Open Windows

ONE

"Who the hell is calling me at this time?" I groaned knowing the question was stupid.

Just like every night it was Dakota, at this point it was routine. He calls everytime he's high, though sometimes I get lucky when he's mostly sober with a red solo cup in his hand and another girl on his arm.

I pick up hoping he hasn't done anything stupid yet.

"Hey babe can you come over?" He asks ignoring the fact that it's 3 in the morning knowing that I've been asleep for a couple hours already.

"No Dakota, I'm not coming over until you're sober. Stop calling me when you can't remember me in the morning."

I can hear him getting upset over the phone, his tone of voice shifting quickly "Come on baby I swear I'll remember you in the morning and the amazing night we'll have. I swear please just come see me it's so cold on this rooftop, though the view is almost as pretty as your eyes my love."

His voice sounds so genuine, once more I'll fall for these words and his pitiful compliments. His "I love yous" are only said when he's kissing my neck. None of this is real and yet every time he calls I'll answer the phone, sneak out of my bay window and end up in his bed the next morning. Laying in his sheets and drowning in the guilt of what I had done the night before.

"Don't do anything stupid. I'll be there in 5, please get down Dakota-" He hangs up without saying a word causing my panic to worsen more than before and my chest to tighten. I grab my keys from my nightstand and swiftly drop myself from windowsill and onto the first floors roof. I drop myself from the first floors roof, just as my feet hit the soft grass I run to the small grey Toyota mom had gotten me last year for my 17th birthday.

I can't help but speed down the road, trying to calm myself and not hit the red truck next to me.

3 minutes away and 3 things going through my head, why do I keep following his orders like a damn dog? I know he'll never actually do it, he doesn't have the balls to, but then why do I come at his command everytime? Is being loved for a second really worth it if I'm just a toy for his pleasure and amusement?

Parking my car next to his and going up the stairs to his apartment feels like a daily task, I don't have to think about what I'm doing my body just knows.

My hand hesitantly goes to knock on the pretty green door to my guilt but before my knuckles could even touch the door it swings open, car keys are visibly dangling off of hand. Dakota  aggressively grabs my wrist, his eyes are blood shot and his movements are sloppy. "Let's go for a ride hm?" He says grinning, his words are slurred and his fingers are pushing harder into my wrist, I can already feel the bruises coming through as my hand turns from a beige to an almost white color.

My head is screaming NONONONONO, my heart is pounding, my hands sweaty and shaking. "Dakota I'm not doing this shit tonight get inside. Now." I try to sound confident in my words, but my voice comes out shaky and scared. I have no one else and he knows it, he'll take advantage of me as many times as he wants because he knows I won't leave. My self pity thoughts are quickly interrupted by him roughly trying to dragging me to his rusty silver truck. "Dakota please stop, Dakota let go I'm begging you.." my pleads are ignored and yet I continue until we reach the car, my ugly cries continue to be ignored and a couple walking by speeds up.

"Come on just get into the car and quit crying, you're overreacting Ves." His voice is loud and angry, my head spins just waiting for this moment to end. My body grows tired after fighting for what feels like hours and I give in.

Dakota dropped his keys when I was trying to fight him, as soon as he leaves to get them from not even 10 feet away I swing the passenger door open and run. I'm winded and tired, the air in my lungs have left but I need to get away. I can't die yet, not like this.

My ass hits the pavement harder than expected leaving me disoriented for a second. What the hell did I hit??

"You ok girly?"