Face Down

Sienna stood in front of the mirror. Her face was worn out, dark circles lined her eyes. Her thick hair was a mass of tangles and waves, and her cheeks were hollow. She sighed and unbuttoned her work shirt to reveal her black singlet, all crumpled and wrinkled.

The young girl grimaced and lifted the side of her singlet up, showing off the purple bruises that littered the area. Up her back were tracks of little cuts marking the pale skin. One single tear fell down her cheek, bringing a trail of eyeliner with it, as she brushed back her hair to reveal finger shaped bruises on her neck.

Another day in hell, Sienna though, wiping a few more tears away while smudging her make-up. Matt would be home soon – along with a few of his mates. Giving a sigh, Sienna grabbed her shirt and walked over to the bathroom.

Even over the running water of the shower Sienna could hear the booming voice of her boyfriend and the loud laughs of his friends. She inwardly groaned and shut of the water, got dressed quickly and exited the room.

She pulled on her hoodie to cover the marks on her neck, and gave a flick of her damp curls. Drops of water trailed down her collarbone and she walked into the lounge room to greet the boys.

“Sienna!” Brian yelled, grinning at the small girl.

Sienna smiled at her boyfriend’s friend and patted his head, before walking over to her boyfriend. Time to play ‘perfect girlfriend, she thought. Forcing a smile, she hugged the muscular body of her boyfriend. “Hey Matt,” she said.

Matt smiled, dimples looking so out-of-place on his face. “Hey babe,” he replied, pecking Sienna’s lips. She felt disgusted – didn’t even look like he was acting, like he still felt something for her. Yeah right.

They both sat down on one of the ‘L’ shaped couches. Johnny, Brian and Zack sat opposite the couple, grinning. “So, how is everyone?” Matt asked, hazel eyes shining.

Why is he so happy? Sienna though, squinting at his face. All dimples and innocence – nothing evil or cruel on his face.

Brian smiled. “Michelle’s pregnant.”

Everyone grinned at the brown-eyed man, and gave him hugs and congratulations. “Awesome news dude!” Zack said, patting his friend’s back. “But… I have news too.” As he smiled, as snakebites flashed in the lights. “I got into the Major League with the team!”

Once again, the friends cheered for their friend as he gushed about finally making a career of playing baseball. “Good job man,” Johnny said. “You know… Lacey and I are thinking of having our own family too… we’re getting married in Vegas.” Everyone laughed. “Why bother with white dresses and cake when you can get married, then bang! Honeymoon right after!”

“You know,” Matt started. “I’d rather have a wedding with all that – the dresses and stuff. I’d want ti to be romantic and all that.”

Zack snorted. “Softy.”

Matt laughed. “It’s true. Isn’t that right sweety?” He directed the question to Sienna, who inwardly whined when Matt’s nails dug into her skin.

She forced a smile. “Yes darling.”

The large man beamed at her and got up. “Which is why I think…” He then got down on one knee in front of his girlfriend and pulled a velvet box out of his jeans pocket. Everyone in the room gasped – Sienna especially; ‘cause her, her abusing boyfriend is proposing to her. “We should get married.” He looked up at her with dark hazel eyes, which some would say were romantic. Others – like Sienna – knew otherwise: Say yes or else. Don’t embarrass me

Swallowing the lump in her throat, Sienna nodded. “Yes.” The three other males in the room wolf whistled like idiots as Matt stood to his large height and slipped the ring onto Sienna’s finger. They hugged, and kissed, and snorted as Johnny made kissy noises.

“You’re an idiot, John,” Zack said, rolling his eyes at the youngest man in the room. His green eyes turned back towards Sienna. “And Si… Can you make us some lunch?”

“Yeah!” Brian piped up. “I’m starving!”

Sienna sighed and smiled, before walking off to the kitchen. “What would you guys like?” She called out.

“Sandwiches,” Johnny joked, before yelping, “Ow! Watch where you hit.”

