One Thousand Miles

Chapter  |  Seeing The Stars

Part  |  Two

I missed those days when my mother would wake me up for school and brush my hair. She'd tell me a lot of stories about what her life was like as a child. She'd also tell me stories about her teenage years and how she met my father. She told me it was love at first sight when they first laid eyes on each other in the beginning of year nine.

"Somebody day you'll meet somebody, and you two will love each other for the rest of your lives," my mother said as she brushed my hair back.

I smiled and moved a hair that had fallen into my face behind my ear. "How do you know somebody is the one for you?"

She smiled and continued to brush back my hair. "Well Steph, I don't think anybody knows the answer to that question. But to be honest, I think it's just this gut feeling you have. It's like you just know somebody is the one for you. Exactly how I felt about your father when I first laid eyes on him. He was a funny guy; I could tell that much as soon as I laid eyes on him when I turned onto that hallway where his locker was. He had a group of people surrounding him, each of them laughing at something he said. I just stopped and just looked at him and after a few short seconds he looked too. I guess he felt the connection between us because moments after he came over and talked to me."

She laughed, I guess remembering those days. I smile before asking, "Did you and daddy ever get into arguments?"

"Oh yes, no relationship is perfect, Steph. There will be good times and there will be bad times, but the best part is there are more good than bad," she said as she starts to braid my hair.

"Wait so....you and daddy fight?" I ask with a puzzled look.

She finishes with the braid before crouching down in front of me. She takes my small hands in hers and smiles. "Not all the time, but yes. Even though we argue from time to time doesn't mean anything. It just means that we're like any other couple out there. And someday like I said before, you'll find a guy and you two will be just like you're father and I. He'll make you feel happy, alive, and loved."

I remember that day like I remember my full name. It always put a smile on my face because I always thought that what she had said was true. I remember my crush on, Joshua Gregory, and how bad that turned out. We never dated or anything, but I really liked him. I thought he was the one until he pushed me off his balcony, causing me to break my arm. After I let him go I thought I wouldn't find anyone else, well that was until I met John. Just like mom and dad, I instantly felt a connection when our eyes met. He felt it too.

As the years passed us by, I thought that we would always be happy together just like mom said we would. He made me feel happy, alive, and loved just like how dad made mom feel. We'd had arguments over the years just like any normal couple, like mom said. We were just like mom and dad.

Except, mom never said dad had laid a hand on her....

The clapping sound continued to replay in my head as my head quickly whirled to the side. The slap was quick, but I felt like we were going in slow motion. It felt like my head was slowly going to the side and my hair was slowly flying in my face. My hand slowly came up to touch my face even though I knew I did it quickly. John's arms slowly wrapped themselves around my waist to keep me from falling to the floor, and then....

We just stood there.

There was no noise to be heard, except for both of our heavy breathing. Even though my head was now turned to the side I could still feel his eyes on me. I would have turned to look at him, but I couldn't bring myself to do it. If I did, I would fear him more than I did right now. 

There was only thing running through my head at this moment; run, and never look back.

It no longer feels like the world is going in slow motion because I quickly bring my knee up and hit in the groin. He groans in pain and grabs onto the counter for support. I take a step back and watch with wide eyes as he looks up at me with a wild look in his eyes.

Run, what are you doing just standing there?!

I quickly turn around and run out the kitchen. I can hear him calling my name and his heavy footsteps behind me. I can tell he starts out walking, but he soon breaks out running. I scream in fear and push myself to run faster to the door, but before I can even touch the knob, a pair of hands wraps themselves around my waist. I scream again, louder this time, as he lifts me up and throws me on the ground away from the door. I quickly back away as he slowly walks toward me. I turn around quickly to see what's behind me, but as soon as I turn back around his foot is coming straight for my face. It hits my jaw and cry out in shock and pain.

"Stop, please!" I cry. He uses one hand to grab onto my shirt before pulling me up so our eyes meet. "Stop, please, stop! Let go of me!"

His other hand comes flying towards my face and I quickly shut my eyes with a yelp. As soon as his fist connects with my right eye I feel my shirt slipping from his hand. I land on the ground with a thud before pulling myself into a fetal position. I hold my hand out in front of me to block the painful blows.

"Please stop, John, please. No more," I say quietly.

I can hear his heavy breathing, but after a while it starts to go back to normal. "Oh god, Steph baby, I am so sorry!"

I slowly lift my head to look up at him and notice the shock in his eyes. I slowly stand up and take a step back, but he takes a step forward. He slowly wraps his arms around me and pulls me into his chest. I try to push him away, but he just holds me tighter. I sigh and stop trying.

"Stephy, baby, I am so, so sorry. Please forgive me, I promise you I won't do it again. Steph, please look at me," he says as he places his index finger on my chin and lifts it up. He examines my jaw before turning my head to the side to get a good look at my cheek. He hisses like a snake before moving his hand away. "Does it hurt?"

"Yes," I whisper while nodding my head.

He lets out a breath of air before placing a kiss on my jaw, cheek, and lips. He runs his thumb over my closed right eye and grimaces. "Baby, I'm so sorry, please forgive me."

I look him in the eye and notice how sad, scared, and shocked he was. I could tell he was truly sorry, but that was before I saw something else in his eyes. It was as he was daring me to say no, which just made me even more fearful of him.

I gulp before quietly saying the word he wanted to hear,

"Forgiven..."

The next day at work, I try my best to hide my damaged face. I wore sunglasses and face the floor. Whenever somebody passed me by and said a quick hello, I would slightly nod my head and continue walking. I would look up really quick to see where I'm going, but quickly look back down before someone saw something they shouldn't. 

After I had forgiven him, I went back to cooking dinner while he just stood there watching me with his arms crossed. I used my hair to cover my face, but he would take a step forward and move it out the way before stepping back. It was silent when we ate, but just I'm finishing off my food he says, "I don't want anybody knowing about what just happened, do you understand?"

I nodded my head and took my last bite.

The way he had said it sounded like a threat which is why I was scared of somebody spotting the bruises. Again I quickly looked up and spotted the break room just a couple of feet away. I ran as fast as I could into the break room before shutting and locking the door behind me. I sigh and take a seat in the same chair I had been sitting in yesterday before all of the chaos. I sit there for a few minutes before opening my purse and pulling out a small mirror. I examine my now bruised jaw, blackened eye, and red cheek. I sigh before slowly closing it and sticking in back inside my purse. I sit for a moment, fighting back tears until a sob escapes my lips.

One tear falls.

Then two.

Then three.