One Thousand Miles

Chapter  |  It's Another Date

Part  |  Two

I smiled at my reflection in the mirror before placing my hands on top of the heart shaped locket my grandmother let me borrow. I actually looked and felt beautiful tonight in a new cream colored dress that flowed all the way down to my knees and a jean jacket. I didn't know where Travis was taking me, but I was hoping it was nowhere too fancy. For one we had just met, so it would be pretty awkward if he took me to the most expensive restaurant in Austin.

I remember when John and I used to go out to fancy restaurants in the city. Even when the abuse was going on he still took me out on romantic dates. He'd tell me how beautiful I looked that night, even though my face was caked with makeup and my arms and legs were covered by sweaters and stockings. I would just look down at the table and nod my head with the smallest smile on my face before whispering, "Thank you."

After that the night went it whatever direction it decided to go in.

Sometimes it went in a good direction where the night ended well, and other times it went in the wrong direction where the night ended badly. Normally John would get jealous if we had a man serving us because he would think he was staring at me too long. Once we arrived home he would beat me and throw out the clothes I wore that night.

The first time he had done that I was shaking for the next three days...

"You like walking around like a slut? Do you want the guys to look at you the way they do?" he shouts down at me. I just laid there on my side holding my assaulted cheek. Tears feel down my cheeks and onto my hand as I continued to cry. When I didn't answer John fast enough, I heard him begin to take his belt off. "Answer me goddammit!"

I cry even harder at the sound of his belt coming off before shutting my eyes tight and shaking my head quickly. "No, just please stop! Please, please I'm sorry!"

Suddenly he reaches out and grabs me by my throat. His voice and words send a chill down my spine because of how cold and dark he sounded. "Don't you ever tell me what to do, do you understand me? I make the rules around here and you---"

"Yes, yes baby I hear you and I'm sorry! Just please let me go. I---"

Before I can finish speaking, his hand tightens around my neck and lifts my head up from the bed. Before I can prepare myself he backhands me across the face so hard my head falls back on the bed. I whimper and cry out in pain before quickly bringing up arms up and cover my head and face just in case he sent another blow my way. I could feel the blood falling from my nose and over my lips to my chin.

"Don't you ever interrupt me when I'm speaking to you! Do you hear me, Stephanie Schmidt?" he asks as he leans in close to me. I could feel his hot breath on my skin as he spoke so chillingly towards me.

Slowly I nod my head and say quietly, "Yes."

"Yes what? Its either yes John or yes sir," he growls.

My eyes widen at that before I start to quickly nod my head again just as a cry leaves my lips. "Yes John."

Suddenly his breath is gone and I hear the jingle of his belt buckle which causes my body to tense up. "Really because I don't think so, maybe I should just teach you another lesson just so I know for sure you understand me."

And before I knew it, the cool leather against my skin makes me to cry out in pain. Barely a second later I felt another hit, and then another, and another. I could faintly hear John screaming things at me as I cried at and moved my body and awkward positions to try to block his hits. It was over, but it felt like it was over after three days and not three or less minutes.

John grabbed me by arm roughly and yanked me off the bed so I was now on my knees on the floor. I looked down making my hair cover my face before slowly looking up at John in between my hair. Slowly he raised his hand, making me flinch, and moved the hair out of my sticky face. Slowly he ran his knuckles over my cheek before letting it rest on my chin.

He leaned down slightly and tilted my hand up with his index finger. "You love me?" I looked up at him for a few seconds before slowly nodding my head. He smiled slightly before moving his hand from underneath my chin and bringing it down to the button of his pants. My heart started to pound in my chest as I eyed the bulge in his pants before bringing my eyes back up to him. I closed my eyes once I heard the sound of his zipper and him reaching inside for himself.

"J-John, I---"

"You love me right?" he asks.

I sigh and nod my head. "Yes, John."

He smiles. "Then show me."

I sigh and snap myself out of my thinking. Just the thought of what happened next caused me to visibly cringe. That was the first and only time John had made me pleasure him orally. I felt so belittled and so disgusted I couldn't even look at myself in the mirror for the next three days. I lay in bed shaking and only coming out of bed to make and eat dinner or using the restroom and taking a shower.

"Stephanie, Travis is here!" I hear my grandmother call from downstairs.

I curse under my breath before taking the ponytail holder from around my wrist and pulling my hair back into a ponytail. I look at myself for the last time before smiling at my reflection. I looked so different just a few months ago on me and John's trip to Puerto Rico when I looked at myself in the mirror and noticed how beautiful I looked when I wasn't covered in so many different colors. 

I looked like Stephanie Hersh.

Quickly I finished up by putting on a little bit of lip gloss before heading downstairs to where my grandmother stood holding Cameron in her arms and Travis standing next to her with a smile on his face. He looked nice in his dark jeans and black T-shirt. The outfit definitely told me we weren't going somewhere too fancy. That was good.

"Hey," I said as I came to a stop in front of him and my grandmother.

He took in my appearance before looking in my eyes and giving me a warm smile. "You look great. You ready to go?"

I open my mouth before rummaging through my purse hanging over my shoulder. I stop looking once I find everything I need and smile up at him. "Ready."

We both say our goodbye's to my grandmother and I plant a long wet kiss on Cameron's lips before wrapping my arm around Travis' and heading out the door. I can hear my grandmother telling Cameron to wave to me as Travis and I make our way towards his pickup truck parked in his uncle's driveway. I slowly turn my head around and smile when I see Cameron slowly bouncing his chubby hand up and down.

