Lost & Confused in the Turmoil of Love

There is never a good reason for getting hit by the one you love.
When I met Mark he seemed to be so well behaved and charming, he soon met my family and they all loved him. They thought he was a catch and they heard wedding bells in the future for us.
Not everyone loved him though, my brother Tony didn't like Mark at all. He tired to warn me about him but I was so in love that I wouldn't listen.
With time Mark changed, he became meaner and a bit sadistic.
It started with him wanting to try rougher things in bed, at first I played along but soon enough I had bruises all over my body.
To the outer world he was still the charming well behaved man but behind closed doors he had become a monster.
Again things escalated and the beating started, I always thought that domestic violence was something that usually came with drinking or arguments but Mark didn't drink and we never argued.
Still I had bruises covering every non visible part of my body.

You think it would be easy to leave someone like that but it wasn't, I didn't have anywhere else to go, no family I could rely on or any extra money so that I could get an apartment of my own.
I was stuck living my abusive boyfriend.
”Hey Leonora, you wanna go get some lunch?” My colleague Jonah asked.
I looked at my watch and then back to my computer screen and the workload I still have to do.
”Sure, I have to take a break anyway” I said clicking on the sleep button before grabbing my jacket.
It was a cold day here in Philadelphia as Jonah and I excited the social services building. We walked to the little asian buffé restaurant just around the corner.
We paid the little nice lady at the counter and proceeded to grab some food.
”So how have you been, we haven't talked in a while” Jonah said once we sat down.
”Oh, I'm just fine. It's been a really hectic week, Mr Dorn has me running around town looking for this and that” I said.
”I can understand” Jonah said.
I was an assistant at the social services in Philadelphia, Jonah worked the floor above me as a direct social worker and was in charge of adoptions and such.
”How are you, is everything going ok with Marcy?” I asked.
”Yeah, we're fine” Jonah said.
We talked for about twenty minutes until my phone rang, it was Mark.
”Sorry I gotta take this” I excused myself.
”Hi” I answered.
”Where are you?” Mark asked sounding angry.
”I'm on my lunch break” I said.
”I was thinking about taking you out to a fancy lunch” He said still a bit angry.
”I'm sorry but we're almost finished here” I said.
”We, who are you with?” He asked.
”A coworker” I said, I didn't want to tell him that I was with Jonah because Mark didn't like him.
”Fine, I'll see you tonight” Mark said and hung up.
When I came back to the table Jonah didn't look to happy, he looked worried.
”We'd better get back, lunch is almost over” I said.
”Yeah, let's go” Jonah said.
When we came back we said good bye and split up, I went back to work.
At four people started to clear out.
'Lucky them' I thought looking back to my computer, I still had far to much work to do.
I was still working away after five when my boss was leaving.
”Go home DiNozzo, It's after five already” He said in a demanding tone.
”But” I started but he cut me off
”No buts, go home. This will all be here tomorrow” He said.
I turned the computer off and stood up putting on my jacket, my boss walked me out to ensure that I didn't go back inside. He watched me get into my car and drive away.
The drive home was quiet I enjoyed it since the Social Services building got pretty loud at times.
20 minutes later I parked the car and walked inside our house.
”I'm home” I shouted throwing my keys in the bowl next to the door.
I continued with hanging my coat up, the whole house was dark but I had noticed Mark's car was in the garage.
”Mark?” I shouted turning on the light in the living room.
That's when I saw Mark sitting on the sofa looking really angry, I jumped because I didn't expect anyone sitting there in the dark.
”Oh god Mark you scared me” I said.
Without a word he got up and attacked me, he started by tackling me onto the floor and started kicking me.
I wanted to ask why he was doing this to me but no words would come out, so there I was not knowing what I had done to deserve this.
He topped and backed off just looking at me, I decided to get up and maybe I'd be able to run away from him.
I did as thought but my whole body ached as I struggled up, I held my arm across my stomach. I looked back at Mark with tears starting to form in my eyes.
I backed away from him a bit before turning around and running away from him, my whole body ached and I wasn't as fast as I used to be and Mark caught up with me before I had reached the door.
He grabbed me and threw me on the little table next tot he door, the glass bowl on it shattered and I felt a few pieces cut my back.
I looked at the other table and saw the vase, now was the time to fight back.
I quickly grabbed the vase and threw it at Mark who caught it and threw it back on the wall next to me, the vase shattered and pieces of it flew around me cutting me up. I could feel warm liquid running across my face from various cuts.
My head was starting to feel really light and tired.
I looked pleadingly at Mark, maybe he'd stop now. He walked up to me and pulling me up by my shirt. ”I saw you with him today” he shouted ”I came to surprise you with this beautiful well planned lunch and you where with HIM”
He threw me back on the floor and backed away. I took this opportunity and even though I was really weak I reached up to the door handle pulling it down as quietly as I could before I got up and ran, well tried anyway it was more a slow limping.
I hurried to the nearest neighbor and knocked on the door frantically.
”Yeah, yeah I heard you” I heard mr Davidson shout from inside before opening the door, his eyes widened when he saw me there, guess I was in worse shape then I thought.
”Help m.....” Everything went black and there was no more pain.