Maze [Completed]

MAISIE

"Maze! Maze!"

I slumped further down the door and cupped my hands over my ears, trying to plug out the noise. 

Silence.

Then it began, the banging and kicking on the door. I could feel the force of it through the wood. 

"Maze! Let me in!"

It would stop soon and he would go to sleep, I would be able to leave the bathroom that I had barricaded myself in and tidy up the mess he'd made. 

"Maze!" The slurring worsened and I could tell that he was tiring. He gave a half hearted kick to the door and I jumped as it radiated onto my back. 

I listened intently, my head turned so that my ear was pressed right against the door. I heard him scuffle and drag himself to the living room and the gentle 'oomph' of air that escaped from him as he fell onto the couch. 

I pulled myself up and held onto the edges of the sink, the cool ceramic calming me. If I looked up, I'd see my reflection and I didn't want to. I hated this part. 

I inhaled and straightened up, my gaze fixed firmly onto my reflection.

Shit, this was not good.

The old oversized t-shirt I had been wearing had been ripped off at the seam on my shoulder, I could see bruising and the grip marks on my upper arm. My neck was red from where he'd grabbed it, forcing the air out of me and he'd split my lips. I angled my head side to side to look for fingermarks and was thankful that I couldn't see any. Oddly, I was glad. I was running out of excuses for what was happening and I didn't want anyone to see something that I couldn't explain. I winced as I noticed that he'd pulled a chunk of my hair out near my ear. 

I wasn't going to cry, I couldn't, he'd hear me and if I woke him up...I shuddered at a sudden memory of being dragged out of bed by my ankles. I inhaled and exhaled slowly then fixed my hair, covering the raw area and eyed my lips critically. I'd have to say I'd fallen. I can cover my neck and arms up and nobody will notice. 

I yanked the t-shirt over my head and inspected the fading marks from the previous times. The ones that Dylan had seen. My stomach swooped at the thought of him. I'd nearly cried when he touched me so gently, like I was made of porcelain and I'd wanted to tell him everything so badly but couldn't. 

I had kissed him.

He'd held onto me as if I was the only thing that mattered and, in that moment, I'd let myself believe that I was. It had been nearly three weeks since I'd seen him and there was a strange hollow feeling in my stomach that I couldn't explain. I thought of him in the water, swimming towards me. His shoulders and arms toned and tanned. The way he shoved his glasses back up his nose when they inched down.

I shrugged the images away and crept slowly to the door. I unbolted it and pulled it open gently. 

Silence.

I stepped out quickly and quietly made my way into the bedroom. I found another baggy t-shirt and shoved it on, before pulling on my trainers. I had some paperwork to do at the studio before my classes tomorrow and when I came back, I'd clean and bring him some food. He'll kiss me and pretend it's all ok when it really isn't and I'll let him because...

I gnawed my lower lip, grimacing as I tasted blood, I don't know why anymore. 

I stepped back into the hall and was just unlocking the door to leave when I felt a heavy pressure on my shoulder. I closed my eyes, I'd been so close.

"Where are you going?" His voice crawled into my ear, his breath hot and heavy on my neck. 

"Just to work," I replied as calm as I could.

"No. You're not," He tugged onto my arm, pulling  me away from my escape and I followed him because I knew what the alternative would be.

"Ok, Si."