Salvation

Chapter 12: How I met Nathan's family

Chapter Twelve: How I met Nathan's family

Edited and Rewritten

I am startled awake by the feeling of cold water being thrown over me. I cough and splutter as I jolt up from the couch. I look up as I wipe water from my eyes, and I see David staring angrily at me - just as I am about to say something, he storms into the kitchen. Ever since Friday night after the charity ball, I have been walking on eggshells around David. I have stayed sleeping on the couch on Saturday night as I didn't want to dare to sleep in our bed until David gets back into his usual mood.

My phone begins to ring, and I look at Nathan's name, flashing on the cracked screen of my phone.

"Hello," I say; a yawn escapes my lips as I squeeze the water from my damp hair. I sit back down on the wet couch as I wait for Nathan to talk.

"Did you forget?" Nathan's voice calls to me.

"About what?" I ask him, running a hand through my hair, as I watch David stamping around the living room, grabbing his empty wallet and storming back into the kitchen, glaring at me as he goes.

"Lunch with my family. My mother made you promise to come and have a traditional Malaysian meal," Nathan tells me, his voice breathy. I jump up from the couch, as panic fills me as I remember that it's Sunday.

"Yes, of course. That's today," I say, faking my confidence. I look into the mirror that is hanging up on the wall. I am a mess; my wet hair is wild and crazy; bruises are covering my features and down into shoulders. A deep worrying, sadness bores into my stomach, and I can't seem to focus on anything but the phone in my hand as my breath sticks in my throat.

"I'll pick you up in an hour," Nathan tells me cheerily before hanging up. I let out a deep groan as I begin to worry about how to tell David that I am having Lunch with Nathan without him losing his temper.

I slowly walk into the kitchen, my hands shaking by my hips. I see David tearing into a piece of toast, almost as if he was devouring ribs. He sits hunched over at the kitchen table. He looks up at me, his eyes look over me, and I can tell he is taking in every detail of my behaviour. His eyes drift to my hands, and I quickly clasp them in front of me to hide the shaking and my fear.

I lean my head against the doorway as I watch him slowly stand up from his seat. David puts his plate into the sink and turns to look at me. I smile at him as his eye sparkle under the kitchen light. He smiles back, and a warmth spreads through me as he walks towards me. He kisses me lightly on the lips, and I pull him into my chest, wrapping my arms around him.

"I am going out for the day, so I'll be back in the evening," David tells me, and I feel relief fill me as I can go to lunch without worrying about him being alone and angry in the house. I press my face into his chest as his hands run down my back. I bite my lip before looking up at him.

I clear my throat before talking to him, "Um, I have been invited to lunch today so that I won't be back until the evening either,"

I put my face back into his chest as I wait for his reaction, but his hands don't stop running over my back. He doesn't get angry, and I slowly look up at him.

"Oh, a nice girl's lunch will be good," He tells me, putting emphasis on the word girls, and my stomach sank. I feel my mouth going dry, I look up at him, and I knew at that moment that I have to lie to him.

"Yeah, it's a girl's lunch in town, with that girl Amy, I was telling you about ages ago," I say to him, and he nods, smiling at me. He kisses my forehead, and I look into his eyes that have the power to bewitch and control me. I feel his hands slide from my back to my forearms and put my face back into his chest.