One Thousand Miles

Chapter  |  One Thousand Miles

Part  |  One

It was finally over, the end of my abusive relationship with John. Well we have to go to court and finalize the divorce and of course the custody battle, which I knew would be ugly. I tried not to think about it and sometimes it was easy not to, but every time I heard the sound of my baby's laughter I could just feel the gears starting to turn in my head. They were going to be working overtime for a while...

The morning after I got in contact with my father about divorcing John I confessed to John. He had got himself a hotel room and stayed there for the night. Well it took some time before I finally convinced him to let me stay the night in the hospital. Right after I got off the phone with my father he came into the room and told me we were leaving to go to the hotel.

"No," I say so quietly I'm surprised he even heard me.

I peek up at him and notice the angry beast fighting to be free, but I could tell that John was trying to keep his cool and control his anger by how calm he sounded when he spoke. "Stephanie, baby please don't make this so complicated. I'm sure you'd rather sleep on a king sized bed in the penthouse suite rather than a single sized bed in a hospital. Plus you wouldn't have to sleep in your clothes; I managed to get your stuff out that ladies car so you'll be able to change into a gown or something."

 A gown? All of my gowns were lace and see-through and gifts from John just for his pleasure. Back at home when he was in his good moods after work he'd ask me to change into one of the gowns or some other lingerie before asking me to strip for him. It was embarrassing, but I knew I had to do what he said or else he'd beat me black and blue.

I sighed and lifted my head before shrugging my shoulders at him. "I don't care John; I just want to stay here. I...I don't want to leave Cameron here alone. If I did I wouldn't even be able to sleep at night knowing that he was here all by himself."

He breathed out through his nose and placed his hand over his mouth. "Stephanie, just come with me and we'll come right back in the morning. He's just a baby; he won't know that you're gone. Come on we'll go to the hotel, wash up a bit, and head to sleep. That's all we're doing."

I stared at him for a moment and let his words digest before letting the fear run through my body. Even though he made it seem like the night at the hotel would be harmless, I could tell just by the tone of his voice that he would be anything but. If I went with him tonight I would return the next day with bruises all over my body and maybe a pair of sunglasses covering my eyes. He'd probably do some...other things to me too.

I was just about to open my mouth and tell him no again when Dr. Waters enters the room once again. She looks a little shocked to see John, but then she quickly turns and gives me a look. She was probably wondering if I told John about the divorce yet...

After Dr. Waters gave me a few blankets to keep warm during the night, that's when John decided to just leave and not cause a scene. Once I was alone in my room I cried at how terrible my marriage had turned out and how close I had come to being beat and raped again.

The next day when John came to get both Cameron and I, I told him that I wasn't leaving with him and that I was done being his punching bag. He was confused at first, but that's when I broke the news to him that I was divorcing him. He shockingly didn't make a scene, but he did look shocked. There were very few moments that John was shocked or surprised, normally he knew when something was going to happen but not this time...

I ended up staying in New Mexico for about a day because my father came and picked me up a few hours after John rushed out of the hospital. We didn't arrive home until early the next morning. I have never shed so many tears, not even during the five years I've been married to John. Seeing my family again and knowing that I no longer had to worry about not seeing them made me very emotional.

Later than day when the sun came up, I got a surprise visit from my old friend Todd. I don't know how long I held him for but I don't think he seemed to mind. After hugging each other we sat down and caught up. He met Cameron and told me about his wife who married three years before. He still had no kids of his own, but apparently his niece was calling him dad now. And before he left he even offered me a job. I declined his offer.

As much as I loved and missed my old job, after five years of being locked up and beat to death almost every day I no longer wanted to go back to the old Stephanie...

A week after returning home, Tanya came to see me and immediately brought me in for a tight hug. She asked about where I had gone, but I only told her a few things and left out a lot. After that I asked her if she would be able to drop me off at what used to be home to pick some clothes and other personal items. She agreed and we wasted no time getting in the car.

As soon as we pulled up to the big iron gates, memories of everything I had went through behind these gates came back to me. I knew that I no longer needed to worry since I was no longer on the other side, but I knew every time I saw these gates I would feel an ache in my heart.

The guard at the gate surprisingly let us in and that when the real fear kicked in. It's been so long since I've been here and it's been a week since I last saw John, I didn't think I was ready to see him again. I tried my best to look confident as I waited for John to answer the door, but I could slowly feel my mask coming off. 

As soon as John opened the door, my eyes widened at the sight of him. His hair was messy and going in all kinds of ways, the button down shirt he was wearing was half tucked in half sticking out, and he had dark circles underneath his eyes as if he hadn't gotten any sleep in days. While one of his hands held the door open, the other nursed a glass of red colored wine.

I shook my head slightly before looking him straight in the eyes with as much confidence as I can. "Hey I um...I'm just here to um...get some of my stuff." He just stands there and just stares down at me before slowly licking his lips. My eyes slowly go down and are met by the bulge in his pants. Instantly my eyes go back up to his and I no longer want to be here. "Please?"

