Constellations
✰ Chapter 12 ✰
I woke up some time later in my office. Alone, in pain, and confused. I looked around to realise that Dennis had knocked me out, for a second time since I've met him, but been "kind" enough not to bother anyone with my current state. I curled up in my office chair and felt a hot tear escape from my eyes. I had been naive enough to think that maybe Dennis would leave Harry alone, us leave alone. But of course, I was wrong. He had the nerve to come into my work and hurt me, proving that he isn't afraid of me. I have no where to hide. Harry couldn't be with me 24/7. Dennis would find a way to me if he wanted to. Hes already proven that point. I'm not safe.
I stood up from my desk and grabbed my purse. I found my small pocket mirror and saw the bruise forming around the left side of my face. I cringed at the sight of my normally porcelain skin turning colors by the minute. I knew I couldn't stay at work like this, no one could know. Ever.
I walked out of my office and towards the receptionists desk, holding my hand up to my face. "Could you tell Mr. Anderson that I had to leave? I'm sorry, but I'm feeling ill." I knew the excuse wasn't very convincing, but I hoped that my frightened exterior would convince her to agree.
Rebecca smiled sympathetically, "Sure Ember, I'll let him know. By the way, I've had boyfriends like that before.. and they aren't worth it. You're worth much more than that."
I involuntarily cringed at her remark, calling Dennis my "boyfriend". Which means she definitely saw what I had tried so hard to cover. I decided to call Mia and get everything off of my chest considering I still wasn't sure how I was going to handle talking to harry.
"Hey Em!" She said in a cheery voice.
The second I heard her, I could feel my breath hitching. I didn't want to cry on the phone to her, so I attempted to get it together.
"Mia? Can you meet me at my place in ten?" I asked.
"Sure thing. Is everything alright?"
I took a deep breath, "Not really. I'll explain when I see you."
I walked in and went directly to my bathroom, examining my wounds. The skin was turning purple and all the rest of the color in my face had disappeared. I touched the bruise and cringed. This had happened to me. This was no longer avoidable. I had never in my life thought I would be in a position like this. Somehow the one thought that kept reoccurring was why. Why was Dennis out to get Harry? I remembered him saying that Harry had stolen something from him. What would he have possibly stolen, I do not know. I understood that their were things I didn't know about him. But could it be possible that the person I thought I knew so well, wasn't who he actually was? Harry and Dennis obviously knew each other pretty well. Why would Harry know someone so horrible?
I heard my door shut and braced myself for Mia.
"Em! Where are you?!" She shouts, searching the house.
"I'm in the bathroom!" I called back, hoping to sound somewhat normal.
She walked in and I turned to face her. Her cheery expression quickly vanished. She took a step back and rested against the wall, "Did Harry do this to you?!"
"No no no! He would never!" I responded. Or maybe he would; who really knows at this point.
"Well how did that happen, Ember!" She didn't look angry, just sympathetic and upset.
"I'm going to tell you exactly what happened, but you have to promise it stays between us…" I begged.
I told her everything. How Dennis and harry had gotten into a fight in the bar. How he broke into Harry's apartment and almost killed him. Coming to my work and knocking me out for the second time. I told her that I didn't understand what Harry had done in his past to know someone as horrible as Dennis. She just sat and patiently listened until I was finished.
"Em.. I think you need to go and talk to Harry. Figure out exactly what's going on. You're clearly not safe and that isn't okay."
I nodded and gave her a hug, "Thank you for coming over."
She smiled and squeezed my hands, "Call me later and let me know how it went."
I decided to text Harry.
Ember: Hi, I need to talk to you.
Within moments he responded.
Harry: I'll be off work in a half hour. Why don't you come and meet me here?
I grazed my fingers over the mark Dennis had left; that was not an option.
Ember: Actually, why don't you meet me here?
Harry: Sure love. See you soon xx
I went to go and try and cover to mark. I knew it wouldn't work. But for some reason, I didn't want Harry to see me like this. I wanted to protect him. How could I do that if I can't even protect myself? As I brushed on the nude coverup, the purple color was barely showing through. I smiled a little bit. I knew Harry would blame himself. But it wasn't his fault.
