“Let me get the other one!” Jemar shouted again as he walked back into the room. He grabbed what he needed, then left out without closing the door behind him. I wasn’t in the mood to get up with a big belly, but I wasn’t trying to hear his friends. I got up slowly and made my way to the door.
“Asshole,” I mumbled, then slammed the bedroom door, and before I got back to the bed, Jemar damn near raced in behind me. His presence of being so close behind made me scared and fearful.
“Fuck you slamming the door for!” He shouted with the door left wide open.
“You left the door open, and you see I’m trying to sleep.”
“I don’t see shit. Your lazy ass is always in bed. That’s all you do.”
“My back hurts.”
“I can’t wait until you have that baby. All you do is complain.”
“I’ll be glad to, and I can leave your ass,” I mumbled.
“What?!” He shouted. I didn’t say anything. He roughly snatched my arm to make me face him.
“Let me go!” I said.
“Or what?”
“I’m not in this mood for this today.”
“I don’t give a fuck what you’re not in the mood for.”
“Jemar-”
“I guess you still haven’t learned shit about talking to me any kind of way, huh?”
“I didn’t even-”
“Huh?” He shouted in my face. I didn’t say anything.
“That’s what I thought.” He said with a smirk then shoved me. For some reason, I pushed him back, and that really enraged him. He backhand slapped me. And I screamed.
“You want to fight back?” He said then slammed the bedroom door. I tried to back away from him, but he came after me. Between my screaming and Jemar’s shouting, I was sure that his friends heard me, but it wasn’t like anyone was going to come in and save me.
“Stoppppppppp!” I screamed. Somehow I ended up on the floor, near the bed. I had one hand on my stomach, protecting my baby, and the other was around my face trying to block his punches. I honestly don’t know why Jemar just went off like this. It was like he was waiting for me to just say anything to trigger him. I don’t understand how someone I thought was so sweet once upon a time ended up becoming a monster I hated now. I ruined my life for him, for us, and this is how he treated me.
“Shut up!” He said while somehow landing a punch to my lip. I wasn’t about to sit here and allow him to put my child in danger.
“Stop!” I said and just swung on him. My fist connected to his eye.
“Bitch, did you just hit me back?” He yelled. I swear my heart stopped for a minute. I didn’t know what to expect, but I just wanted him to stop.
“Please stoppppppp. The baby.” I cried out, hoping he would at least think about the baby.
“You learned your lesson, huh?” He shouted. I just cried. “Huh?” He said while choking me. It wasn’t too hard, but still enough to cut my breathing.
“Yes!” I screamed, just wanting him to stop. I crouched down, wrapped myself in my arms, just crying out. The house was quiet, I was sure his friends muted the tv to listen to their friend abuse his pregnant girlfriend. I know Marco was probably smiling, he always encouraged him to put me in my place. I wouldn’t be surprised if he told him to do this to me.
“Let’s go,” Jemar said to his friends once he opened to the door and went out to the living room. Nobody said anything, but I heard many feet moving then I listened to the front door slam. I didn’t move because my body was sore, and I was traumatized, so I stayed in the same position, just trying to cry softly.
∞∞∞
Knock-Knock
I heard soft knocks, but I thought my mind was playing tricks on me, so I didn’t say anything.
“Bre?” I heard a voice, softly speaking. I still remained quiet, just crying into my arms. I heard the creaking of the door opening, then footsteps came close to me. “Ambrelle.” I heard Ricky say. I definitely wasn’t going to face him, so I cried even harder. I heard him walk out, then shortly come back and sit next to me. I wanted to look up, but I was scared.
“I got a rag for your face. Let me wipe it.” He said, stern, but gentle. I thought about it then leaned up to accept the rag. However, once I got up, Ricky placed the cloth on my face. I didn’t know how bad the damage was, but I knew my lip was busted, and probably my eye was blackened. I bruised easily, so I know I looked like shit.
“Ouch!” I winced when the warm rag touched my lip. It was super sore and probably a swollen too.
“Sorry, just trying to clean the blood off a little.” He said.
“You don’t have to do this,” I said, feeling embarrassed.
“I want to. Why didn’t you tell me he was beating on you?”
“It just started. It’s only the second time.”
“And it shouldn’t be anymore. Don’t let him put hands on you, Bre.”
“I don’t let him do anything.”
“That’s not what I meant. I’m just saying, don’t let- allow someone like him to treat you like this.”
“I know. I just don’t….I don’t know what went wrong.” I started to cry. Ricky put his arm around me, and I felt so safe.
“Bre, you know I care for you. I’ll do anything for you, you know that, right? Anything.”
“Like what?”
“I’m not going into details, but I'm not as much as a good guy that you probably think I am. If you need me to take care of Jemar, I will.” He looked me in the eyes. I didn’t feel afraid of him by looking in
