“There is nowein this house, Harleigh. You’re nothing. Do you hear me? Nothing!” he yells. “You’re just the pathetic dogsbody.”
He stomps closer to me and pushes me against the door. He rips my shirt open, sending the buttons flying everywhere. He’s done this before, but I won’t let him take another strip from me.
I knee him in the groin, and he steps back from me enough to let me run away from him. I aim for the stairs, but he catches my leg and I fall up the steps, hitting my head on the step in front of me. My head feels fuzzy and my vision swims in and out of focus. I try to stand up and run, but Martin rounds on me from behind and pushes me into the stairs. Trying to break free from him, my face burns from the friction the carpet is causing. I feel like my back is going to snap with the pressure he has on me. The need to get Martin off me is heavy, but his weight is even heavier. I have no chance of getting him off me, not with how fuzzy my head feels and the nausea floating around my stomach.
I’m defeated before it’s even begun.
“You. Will. Not. Leave. Me. Bitch.” He spits into my neck.
He grabs the back of my neck with one hand and holds me down like someone would with a wild animal. His spare hand rips my trousers and pants down to my knees. It’s at this moment that I give in fighting this. The power is being drained from me by the second. He’s going to win. He always wins.
“This is mine.” He grabs my crotch and rams his finger inside of me painfully. It’s like he gets off on hurting me.
The tears fall down my cheeks relentlessly and my mind drifts off to another world where fluffy unicorns and glitter is the worst that can happen.
I like my make believe world.
Life would be so much better in my other world, away from all that’s evil. Away from this man.
Chapter 1
One Year Later
Harleigh
Looking out into the schoolyard where children play, it’s always a happy place. Children are carefree and joyful. It’s a time I can remember easily. Growing up, I wanted for nothing. I had everything I needed, including the love of my family and friends. I was one of those kids who looked forward to becoming an adult, living independently, but life changed quickly when reality hit me square in the face… literally. That first night when Martin come home from the pub with his colleagues and burst my lip should have been a wake-up call for me, but I forgave him time and time again.
“I’m sorry, Harleigh. I don’t know what came over me. It was a terrible mistake that won’t happen again. I promise. Please, forgive me.”
“Miss Harrison?” I look over my shoulder to the open door towards one of my students. Thankfully, my memory was broken before I could get stuck too deep.
“Yes, Sharlene. What can I do for you?”
I clasp my shaky hands between my knees to hide my uneasiness.
“Do you have that extra work you said you’d have for me today?”
“Ah, yes, of course.”
I remove my real-life mask and put in place my teacher mask, where I hide everything for my students’ sake. What am I saying? I hide away from myself too, because at school, I’m just their teacher. I don’t have to be anyone else. My students don’t expect anything from me other than the person they’ve come to know and like. The person that teaches them everything they need to know about English.
I stand from my desk and open my bag. I take out the folder I put together for Sharlene to work on while she’s away visiting family. The poor girl lost her mum three months ago and I’ve made sure to do all I can to help her study for her GCSEs next month. No child should have to bury a parent, especially not at a crucial stage of their learning, but cancer doesn’t care whose door it knocks upon.
“Here we go. I’ve written down my email address on the front page in case you want to ask me anything when you’re away.”
“Thanks, Miss. I appreciate all you’ve done for me. You’ve made me realise that English is the route I want to take when I leave school.”
I feel the pride soaring through me. If I never do anything right in my life again, Sharlene’s words will echo in my head forever.
“I’m glad I could help you. Don’t hesitate to contact me if you need anything. Anything at all.”
“Thank you. See you in two weeks.”
“Enjoy your trip.”
I watch Sharlene’s back, and for the first time in months, I have a genuine smile on my face. Returning to work after Martin’s attack on me was hard, but it was something I needed to do to take back some control of my life. The headmaster of the school I used to work in was happy to have me back when I made the call. I commute daily and enjoy it. It’s amazing what a bit of freedom does for the soul.
Each day, I take a piece of me back, but I doubt I’ll ever be whole again. Too much pain and heartache were caused at the hands of someone who was supposed to love me.
