Seraphine

ten

Seraphine

Derek was beyond pissed when she didn't come home right away after class. That buzzing she'd felt in Dr. Brummer's office was him pinging her phone, finding her location. She'd almost ran home, not wanting to make him angrier, but instead she walked leisurely, trying to get her tears to stop.

And, of course, trying to understand why she made yet another split second decision that Derek would hate.

She'd agreed to be her professors' assistant. Sure, Dr. Reeves detailed it as grading and paperwork, but it still felt so...taboo.

She wasn't a Teaching Assistant trying to get a degree in higher education; nor was she a tutor trying to help other students understand the material. She would be an assistant to four of her professors--four professors who happened to be very close, and, according to Liliana, run a mafia.

Though she wasn't quite sure she believed that part--the school wouldn't allow them to work here if they were part of the mafia.

Then again, if they paid the school...

Seraphine shakes her head as she turns onto the street where her and Derek's apartment is. Her mind instantly freezes, her stomach knotting itself. She feels another wave of nausea rise up, and for a second she thinks she's actually sick with the flu.

But she knows what it really is: dread. Fear. Horror.

Seraphine sighs as she climbs the steps of their building to the second floor, finding their door and sliding her key in the lock.

She's barely turned it before the door is wrenched open and a firm hand is wrapped around her throat, dragging her inside.

Seraphine drops her keys and her bag, not caring that her laptop might be broken as she claws at Derek's hand wrapped around her throat.

"D-Derek--" she croaks, eyes stinging with tears as she finally sees him. His eyes are rimmed red, like he's been drinking, and she inhales as deeply as she can only to choke on the stench of alcohol.

"You're a fucking slut," he finally speaks, his words slurred together. Seraphine tries a different tactic, swatting and punching his chest, but he only shoves her up against the wall and lifts her off her feet by her neck.

Seraphine's eyes bug out of her head as he presses on her esophagus, blocking her airway and cutting off her blood flow.

"Derek," comes her weak plea, and Derek's eyes narrow. He glares at her for a few more moments before finally letting go, snatching his hand away so fast she falls to her knees on the ground.

She coughs and heaves, both hands rubbing her neck. Tears stream down her cheeks as she looks up at her boyfriend, who merely shakes his head before stalking into the kitchen.

"Derek," her voice is hoarse, almost unrecognizable, and when she finally rises on shaky legs, she catches her reflection in the hall mirror and gasps. Her neck is red, and five distinct bruises are already starting to form.

I can't go out in public like this!

"Derek," she tries again, coughing through the simple name. She somehow makes her way to the kitchen, where she finds him gulping down a Bud Light. There are three other empty beer bottles scattered around the counters, and she wonders how quickly he drank them.

"I started this morning, when I realized you were seeing someone else." He states matter-of-factly, taking Seraphine by surprise.

"W-What?" She asked, still confused by this whole situation. Derek shakes his head and wipes his mouth with the back of his hand.

"You're cheating on me. Aren't you, slut?" He accuses her again of cheating on him, and again she shakes her head.

"No?" It comes out as a question because she's so fucking confused. Why would he accuse her of cheating on him when he's been controlling her every move for a year now?

"Liar."

"Derek, I--" he lifts a hand and finally looks at her, really looks at her. She feels a new slew of tears come to the forefront of her eyes, and sniffs.

She really wants to get out of her dirty clothes, she wants to take a shower and scrub herself clean, she wants to go back and refuse Dr. Brummer's request to go on a walk with him, she wants the old Derek back.

Seraphine wants for so many things her heart aches.

"We're going out tonight. Gonna show you who you belong to." He murmurs so quietly she almost doesn't catch it, but when she does, her eyes widen. Her hand comes back up to cradle her reddened, bruising neck, and Derek's eyes follow the motion.

For a split second, she swears she sees guilt flash across his brown eyes. But, then it's gone, and he's tipping back another Bud Light.

"You have makeup. Use it." Is all he says before he walks to the living room and collapses on the couch, reaching for the remote to turn up the TV volume.

Seraphine doesn't move for a few seconds, and when she does, her whole body is trembling.

She knows what "going out" means to Derek--go to a club, or a bar, find some man to please, and then steal her away with pride, saying "that's my girl." They haven't gone out in two years.

She used to love going out with him, used to love the thrill of knowing he'd come save her from whoever he chose for the night. Now, she dreads it.

But, instead of protesting, she meekly walks to the bedroom and closes the door. She leans back against it and places her hand against her parted lips, muffling her cries.

Where has my Derek gone? What have I done?