I heard a knock on the door and ran over to open it. The second Harry saw my face his smile faded.
"Oh my God, Ember...."
I stood up from my desk and grabbed my purse. I found my small pocket mirror and saw the bruise forming around the left side of my face. I cringed at the sight of my normally porcelain skin turning colors by the minute. I knew I couldn't stay at work like this, no one could know. Ever.
I walked out of my office and towards the receptionists desk, holding my hand up to my face. "Could you tell Mr. Anderson that I had to leave? I'm sorry, but I'm feeling ill." I knew the excuse wasn't very convincing, but I hoped that my frightened exterior would convince her to agree.
Rebecca smiled sympathetically, "Sure Ember, I'll let him know. By the way, I've had boyfriends like that before.. and they aren't worth it. You're worth much more than that."
I involuntarily cringed at her remark, calling Dennis my "boyfriend". Which means she definitely saw what I had tried so hard to cover. I decided to call Mia and get everything off of my chest considering I still wasn't sure how I was going to handle talking to harry.
"Hey Em!" She said in a cheery voice.
The second I heard her, I could feel my breath hitching. I didn't want to cry on the phone to her, so I attempted to get it together.
"Mia? Can you meet me at my place in ten?" I asked.
"Sure thing. Is everything alright?"
I took a deep breath, "Not really. I'll explain when I see you."
I walked in and went directly to my bathroom, examining my wounds. The skin was turning purple and all the rest of the color in my face had disappeared. I touched the bruise and cringed. This had happened to me. This was no longer avoidable. I had never in my life thought I would be in a position like this. Somehow the one thought that kept reoccurring was why. Why was Dennis out to get Harry? I remembered him saying that Harry had stolen something from him. What would he have possibly stolen, I do not know. I understood that their were things I didn't know about him. But could it be possible that the person I thought I knew so well, wasn't who he actually was? Harry and Dennis obviously knew each other pretty well. Why would Harry know someone so horrible?
I heard my door shut and braced myself for Mia.
"Em! Where are you?!" She shouts, searching the house.
"I'm in the bathroom!" I called back, hoping to sound somewhat normal.
She walked in and I turned to face her. Her cheery expression quickly vanished. She took a step back and rested against the wall, "Did Harry do this to you?!"
"No no no! He would never!" I responded. Or maybe he would; who really knows at this point.
"Well how did that happen, Ember!" She didn't look angry, just sympathetic and upset.
"I'm going to tell you exactly what happened, but you have to promise it stays between us…" I begged.
I told her everything. How Dennis and harry had gotten into a fight in the bar. How he broke into Harry's apartment and almost killed him. Coming to my work and knocking me out for the second time. I told her that I didn't understand what Harry had done in his past to know someone as horrible as Dennis. She just sat and patiently listened until I was finished.
"Em.. I think you need to go and talk to Harry. Figure out exactly what's going on. You're clearly not safe and that isn't okay."
I nodded and gave her a hug, "Thank you for coming over."
She smiled and squeezed my hands, "Call me later and let me know how it went."
I decided to text Harry.
Ember: Hi, I need to talk to you.
Within moments he responded.
Harry: I'll be off work in a half hour. Why don't you come and meet me here?
I grazed my fingers over the mark Dennis had left; that was not an option.
Ember: Actually, why don't you meet me here?
Harry: Sure love. See you soon xx
I went to go and try and cover to mark. I knew it wouldn't work. But for some reason, I didn't want Harry to see me like this. I wanted to protect him. How could I do that if I can't even protect myself? As I brushed on the nude coverup, the purple color was barely showing through. I smiled a little bit. I knew Harry would blame himself. But it wasn't his fault.
I heard a knock on the door and ran over to open it. The second Harry saw my face his smile faded.
"Oh my God, Ember...."
http://heledis.com/
12/10/13