Stay Strong

Chapter 4 Must Have Been The Wind

Melanie's POV

I reluctantly walk up the stairs away from Liam. I feel so comfortable around him without even knowing him which is completely unheard of when it comes to me..

I don't trust men so I don't know what it is about him.. but he makes me so nervous and excited at the same time. I can't believe I even told him slightly about my family and even hugged him.. what's is going on today and now I don't even want to leave him. But I don't want to seem desperate for attention or pushing any limits with my new boss.

I can't deny how good looking he is or sweet he has been to me, I just hope it's him being genuinely nice to me making me want to spend more time with him. I don't know if it's all fake or if he actually likes me because he is sending me some vibes that I'm liking every bit of.

I unlock and open the apartment door to hopefully be able to relax on this hard day.

Slam! The door gets slammed shut behind me.

"What the f*#k are you doing home already. You know the rent is due tomorrow right? You dumb b*tch."

I roll my eyes at his question and just try to walk past his slurring and stumbling drunk ass. He grabs me by the throat slamming me into the hard wall behind me. I whimper lightly to myself so he doesn't know he is hurting me. I don't like to give him that satisfaction.

"I know you heard me you little cunt. What are you doing here? You should be working to pay the rent.. I don't care if you have to let every man in this town have his way with you if that's what it takes to get the bills paid.. now get the f*#k out there and make money!" He spits and yells in my face as I push him back with all my force, making him stumble back.

I turn around trying to just get out of the corner he has put me in as he pushes me, making me stumble and hit the table then the floor. I groan and gasp for air as I feel like the wind has been knocked right out of my system.

I struggle to stand up as I hear him laughing then hitting me over the head with a plate he has somehow acquired making me fall back down to the floor again. I turn around quickly trying to keep my eyes on the threat at hand.

He inches closer to me as I scoot back on my butt across the floor away from him since I'm too dizzy to stand at the moment but I still need to get away.

I keep scooting until I can't scoot any more hitting the wall behind me. So I do the only thing I can think of and kick him straight in the groin sending him to the ground grunting so loudly.

Since he is obviously distracted I get up as quickly as I can, which honestly isn't that quick at all, since I'm still dizzy.. I try to get out of the place. I stumble to get to the door as he somehow got up quick enough to grab my arm shoving me into the door. I push him back making him stumble once more into the kitchen.

I open the door with haste as I see Liam at my door with his hand in the air about ready to knock. I freeze in place not knowing why he is here and obviously not expecting to see him.

"Mel? I heard something crash and bang in the apartment above me and I was worried whoever lived up here got hurt I had to check, I didn't know it was you who lived directly above me." He says so sweetly to me as I feel a sharp point into my side making me gasp slightly. I look over and my father has a kitchen knife almost piercing my side as he gestures for me to stay quiet and not say anything.

I swallow the lump in my throat as I say, "Oh really? A sound?.. your ears must be playing tricks on you or maybe it was just the wind." I say to him as he gets a curious look on his face as if he doesn't know if he wants to believe me. I feel the knife pierce more into my side as I bite my lip trying to not indicate anything is wrong.

"You're sure you didn't hear anything?" He asks again. I think he is gaging my reaction so I try to hold a straight face even in the pain.

I shrug my shoulders and reply, "I wish I could help you out and tell you about the noise but I didn't hear anything.. must have been the wind." I say biting my lip as I feel the knife pushed more and more into my side.

"Ok.. well if you need anything just ask." He says suspiciously to me as I nod vigorously at him saying, "Thank you that's very sweet of you.. and will do thanks." I shut the door a little abruptly.

My step father presses the knife more into my side making me whimper out loud. "Who the f*#k was that? You being a little slut sleeping around or something? He knew you by name you whore." He says so spitefully into my ear as I shake my head replying. "No he works with me and just moved here." I cringe more as he takes the knife out and slamming me into the door by my neck once more, putting the knife to my neck.

"Now are you going to tell me why your not working cunt?" He says even more spitefully spitting in my face with every single word. I gasp trying to get air as I barely get my answer out. "They gave me the rest of the night off because it's my birthday."

He grunts and says into my ear. "if you don't have the money or pay the rent by tomorrow there will be hell to pay and you won't survive long enough to see another birthday, I promise you that."

"I'm already in hell." I state as he squeezes tighter around my neck making me feel lightheaded as he whispers with a malicious tone, "Oh Mel things could be so much worse for you and you don't even know it. I have thought about the things I would do to you and I'm sure you would hate every single minute of it but I bet I would love every second." He lets me go as I fall to the ground abruptly gasping for air and grabbing at my throat.

He grabs my face in his tight grip stating back, "Don't ignore me ever again you little b*tch." He swipes his hand away making my face turn to the side with it, as he stumbles away throwing the knife on the kitchen counter with his exit.

Liam's POV

SLAM! CRASH!

I hear banging above me and it doesn't sound like anything good could come of it. I get up wondering what I should do. It's late and I don't want to bother anyone but I don't know if I can't just ignore the sounds not making sure whoever they are, is ok.

I get up heading out of my apartment, up the stairs and going to the second floor making my way down the hallway to the corner apartment above mine.

I don't know if I should intrude... I don't care actually, I just have to make sure these people are ok for my conscious' sake.

