Save Me From My Nightmare

‘Are you sure you wanna do this?’ Pippa held tight to my hand, rubbing her thumb in circles as I nodded my head. She hugged me as tightly as she saw comfortable under my weak physical condition. Molly gave me a reassuring smile, kissing my cheek as she hugged me as well before letting go to hold onto Matt’s hand.

My friends disappeared off down a corridor as I waited quietly for someone to tell me that it was time to face my nightmare. My bangles clanged together as I paced the corridor nervously, my heartbeat pounding against my chest like a rabid animal willing to be freed or a wild bird longing to taste the clouds and escape from the cage of my ribs.

My good hand rose, running through my hair that had been left curly after my long shower this morning. Holly insisted that I make her hair just like mine, half pinned back with my bangs sliding in front of my eyes and resting upon my glasses to make me look more professional whilst standing feebly in the courtroom under the glare of my ex.

The picture of Holly’s reassuring smile played over and over in my mind, mixing in with the soothing sensation of Zacky’s touch on my body. It didn’t matter whether it was a merely accidental brush of the arm of a sensual grope of the waist; it made me swoon like melted chocolate over a huge freshly baked cake.

A short woman with cropped chocolate hair appeared in front of me. She was tugging at the edge of her tweed grey blazer, gulping down something in her throat before opening her mouth to speak in her gentle, feminine voice.

‘You will go into court in ten minutes. Just, take a seat and relax for a moment. I understand how hard this is going to be for you,’ she said in a confident tone. Her hand took mine and squeezed reassuringly as I sat nervously on one of the plastic chairs.

It had been five months since I’d come out of hospital and my scars were only just starting to heal. My cooked hand was slowly starting to get sensation back, my fingers able to bend to touch my thumb already. It was amazing, but Zacky kept telling me it was because I was so damned determined to do it.

Shutting my eyes, I allowed my head to lull back onto the wall behind me as I tried to control my breath. The world just seemed a completely different place now that he was locked away from me. I sometimes pass the house where I was tortured, always accelerating or picking up a quicker pace for fear of something grabbing me and dragging me back into the cellar to live out the rest of my life. If someone were with me when I passed, I make sure they were on the inside so I couldn’t get a clear view of it as I clutched their hand tighter in case the house tried to get me again.

I looked up at the woman as she cleared her throat and told me it was time I went in. taking a deep, cleansing breath; I picked myself from the chair and followed her in.

‘Here goes nothing.’

[c]***[/c]

Cameras flashed in all directions, causing me to drown in a world of voices and light as Zacky wrapped his arm tight around my waist and held me close to him. They were asking so many questions my mind began to spin. I just wanted to get home and curl up under a duvet never to look into the daylight again.

‘Just stay close, I’ll look after you.’ My lullaby sung in my ears, towering over every other voice that loomed around me. It was only publicized like this because of the Avenged gang. If it were any other couple, the situation would have been on a much lower key. There would be no cameras, River would be at my side clutching my hand, and I wouldn’t have a body guard looming by my side with an arm around my waist.

When we finally reached the car, I jumped into the passenger seat and bounced my knees up and down repeatedly. Holly was under the supervision of my Mom, who couldn’t bear to face the trial of her only daughter being abused by her fiancée for two years running. She just wouldn’t allow herself to register the fact that someone was hurting her baby.

Zacky’s hand clutched tightly onto mine, smoothing out any creases that might have been caused by seeing that monster. My eyes closed with a gentle breath escaping my lips as I leaned back in the chair.

‘He’s going in for life,’ I whispered conversationally, my voice only just audible over the purr of the engine beneath the hood. Zacky shot me a wary glance, squeezing my hand a little tighter.

‘His might be ending, but ours is just beginning. If you want, that is,’ Zacky mumbled as we pulled up on the driveway of his house. A small smile played along the edges of my lips, leaning up to kiss his lips gently as my way of saying yes.

Letting go, I cupped his cheek with my good hand and allowed his forehead to rest on mine. Moving his face to kiss the palm of my hand, Zacky smiled widely down at me.

‘Come on, let’s go inside. We can’t hang around in the car for the rest of the afternoon.’ I giggled, letting go of his hand and slowly stepping from the car. His arm was on my waist once more, guiding me into the home I’d moved into to give Brian and Pippa some space at theirs.

Kicking my shoes off in the hallway, I looked up into the mirror and allowed my fingers to graze of the light scaring on my lip. Zacky appeared in the reflection with me, smiling brightly as he leaned his head against mine and kissed my shoulder. Whispering that I was beautiful, he rubbed my stomach with his calloused fingers.

‘I’ve got to go get the ironing done; Holly goes back to school tomorrow.’ I tried to pull away from Zacky, not wanting to look in the mirror anymore but I was pulled back suddenly. Whirling around to face him, I raised an eyebrow challengingly. His smile only made my knees go weak as he leaned down to press his lips gently against mine.

‘Believe me, I’m the proudest man on earth to have you beside me.’