Chapter 3

Liam stands a few feet away from me, hands in his pockets and eyes glassy. Even from here, I can smell the alcohol.

“Hi Diane.” My name falls from his mouth like it belongs to him.

‘’What are you doing here, Liam Reed?” I ask, trying to keep my voice steady against my racing heart.

“You don’t have to say my full name like I’m some stranger” He chuckles, taking a few steps closer while trying not to stumble.

“Well you are”

He steps closer, way too close and I swallow hard.

“Are you drunk?” I ask flatly but it’s more of a statement than a question.

“No. I had a few drinks but I’m not drunk” He slurs.

I can feel the anger build up inside of me as I remember how he would come home drunk and turn into a wild animal. Then, apologize to me the next morning with a bouquet of flowers and some cheap-ass gifts.

“I’ve been trying to reach you” He says “You changed your number. You blocked me everywhere”

“Yes, that was intentional”

His jaw tightens and his gaze darkens. I gulp. I know that look too well.

“You think you can just erase three years? Three fucking years? Just like that?”

Three years of tears and broken promises. Three years of physical and emotional abuse. Of gaslighting and never ending excuses. Three years of hoping for the impossible.

“You should leave” I say quietly

“Why? So you can go home to your new boyfriend?” He laughs softly.

“I’m not doing this with you, Liam” I whisper, turning to my car

His hand shoots out and grabs my wrist firmly. The all too familiar feeling washes over me and I try to calm myself down.

“Let go off me” I breathe

“You left me when I needed you the most. I did everything to make you happy and yet you were never appreciative of my efforts”

I laugh painfully “You have some nerve to say that to me, Liam! For three years you treated me like I was nothing. You isolated me from my friends and called it protection. You gambled away all my money. Spent all my money on women and bullshit. And as if that wasn’t enough, you would get physical with me every time something went wrong in your life. Is that your version of happiness?”

His grip tightens

“You’re overreacting”

And just like that I find myself in the same apartment six months ago. Back in the old version of me who thought love was accepting chaos.

“I said let me go!” I scream. I feel his body press on mine as we lean against the car and I struggle even more to breathe. I feel the colour drain from my face.

The next second happens so fast I barely process it. A hand pulls Liam away from me and a fist connects with Liam’s jaw. A tall figure comes to sight and I recognize him as Jason.

He grabs Liam by the collar and drives another punch into his jaw. Then another.

And another.

“Jason!” I gasp

Liam’s body collides with the floor and blood spills out of his mouth and nose but Jason doesn’t stop.

“How dare you fucking touch her!” Jason straddles Liam, fists rising and falling in brutal, relentless rhythm.

“This is for speaking to her” Punch

“This is for coming close to her”

“This is for thinking about touching her” Another punch

Liam grows weaker and weaker and his movements are barely noticeable.

“Jason, stop!” I cry out. He still doesn’t hear me

“You’re going to kill him, Jason!” I call out, rushing forward.

I have never seen him like this. It’s almost as if he’s been possessed by something darker. Uncontrollable rage. And this side of him scares me.

“Jason, he’s not moving!” My voice cracks and he stops.

Liam lays half-conscious beneath him groaning faintly. Jason’s chest rises and falls heavily. His knuckles are scrapped and his eyes are darker than I’ve ever seen in the last six months. He no longer looks like the playful, annoying roommate I always argue with. He looks dangerous.

“Please” I whisper “You’re really scaring me”

His head snaps towards me and something in his expression shifts. It’s  as if my words snap him out of his own dark world into reality. He stands slowly, wiping his hand on his jeans as if it’s nothing more than dust.

“If you ever come near her again” He steps closer to him one last time. “ I won’t stop until the very last breath you take is in my hands”

Something tells me it’s more than just a threat. I raise my head to find my friends in shock, eyes wide, and colour drained from their faces. I wonder how much of that they had to see.

Jason grabs my hand gently and walks me over to his car like nothing happened

…

The ride home is quiet except for my uneven breathing. Jason’s grip on the steering wheel gets tighter and tighter by the second. I can feel how intensely he looks at the road as his jaw clenches. I feel so cold and my body starts shaking.

“You didn’t have to do that” I say quietly

“Yes I did”

“He could’ve­­…” I feel a lump in my throat “He could’ve died”

His hands tighten around the steering wheel again. I doubt he could grip any tighter than that.

“He didn’t” He says flatly “Maybe he should’ve”

“Don’t say that”

“Men like him don’t change Diane. How the hell did you end up with that bastard?”

My throat burns and my fingers tighten around the seatbelt. That night flashes back before I can stop it. The silk tie on my wrists. “We’re trying something new” He’d said, smirking and kissing me between words. I trusted him. It was supposed to be harmless. Exciting even.

Until it wasn’t.

Until the pillow pressed harder than it should have. I tried to move and I couldn’t. The only thing I was holding on to was the sound of his laughter that no longer seemed playful. He kept the pillow on my face long enough to make my chest burn.

“Relax”, he’d said afterward. “You’re being dramatic”

I was convinced it was kinky gone wrong and that he didn’t mean it.

“Hey” Jason’s voice cuts through my thoughts. “Why are you crying?”

I don’t even realize I am until a tear hits my hand.

“You’re shaking” He slows down the car and then pulls over completely “Shit”

“Diane”

My vision is blurry and my shoulders shake uncontrollably as I cry in the most undignified fashion ever.

“Why are you crying?” He asks again, genuinely confused.

I shake my head, pressing my palm against my face like I can physically push the emotion back inside.

“I’m fine” I manage to say between sobs

“No, you’re obviously not”

Time stretches strangely after that. I don’t know how long I sit there unravelling but Jason doesn’t interrupt. He just watches quietly without judgement. When I finally catch my breath, I feel so drained.

“I’m so sorry” I whisper, embarrassed “I don’t know what came over me”

He reaches into the back seat and pulls out a small box of tissues, handing it to me without a word. This simple gesture makes my chest tighten again.

 I dab at my face mortified. “This is embarrassing”

“It’s not”

I look at him expecting a smug expression on his face. Instead, I’m met with a serious, concerned look on his handsome face.

“Did he do something to you?”