He continues to stand for a few more seconds before stepping out of the way. I stand there for a moment before quickly stepping through the door. I look around at the familiar walls and furniture and let all the good bad memories come back to me. Slowly I walked down the hallway and kept to a stop once I was in front of the living room archway. I looked inside and almost tear up at the painful memories.

"Are you going to behave?" he asked as he rolled my body over with one hand while the other held a belt behind his shoulder, ready to be used.

Slowly I nod my head, but flinch and bring my hands up to cover my face when he jumps at me as if he were about to swing. "Yes."

I sigh and continuing walking until I'm upstairs and in the bedroom John and I once shared. I didn't want to waste any time or be there any longer so I quickly walk over to the closet and opened the doors with a lot of force. The first thing I saw when I opened up these doors was me on the floor with my knees to my chest and my arms wrapped around them. I was rocking back and forth as I screamed and balled my eyes out...

"You can stay in here until you learn to act right. I don't want to hear any screaming, crying, nothing. Don't make me have to come back in here because if I do I'll straighten you out real good and fast. Don't play with me Stephanie," he said before taking a step back and slamming the closet doors shut. I could hear the sound of his belt buckle as he tied it around the doorknobs to keep me locked in here.

My breathing quickened and I felt my tears falling faster. I started to scream and kick at the door and wall, but nothing seemed to help. 

Suddenly the sound of footsteps quickly approaching the door caused me to stop and terrified is what I became. The closet doors were ripped open and there stood a crazy eyed John holding a leather belt in his hand. I screamed as loud as I could and moved back until I hit the wall, but John reached inside and grabbed a handful of my hair before pulling my head back just as he swung the belt forward. I screamed in pain when it came in contact with my face before I bring my hands up to the top of my head and try to get his hand out of my hair. Unexpectedly, I felt a blow to the face and something wet dripping from my nose. It was probably a mixture of snot and blood.

"Stop!" I scream at the top of my lungs as he repeatedly punches me in my face.

I shake my head and try my best to forget that day. Quickly I tore the few clothes that were hanging up off their hangers before throwing them down on the bed. I sighed and took a step back from the bed before wiping my forehead with the back of my hand.

"Stephy."

Quickly I whip around and find John standing in the doorway, no longer holding his glass of wine. When he takes a step toward me my eyes widen and I'm frozen. As soon as he's close enough to touch me he reaches his hand out and I immediately take a step back before shaking my head. "Don't touch me," I mumble as I look down at the floor.

A sound escapes from the back of his throat and I quickly look up at him. "Stephy, baby you can't leave me. Baby you know I'm sorry and I never meant to hurt you. Baby please stay, I'll get better I promise," he says as he steps forward once again, and before I can step back he wraps his arms around my waist and pulls me into his chest. "I'll go counseling or anger management, I'll go anywhere that'll make me better baby. I'll come from work earlier and spend time with you and Cameron. I'll be a better father and help you out a whole lot more with Cameron. Baby I'll do anything, just please stay."

I bite my lip and push him away from me. I could tell he had, had a little too much to drink just by how he had stumbled after I pushed him away. Once he caught his balance he looked up at me with wide eyes. I take a step back and shake my head at him. "I refuse to let you treat me as if I'm your punching bag. Its times like this that you apologize and start saying things like you'll get help. John, I've been married to you for over five years now, I know you. I waited so long for you to go back to the John I met back in college, but you never did so it's too late. I don't want to ever see you unless it's in court. Goodbye John."

I start to walk out the room to retrieve a bag to put my clothes in, but the sound of John's laughter caused me to stop and face him. He grins slightly and grabs onto the bed for support. "Stephanie, you're either going to stay here with me or you leave, but I will make sure I have custody of my son. So you pick Stephanie."

I look at him with wide eyes and try my best to keep my tears from falling. John would do something like that, but was I willing to stay here and get beat to a pulp or risk losing my son just because I didn't stay with him and take the abuse. I knew that John would most likely win the custody battle, but there was a chance, very slim, that I could keep Cameron. It was as if the walls were closing in on me and there was no more air my lungs.

Quickly I ran out the room and didn't look back...

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SORRY FOR NOT UPDATING IN SO LONG! School is bitch.... NO ONE CHAPTER LEFT! I am going to miss writing this story so so so so much! I remember when I started this story back in February. Honestly this book wasn't even supposed to get as famous as it did. One Thousand Miles is my baby and I'm not sure if I want to publish her or not... Guys what would you think if I published it?

Anywho, for those of you who don't know there will be a sequel to this story called One Thousand Faces. I sadly still cannot tell you what it is about because next chapter (the last chapter) WILL BE A BIG SHOCKER (well at least I think it will).

OH and for all you Directioners out there..... I'M WRITING A ZAYN MALIK FANFIC. Its already posted on my profile and it is called Toxic. The first chapter has been posted and I will be working on that while I work on Good At Being Bad. Once one of them are finished I might start on One Thousand Face. Okay? Okay. <---- See what I did there. Ofc you do you lovely people.