Life of the Party

Part 2, chapter 9

POV : Shawn

Alyssa didn't answer the phone yesterday when I called her at 5.30 like she said. She didn't answer the six other calls and the text messages either... Something's wrong. I know it. I don't know what and I don't know how to help her, and that's why today was a bad day. I kept being clumsy, breaking my glass at lunch and making my guitar fall on the floor, which eventually broke it too... Everyone is mad at me because I can't focus on what I'm doing, but my mind keeps focusing on Alyssa, no matter how hard I try to pay attention to my crew...

What happened to her ?

POV : Alyssa

I slowly open my eyes to find myself lying on the floor of an unknown bedroom. I immediatly start panicking and look quickly around me. Wait... I know this bedroom. It's the one I was in yesterday night with James. The memories of the events come back to me and I'm relieved to see that I woke up where I lost consciousness yesterday, which probably means nothing happened further between him and I.

I get up slowly on my feet, as I can feel a huge pain in my head and stomach. I must admit he hit me really hard.

I am alone in the bedroom. The clock on the wall indicates 10.30 am. James must have been to school. I grab a piece of bedsheet to cover my naked body and slowly open the door. There is no noise in the rest of the house. Thank God I'm alone! In the room, my shirt is torn and so is my skirt, I have nothing to wear to go home... After all James did to me, I think I can allow myself to take some clothes for me! I walk around the house and find upstairs his sister's bedroom. She's a bit older than me so I guess I'll fit in her clothes. Inside the big pink bedroom is a huge closet full of clothes, and a full length mirror. I can't resist to look at myself in it.

I shouldn't have. Tears roll down my cheeks as I look at the silhouette in front of me.

The girl I see in the mirror is skinny and full of bruises. Her stomach is entirely blue, she has rings under her eyes, with a small bruise at the corner of one eye, and her lip is cut. She's scary. How can this be me? Is this really Shawn's girlfriend?

I turn around to stop seeing this and open the huge closet. There are so many clothes that James's sister won't even notice some are missing. I decide to pick a classic pair of jeans and a black hoodie, some clothes I won't be noticed in.

Back downstairs, I put on my shoes, grab my bag and discharged phone and walk to the front door. Wait. Holy crap he locked it! I turn around and walk back through the house to find a back door. When I find it, it's locked too. There are no other doors. Did he really lock me inside his house? He won't let me go!

I must go out, I won't stay trapped here! So I walk to the kitchen, open the window, hop out and run out of the residencial area.

It's a half an hour walk to get to my appartment so I have the time to think a bit and focus on myself and what to do now. It's nearly the holidays, next year we're going abroad. Hey! Today is the first day of signing in! I must go right now if I want to go to Toronto before all the places are taken! There is no way I'm going somewhere else! I need Shawn. I need him to protect me and to care for me, I've seen what it's like to be far from him! And I'll be able to see Jen and Leonor! And maybe Olly and Camila! Oh how I can't wait to see them!

I walk faster and faster as I arrive next to the school, and when I'm there I'm already running.

The good thing is that because I'm not wearing my clothes and I'm so full of bruises, People don't recognise me.

I run to the office to sign in and find myself queuing behind 7 pupils. Please let me go to Canada! Please let me see my boyfriend once again!

Time seems soooooo long! Excitement and nervosity keep growing inside me as I get closer to the lady signing us in.