“You got it,” Sienna muttered while she took out the bread. As she spread the butter on one slice, Brian came up from behind her.

“Hey Si,” he said, resting against the counter as he watched her work.

“What’s up Bri?” she replied, placing some ham over the pieces.

“I was just wondering… what’s that on your neck?” he asked, squinting at her collarbone. He grabbed the top of the hoodie and yank it down, but got a face full of hand instead.

“Hey! Don’t look!” she yelped, glaring at her friend.

“What is it?”

“Just a hickey.”

“Pretty big hickey if you ask me.”

“Well, no one’s asking you,” Sienna replied, glaring at Brian. She slapped his arm, before getting back to work.

Brian huffed, and punched Sienna’s side.

It was as if all the air escaped from her lungs and was pushed out by force. Her knees buckled and she fell to the ground, holding the bruise while she weezed. Cocoa coloured eyes went wide, and Brian knelt down next to the gasping girl. “Whoa, Sienna! Are you alright?”

He grabbed the side of her hoodie and pulled it up, seeing the large purple area of skin, along with a few scratches marking her back. “It’s… It’s nothing,” Sienna gasped, pulling down her jumper. “Just… fell down some stairs earlier. Landed wrong. Nothing bad.” She wrapped her skinny arms around her middle and curled into a ball, trying to get her breath back.

“Are you sure?” The older man asked, concerned for his friend.

“Yeah. Just peachy… Go back and hang with the boys. Food will be ready soon.”

“But-”

“Brian, shut the fuck up and get out, okay?”

Brian nodded, patted Sienna’s back, before getting up and walking out into the lounge room. Sienna sighed and leaned back, breath now caught, and groaned. He probably knows now. Not too hard to add two and two together.

***

“See? Woman can make awesome sandwiches.” Sienna laughed as Zack rolled his eyes and hit Johnny over the head. “What? It was a compliment!”

“I assume you guys are done?” she said, grabbing the plates from the coffee table. The boys nodded, and she gave them a smile, before wandering off into the kitchen to clean the plates. As she scrubbed one of the plates, Sienna heard footsteps creep down the hall, followed by voices.

“Seriously dude, I’ve seen the bruises. Do you abuse her?” The words made her freeze and squeeze her eyes tight.

Oh Brian. Why couldn’t you keep your mouth shut?

“I don’t abuse her! Why would you think that? I love her, and she’ll become my wife soon! She got that bruise on her side by falling down the stairs.”

“Bullshit.” Brian snarled.

“Fuck you dude, I wouldn’t hurt Si.”

“I’m not stupid Matt. It’s not just the bruises. I’ve seen her facial expressions – I’ve seen yours. You’re acting like you’re the perfect boyfriend, and she forces a smile every day. I’m pretty sure Zack and Johnny can see that. Heck – Jimmy sees it all the time when he works with Sienna and asks about you.”

Matt glared at his friend, caught. His large hands clenched into fists as his eyes darkened. Brian didn’t care; he kept going.

“Do you feel like a man as you push her around? Do you feel better now as she falls to the ground? I hope you realise that ‘loving her’ that way will get you no where.” With that, Brian turned on his heel and stormed out of the house.

Through the open doorway that lead to the kitchen, Matt looked at Sienna. She looked back and gulped, especially when his expression turned sour. As her large fiancé walked into the lounge room, all she could think was: Well, fuck.

***

“It was nice seeing you guys! Cya dude,” Matt said cheerfully, waving to the two friends as they walked out of the door. Sienna sat on one of the couches, hands twisted in her lip, nibbling on her lip, and waiting for what was to come.

As soon as the door slammed shut, Matt had yanked the small girl to her feet. “Did you fucking tell him? Did you?”

Sienna shook her head. “No.”

Matt glared at her hand, large hands wrapping around skinny arms. His thumb overlapped his fingers, and he squeezed hard. Sienna gasped in pain and squeezed her eyes tight. “I’ll repeat what I said. Did. You. Tell. Brian. Anything?” Every time her said a word, his fists would clenched around her arms.