It was weird not having Cammy at my side. I mean ever since he was born he was always by my side considering the fact that John never got home at a reasonable time so he could spend time with his son. Yeah, there were days when he was off and we would take Cameron on walks in the park or when he did let me go out back he would slip on some swimming trunks and swim around with Cameron resting his head on his shoulder. I knew John loved his son, but he didn't have enough time to hang out and sit with him.

I turned back around just as Travis came to a stop at the car door before he opened it up for me. I smiled and gave him a quick thank you before getting in and putting on my seat belt. Once I was buckled in he shut my door and came over to the driver's side and got in. He smiled at me and I smiled back as I watched him put his seat belt on and start the car. The loud vroom sound caused me to jump a few feet in the air and Travis to chuckle before backing out of the driveway.

"So where are we going?" I ask as we drive down the road.

"It's a surprise," he says as he places his finger over his lips as if he were telling me or himself to be quiet.

I laugh and shake my head. "Can't wait to see the surprise."

We found ourselves at a very popular bar that had dancing, pool, a very other games, and television to watch. It was a nice place and definitely a great pick for a first date. I was glad it wasn't anything over the top since we did just meet yesterday afternoon. I was a fool for actually say yes to going out on a date with him since I probably won't be able to trust another guy for the next five years, but if my grandmother said he was a friendly guy then why not give him a shot?

I currently sat a booth watching as Travis played a round of pool with a group of guys. He asked if I wanted to join him when the round first started after we ate, but I declined his offer. I just wanted to sit and sip on the alcoholic beverage I had ordered with my food. I was never a drinker until John, but with how bad things went between us I really did need a drink after all of the chaos.

I smiled once I noticed Travis staring at me before taking a sip from drink. Once I sat my drink down on the table I turned to look at Travis and noticed he was waving me over. I shook my head and smiled. He just continued to wave me over mouthing the words, "come on." I sigh and shake my head before slowly up and heading over to where Travis stood.

"You know how to play, Stephanie?" he asks with a smile on my face.

I open my mouth before quickly closing it and shaking my head. "No I don't know how to play. I don't think I've ever seen a pool table in my life matter of fact."

All the men standing around the table gasped or just looked at me shocked as I blushed. I heard Travis chuckle before he stepped behind me so his chest was pressed against my back. I tense up when he wraps his arms around me before placing the pool stick in my hand and moving his hands away. I let out a small sigh of relief before grabbing the stick in my hands the right way.

"Good so you already know how to hold it. Now, what you're going to do next is point it at that ball right there. Great, now you're going to hit that ball so that ball goes into the hole. Simple enough right?" he says as he takes a step back so his chest was no longer on my back.

I finally let out a huge sigh of relief that could be brushed off as a deep concentrating breath I take before I take the shot. Just to get this done and over with I listen as Travis continues to tell me how to hit the ball before finally taking the shot, making the ball go in the hole. I couldn't stop the huge grin from appearing on my face and I most definitely couldn't control myself when I turned around and hugged Travis.

Too happy to have a miniature panic attack I start jumping for joy. "Oh my gosh I can't believe I just made a shot. And I've never even played this game before. I mean it's not like John would have let me anyway."

As soon as the words leave my mouth I gasp and quickly cover my mouth. Travis looks at me for a moment before raising an eyebrow that told me he was confused. Quickly before he started to ask questions I ran back over to the booth and moved in next to the wall. I quickly shut my eyes tight to keep my tears from falling. I couldn't believe I had just done that.

It wasn't long before I felt the spot beside me dip and the sound of Travis' heavy breathing in my ear. I sat there for a moment before opening my eyes and removing my hand from my mouth. I turned in the booth so I was now facing him and looked right into his nice friendly eyes. "I lied." He just looked at me as if telling me to go on. I take in a deep breath before saying, "I'm married. I'm married to Cameron's father who's probably not even New York anymore because...because...because he's looking for me."

A sob leaves my mouth and a tear falls from my eyes, but Travis is quick to wipe it away with his thumb. "Shh," he cooed. "It's okay."

I shake my head as he continues to wipe my tears away with his thumb. "No it's not okay because I promised my grandmother I would give you a shot and I did, but I didn't even tell you the truth. I-I was scared to tell you because I knew you would have been upset."

He continues to wipe my tears away before sighing and looking into my red puffy eyes. "I...I have no right to be upset because you're a married woman who has a husband somewhere out there. The only thing I should be upset about is the fact that your husband isn't here to comfort you. Tell me Stephanie, why is your husband looking for you."

So there it was. The number one question I didn't want to answer, but I knew I couldn't just leave Travis hanging after I lied to him. It was only fair if I came clean and told him what was going on so he wouldn't be so hurt in the end.

Sighing I say quietly, "Because I ran away."

He furrows his eyebrows together before leaning in a little closer so I could feel his breath on my face. I watch his brown eyes go back and forth before they lock on mine. "What do you mean by you ran away?"

I close my eyes and look down. I let out a humorless chuckle and sniffle. "I couldn't take it any longer."

"Take what?" he asks eagerly.

I slowly look up at him with my lips slightly parted before saying, "His abuse. I could no longer take being an abused housewife."

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