could come in.
"Gwen!"
I heard him shout as I emptied the contents of my stomach into the bowl. Along with it, the memories came coming back. Haunting me.
"Of course, you'll marry me. No one else will."
The time his family came down unannounced...again, and I slaved over making dinner for two hours while they were all out, because I, of course, wasn't invited. I proudly looked around the dinner table. Everything was ready, and it was nearing seven o'clock. I dialed Blake's number wondering what time they were coming back.
"Hey babe! I was wondering what time you guys were heading home? Dinner just got done, but I can keep it warm."
He paused. "Oh...um we decided to eat out, we just got seated."
My face dropped as I looked at the roast on the table. "Oh."
"Well, we haven't ordered yet...um, did you want to come?"
"No," I said quietly. "It's okay. You guys have..."
He didn't even wait for me to finish before he cut me off saying a half-assed bye and hanging up. I stared at the phone in disbelief, then back at the dining room table. I no longer had an appetite. I wrapped everything up, and placed it in the fridge. The next morning, I woke up to laughter. I sat up, rubbing my eyes sleepily. It was just past five in the morning, and I had to get ready for work. I slowly made my way to the noise, that was coming from the kitchen, and smelled...food. Familiar food.
I peeked around the corner, and there was Blake and his whole family, enjoying breakfast. I stared at them wide eyed. Blake tipped his mug of coffee up at me. "They're heading out, thought I'd put a nice meal in their bellies before they hit the road."
I looked at the table at the now empty roast pan, and what was left of the sides. They ate the dinner I made for breakfast.
I finally cleared my throat. "How was it?"
Blake’s mom frowned. "It wasn't my recipe, but I guess it'll do. I'm glad we went out for dinner last night."
She chuckled as she wiped her mouth.
I looked around the room as everyone started laughing. Blake, his father, his brother and sisters. I felt uninvited in my own house. I could feel myself starting to break out into a cold sweat.
"Maybe you would feel more comfortable in a hotel next time you stay," I heard myself say.
Suddenly the laughter stopped, and Blake's mom's eyes cut to mine as her eyes darkened. "This is Blake's house!"
"And I live here, too! I'm not a tenant! I'm his girlfriend!" I turned to Blake, who wasn't even looking at me. I took another deep breath, and before saying anything else, turned and walked away.
* * *
I washed my face in cold water as I looked in the mirror. My face was red as tears streaked down my fa
ce. "Why did I stay?" I softly whispered to the sad face looking back at me in the mirror. I suddenly jumped at the click of the door as it opened. My breath hitched at seeing Hawkins. He slowly walked over to me until he stood behind me. He dipped his head until he rested on my shoulder. My breath caught as he circled his arms around me and held me tight.
"Let me give you this," he whispered, and I felt myself relax. I leaned my head against his chest, and he dropped his chin on top of my head. We just stared at each other in the mirror.
After a few minutes, I finally broke the silence. "Do you always do this for girls that are on the verge of losing it?"
His gaze didn't break mine. "Just the one I care about."
I nodded. "They must like it," I whispered.
He slightly raised his brow, as his hold on me tightened. "Do you like it?" We continued to stare at each other. "I said just one."
My eyes widened. I could fall for him. I could fall for him hard. But girls like me didn't belong to guys like him. Suddenly he frowned as he reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone reading a text. Whatever it was must've been important, as his expression instantly went stern.
His eyes shot to mine. "I have to go."
I nodded. "Of course," I moved to untangle myself from his other arm, and walked out of the bathroom, with him following behind me to the living room. "Thank you for everything...and for looking after me. You didn't have to."
"I wanted to." He reached out and tucked a strand of hair behind my ear. "Get some rest, I'll check on you later."
* * *
And check on me later he did. The rest of the afternoon, he kept me occupied by sending me the most inappropriate hilarious memes he could find. Next thing I knew it was close to midnight, and he finally called.
