Make Me Feel Glorious

-Sophies POV-

I sat awkwardly on the sofa clutching my glass of red wine in one hand and pulling my dress down to cover the bruising on my thighs with the other, I allowed my eyes to scan the room watching as people cheerfully chatted and playfully pushed each other around I chewed my lip and pushed my hair over my shoulder taking another long mouthful from my glass.

I watched closely as Peej laughed and joked around with three other boys around about his age two where tall and skinny one with black hair and piercing blue eyes the other with brown hair and deep brown eyes, I looked the other boy up and down he was shorter than the other two and bigger built too with his floppy straight brown fringe covering deep green eyes I found myself unable to take my eyes off of him, there was something about his smile that made him seem friendly, he turned and we locked eyes for a few awkward seconds I looked down feeling my face flush red as I realized I had been caught staring at a perfect stranger, I refused to look back up suddenly feeling an overwhelming unease and a nauseating fear of Frankie finding out I had locked eyes with another man.

A sudden weight on the sofa next to me caused me to lean slightly to the side, aware of another person next to me I was still refusing to look up I hoped the weight would leave me be, it didn’t it chose to speak to me making me jump as he did

“Hello there?”

“Hello” I muttered almost inaudibly

“You must be Sophie?” I nodded still not looking up until a hand placed itself on mine “I’m Chris”

His voice was smooth with a slight northern twang, I’m not sure what it was but it had a soothing element to it, I slowly moved my head up to face him, realizing as soon as I glanced in to his eyes it was the boy I had made eye contact with I blushed again as fear took over, he was probably here to teach me not to stare,

“You look gorgeous tonight Sophie”

I smiled unable to make direct eye contact

“Thank you”

“Pj told me you where shy” He laughed slightly “You don’t have to be shy around me honey, I won’t bite, Unless you want me to”

He laughed again and moved his hand to my sore thigh gently squeezing, I winced and hissed in pain as he applied pressure to the tender bruising, I pushed his hand away quickly and roughly, he looked at me shocked

“Oh! Sorry, I didn’t mean to hurt you”

“It’s fine it wasn’t you, I just have some bru..”

I stopped myself quickly and looked up at him he looked concerned

“You just have some what?”

“Nothing it’s fine just achy muscles from work… I guess”

He didn’t look convinced

“How can a primary school teacher ache in such a way to make her wince in that way?”

“It’s a lot harder than it looks”

I gulped the rest of my wine and put my glass on the table only for Chris to refill it, after a few hours and several glasses of wine later Chris began to question me again,

“I know you’re lying Sophie”

“I’m not!”

I said defensively

“You are I know you are I’m not a child Sophie you can’t fob me off with bull shit stories why do your legs hurt?”

My eyes grew hot as tears began to well up and slip away I couldn’t face Chris

“Someone’s hurting you aren’t they?”

I nodded my head feeling fuzzy and the room swaying slightly, Chris had his hand a little further up my thigh this time,

“If I was lucky enough to call a beautiful woman like you my own I’d treat you like royalty”

I looked up facing him properly for the first time all evening he smiled warmly and finished his sentence

“And that I can swear by”

He cupped my chin and gently placed his soft lips on mine, my heart soared and my stomach tied in to knots as I accepted the kiss, these feelings towards Chris where soon replaced with a sharp blow of fear, I gasped and broke away suddenly feeling sober,

“I’m sorry I have to go”

I rushed out of Peej’s flat and in to the cold night air making my way back to Frankies guilt laying heavy on my chest, I took my shoes of enabling a faster pace, it was silent no cars or other people to be seen causing me to question the time of night or morning as the case may be.

I took a left at the end of Pj’s road and walked down the long dark path that lead to Frankie’s house still being haunted by beautiful thoughts of Chris, I became painfully aware of someone walking behind me I picked up my pace only for the close footsteps to quicken too, I clenched my fists and walked through the barrier of crippling fear that had come over me, the footsteps behind me broke in to a run and I began to shake violently turning at the very last minute to see a dark figure lunge towards me.

We both hit the ground, I thrashed trying to push the stranger off of me but they had me tightly pinned I began to sweat and sob

“Please…let me go…I’ve got nothing I don’t even own a mobile phone I’m worthless to you”

“Sophie it’s Chris! Jesus Christ girl!”

I opened my eyes wearily Chris coming in to focus, he stood up brushing himself down and then offering his hand out to help me up. I stood close to him his warm breath brushing my cheek

“Look Soph I’ve been talking to PJ he told me about Frankie and I wanna know if I can see you again…In secret I know you can’t leave Frankie at the moment but I don’t want that to stop us I think we’ve got a real chance of something special”

“Chris I’ll think about it okay I have to go!”

He looked down and nodded

“Okay fine, I just want to be there for you”

I nodded and let him kiss my cheek before rushing off in to the cold night.