Saving Melissa

Chapter 3

Melissa

Present

I ran inside to my apartment. I didn't want to linger outside, and not just because I could feel the gaze of the most gorgeous man I had ever seen on me, but because this wasn't the best neighborhood. It was pretty safe during the day I had honestly never had any issues or had anyone bother me then, but nighttime as a whole was another story. That could really be said about most parts of the city though so I didn't mind where I lived. Actually, I kind of love it. The first apartment I lived in after leaving Dustin was awful. It was a studio with mold, leaky faucets, windows that didn't shut so it was perpetually cold, and cockroaches. That was the worst, those big freaking bugs, I hated bugs, just the thought made me shiver. It also seemed like Charlotte was always sick when we lived there. This place was 100 times better, the shelter helped me find it, and helped with the first and last month and security deposit. It had one bedroom but that was fine for me and Charlotte. Having a bedroom at all meant I was able to stay up late studying without disturbing her.

I opened the door and found Liz sitting in the kitchen studying. I met Liz at college and we become friends pretty quickly. I'm not sure how that happened. I had never really had the opportunity to create friendships given how young I was when I had Charlotte. But it was almost like Liz and I were kindred souls, like we could both see something in the other one that we identified with. Unfortunately, that something was pain and I think we both hated the thought of the other one going through something that we had already gone through. Liz had offered to watch Charlotte whenever I needed her to, she always tried to do it for free but I always insisted on paying her.

"Hey Liz," I said as I walked up to her at the table, "working on the ECON assignment?"

"Ugh yes, you look gorgeous by the way. You weren't wearing that when you left tonight were you?"

"No," I chuckled at her. "I met Mrs. Jones at her place and we got ready there. The shelter paid for this so I'm planning to give it back to hang in the clothing area." The shelter had a huge closet where they kept all kinds of clothes that had been donated. It wasn't just regular clothes for the women and children that relied on the services there. Although that was important because many of the women left with only the clothes on their backs. But the closet also held clothing for interviews and fancy events, like the one she went to tonight. Mrs. Jones had insisted on purchasing new gowns for us for tonight and even thought she said that the board had approved for the shelter to purchase them due to the importance of the event tonight I was pretty sure she had bought them herself. I highly doubted I would ever need this gown again, but someone else might so it was going in the closet for another woman to use.

"Oh thank God, I thought I was losing it. So how was the gala?"

"It was wonderful, I think we raised more than we were hoping. And this guy who owns a security firm has offered to do the upgrades for the shelter completely free of charge."

"Oh wow that's awesome."

"It really is, I know Mrs. Jones was planning on having to make cuts in other spots to pay for top of the line security. This was really a weight lifting off her shoulders."

"Well, I'm glad you had a good time Lis, but I gotta get going. I want to try to get a few more hours of studying in before bed."

"Ok, thanks so much for watching Charlie for me tonight."

"It was no problem, she's the cutest little thing I think I've ever laid eyes on. Almost gives me baby fever," she said with an emphasis on the word always. I followed her to the door and made sure to lock both deadbolts, the doorknob, the chair, and put my door stopper security bar under the doorknob. I was a freak about security, and not just because of the location of my apartment. Once I made sure everything was all locked up, I headed down the hall to the bathroom.

I figured Charlie would be asleep by the time I got home so I had made sure to put my pajamas in the bathroom before I left. As soon as I stripped out of the dress I hopped in the shower and my mind immediately wandered to Gavin Sinclaire. The man was smoking hot, and he said he thought I was gorgeous. Maybe that was why I let him kiss me. I don't know who I'm trying to kid here, he may have initiated it but I definitely kissed him back. It had been a long time since a man's touch had affected me like Gavin's had.

Even before I left Dustin, even before he had changed and started hurting me, my body had never reacted like this to him. As soon as Gavin touched me it was like I felt this electrical current running through my body, when he pressed his lips against mine I started to get wet, and when his hand came up to caress my breast I was embarrassingly wet. It's strange, the way my body reacted to him, not just because I had never reacted to Dustin that way, but because of the reason I never reacted to Dustin that way. No, no, no I was not going to think about that tonight, I said to myself as I pushed that thought to the back of my mind. My body still felt like it was wired and ready for his hands, maybe I should have stayed in his car a little longer.

Maybe I could try again, just try it. What could I happen, I think to myself as I slowly run my hand between my breasts, over my stomach, and down between my legs. But as soon as my fingers graze myself I hear her voice.

"You disgusting pig, you f.ucking slut. You think you can come into my home, into the house that I opened up for you out of the goodness of my heart and try to get him to sleep with you?"

"You are a dirty w.hore, and do you know what happens to dirty w.hores?"

I shook my head, trying to shake her voice out of it, I wasn't going to let her in not anymore. I pulled my hand back and quickly finished cleaning up in the shower. I should really get to bed anyway. I have three morning classes and then a shift at the restaurant from 12-4. I quietly went into my room to get cuddled up into my bed without waking Charlotte. I watched her before I fell asleep. It was my nightly routine to remind myself that she was safe, that I was doing all of this for her, and she was going to be okay. I would make sure of it.