Shadows in a Window // Luke Hemmings

chapter 2 • starbucks

My eyes open to the warm sun shining through the window. I smile at the warmth as I hear light snoring next to me. As my head turns to face him my smile fades and all the memories from last night come flooding back. I try to quietly get up out of bed but yelp in pain from all the fresh bruises coving my body. I lay back down in bed as my eyes fill with tears from the pain. I'm tempted to stay in bed and continue sleeping but if I do I know I'll get in trouble for doing so.

Finally I manage to swing my legs over the side of the bed. They dangle over the side and my feet hit the cold tiles causing goose bumps rise on my legs. I wince in pain as I stand up on my shaky weak legs before heading down to the kitchen.

Searching the kitchen cupboards I try to find something substantial for Ryan's breakfast but fall short.

"You've got to be kidding me." I whisper to myself as I search through ever inch of the kitchen.

My mind is in a mess as I can only imagine what Ryan will do if he doesn't wake up to a hot breakfast. I glance up at the clock causing even more panic to set in. It's 7:45am which means Ryan will be up in fifteen minutes. I turn back to the cupboards hoping to find a loaf of bread or even some eggs that I may have missed but there's nothing.

I jump as I hear someone clear their throat behind me. Turning around I'm met, face to face with my boyfriend.

"Morning Ryan." I greet him with a fake smile.

"Why can't I smell my breakfast cooking?" He asks as he takes a step closer to me and holds his arm out.

"B-because there wasn't any food." I stutter out as I hold my arms out also to be embraced in a hug.

"That's not the right answer." He tells me with a streak of angry in his voice.

Instead of hugging me he brings his hand down hard onto my cheek, making me stumble back.

"I-I'm sorry Ryan. I can go and get you some breakfast right now, w-what would you like?" I stutter out as I look up into his raging eyes.

"No!" He screams as me making my body flinch.

"I'll have to get something on the way to work myself." He says emphasising the word myself.

"I'm sorry Ryan, I really am." I reply timidly.

"Stop apologising. If you managed to do things right then you wouldn't need to apologise and I wouldn't need to get angry." He tells me as I look down at my hands which are shaking in fear.

"Why don't you go do something useful and go buy some fucking food for this house." He spits at me as he gets his wallet off the bench and throws the money at me which makes me feel like a slut or some type of bar dancer.

I just nod, afraid, as I collect the money off the floor and he walks upstairs to get ready for work.

"Oi I want steak and fries for dinner." He beckons at me from the top of the stairs.

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As soon as Ryan leaves for work I go directly to the shower. I turn the hot water on and rid my body of the cloths I'm wearing. I look down at my body and a silent tear trickles down my face and lands on my foot as I stare at all the bruises and scars that cover my body. My body is so thin and broken but that's how Ryan likes it. He says that I'm beautiful to only him, he always tells me that no other guy will ever like my body and I think that's half the reason he beats me. He doesn't want any guy to ever find me attractive.

Finally I feel the steam of the shower hit my skin and I step underneath the soothing water to try and numb the pain covering my body. The water stings the cuts and causes my bruises to welt but at the same time it relieves the pain in my neck and back. After the water starts to run cold I step out and wrap a towel around my small body. I search my wardrobe for something comfortable that covers up all my bruises and end up with a pair of black tracksuit pants and a grey t-shirt. Ryan never lets me buy revealing cloths because he doesn't want any guys looking at me and trying to get my attention. Not that, that would ever happen, I'd be terrified of what Ryan would do if I even looked at a guy let a lone talked to them.