Sienna let out a low whine, pain shooting up her limbs. “No, I didn’t. He noticed the marks on my neck, and I said they were hickeys! And… And he punched my side… Where the bruise is…”

Matt growled, throwing his fiancé against the wall. “Lies… Slut.” Sienna slid to the ground, before she was pulled up again and shoved against the wall again. The large man got into her face, teeth bared, hazel eyes dark.

A whimper escaped Si’s lips as Matt raised his hand, letting it crash down against her face. The sound of skin-on-skin echoed the empty house, followed by Sienna’s cry of pain. Soon followed by another pained sound as Matt cupped her head and smashed it against the wall behind her. Star blotted her vision for a second, and she blinked rapidly.

“I asked you to marry me. You said yes. You are mine, and will be no one else’s.” The tattooed man let one large digit trace her cheek, letting his finger dig into the soft skin. “You can’t escape now.”

Sienna was thrown to the ground, and she gasped as a sneaker-covered foot kicked her in the stomach. One tear ran down the cheek that was cut, salty water mixing with the fresh blood that bubbled from the wound.

Another blow. Then another. Five kicks to the stomach was too much pain for Sienna. Black surrounded the edge of her vision, trying to cover the whole thing like a thick blanket. With laboured breaths, Sienna let herself fade into the black.

***

Sienna sat on her bed, eyes closed, remembering. She remembered how Matt first blew up – right here, in the bedroom, and started to throw stuff around. Her broke the window with his fist, threw the chair that sat in the corner over her head, and broke her mirror.

The beaten girl stood up and walked down the hall, remembering the way Matt slammed her into each wall on window the night she decided to hang out with Gerard and his band.

Going into the kitchen, she remembered how Matt scream and yelled at her, throwing wooden chairs around and cracking the table down the middle when he found out that her ex-boyfriend has visited her while she was in hospital. Remembered how he opened all the cupboards, and swiped off all the cups and plates – little pieces of china raining on the ground – when he found out about her new boss at the coffee shop flirting with her.

She remembered all the times he had beaten her, making her eye black, marking her skin, making her cry. She remembered all the screaming, the kicks and blows – all the pain she went through; all because of love.

Did she really love Matt? After all that he’s done to her?

She remembered when he was sweet, and kind – a giant teddy bear. He would always hold her, and hug her. Kiss her cheek, tell her ‘I love you’ at random. No tears or pain back then. Just smiles, and warmness.

With a sigh, Sienna grabbed her phone out of her pocket, and started to text Brian.

Brian.
I’m sorry. I can’t do it anymore. You were right. Matt was abusing me. I thought he loved me… Guess not. Please, don’t tell him where I am, and that you’ve had no contact with me since yesterday.
Thank you.
Sienna xx

Clicking the little send button, the petite girl sighed and shoved the phone back into her pocket. She grabbed a piece of paper and pen, and quickly scrawled a note to Matt. He would probably read it once he gets back from work.

Matt. Thanks for being there at the start. I’m not sure how you changed, but you did. I hope you know that I did love you… But I guess it faded when my first bruise did. I hope you find a girl that doesn’t mind people asking about why they have a black eye. And I hope that she’s the one, that she won’t cry when you smash her head against the wall, that she won’t care about the bruise on her side.
Goodbye.

Sienna looked down at her left hand, watching the ring glitter in the light. The diamond was beautiful, two little sapphires on each side. She slowly slipped it off and rested it on the note.

The beaten girl walked over to the door, and picked up her bag from the floor. Looking back at the house, she gave a sad smile. “I’ve finally had enough,” she said to herself, before opening the door and letting herself out of the prison and into the real world.

I’m free.

Face down in the dirt, she said,
‘This doesn’t hurt,’ she said,
‘I’ve finally had enough.’