I lift my hand to knock as I see the door swing open and it's Melanie with a panicked look upon her face. She looks just as shocked to see me as I am her.

"Mel? I heard something crash and bang in the apartment above me and I was worried whoever lived up here got hurt, I had to check I didn't know it was you who lived directly above me." I state to her as she gasps and looks to the side at something behind the door. She looks nervous at this point as she replies.

"Oh really? A sound?.. your ears must be playing tricks on you or maybe it was just the wind." She says obviously lying.. but why?

I see her bite her lip but not in a good way as if she is trying to hold something back. "You're sure you didn't hear anything?" I ask again seeing if she will tell me what is really wrong. She shrugs her shoulders and replies quickly as if she is just trying to avoid the conversation. "I wish I could help you out and tell you about the noise but I didn't hear anything.. must have been the wind."

I wish she would just tell me what's going on, I know she doesn't know me, nor feel that comfortable with me as of right now, but I bet I could help her if she would let me.

"Ok.. well if you need anything just ask." I say trying to give her another chance to tell me why she is acting suspicious.

"Thank you that's sweet of you.. and will do thanks." She says to me still looking panicked and nervous as she shuts the door quickly.

I sit there for a second and then just decide to head back down to my place.

As I'm leaving I hear a sound on the other side of the door so I stare for a moment. I just can't shake the uneasy feeling I get from just leaving her there. I go back to her door.

I stand there for a moment trying to decide on what to do. But I know she was lying to me but I just want to know why and if I can help. No I probably shouldn't bother it's late I'll talk to her tomorrow because I have already harassed her enough tonight.

I walk back down the hall and to my bedroom to try to get some sleep. I lay down in my bed staring at the ceiling thinking to myself about the mysterious woman who I would do anything to know more about... Suprisingly enough.

I really can't shake the feeling of unease because something really doesn't feel right. I just can't bare the thought of leaving her up there when I know something isn't right, but I feel like I have to, just so I don't push those limits with her.

I don't have all the facts about any of this so I can't just go busting into her place.. But now I'm just too worried to be sleeping. So I stare at the ceiling for who knows how long thinking of her. Until the sleep finally consumes me into a much needed deep slumber.

I wake up slowly, still feeling groggy but letting my eyes adjust to the morning light just letting it invade my senses.

I get dressed trying to look nice because I know exactly where I'm going for breakfast and who I plan to see. I make my way out of my apartment and through the front doors as I see Melanie walking with her brother and sister.

I run over to her getting her attention. "Melanie?" I wave at her as she stops turning around looking embaressed as she steps closer to me leaving the kids a little bit behind her.

"Hey I just had to make sure you were doing OK. I know what I heard last night and I swear my ears aren't playing tricks on me and I know it wasn't the wind.. just so you know you always have a place to come to, even if it's just for a minute or even hours to get away.. You're always welcome if you need a friend and I will be here whenever you want to talk about that noise.." I say to her as I reach out grabbing her hand gently into mine and slipping her a paper into her hand that I have wrote my number on.

She looks down and then up at me as I see her eyes welling up. I can tell she is in a train of thought, probably trying to figure out what to say to me.

She nods and opens her mouth to respond as I hear a soft sweet voice stating besides us, "It's ok sir.. you don't ever have to worry about sissy.. she is a superhero and superheros can't get hurt no matter what.. right sissy?" I look up from her little sisters face to hers as we lock gazes one more time as she says, "You're right Buttercup, nothing can hurt me." Her sister smiles and skips back to her brother's side.

I'm confused as she turns around making sure she sees her siblings together as she softly says to me, "Thank you Liam.. that means more to me than you will ever know." She reaches out squeezing my hand and she looks up to our apartment building behind us.

She looks nervously around as she let's go of my hand and turns around walking with both kids in hand to get them to school. I turn around as I see an older man glaring our way. I wonder if that the infamous deadbeat dad I have heard only bad stuff about so far?

But ignoring the glaring man.. the fact that I made an impression with her and she appriciates it is all I wanted, at least for right now. It's a step in the right direction.

I turn walking back to my car and headed to the same breakfast place I was yesterday.

I walk in as the older woman nicely greets me and points at the same table I was at yesterday so I head over there and have a seat.

The older woman walks over greeting me. "Hey handsome hope you're having a wonderful day so far. It's nice to see you again.. I'm pretty sure you left a great impression with Mel.. I bet that's why your back.. Am I right?" I smile and nod at her in response as she giggles and says, "Good she needs someone who is there for her.. she has been through so much and I don't know what I would do if something happened to her."

"What do you mean?" I ask wondering if I can at least learn something about what's happening to her.

"The only reason I'm saying anything is because she needs someone to help her and you seem nice. I have a good feeling about you.. but I have suspicions that her father is beating her. But she won't say anything to anyone if he is." She replies and I ask curiously. "Why wouldn't she tell anyone?"

"I suspect she is doing it to take the hit for her siblings. I thought once she turned 18 she would leave, but she has stayed and the bruises I find are still there every single week, for years. So I think she is staying so he won't abuse the kids and she knows they are ok and taken care of with food and shelter by her doing.. after her mother passed she took full responsibility for them. One thing you will learn about Mel is that she is a loving, dedicated and devoted woman." She says to me knowingly as I nod thinking about everything she has informed me about.

"Thank you for telling me all of this I appriciate it." I say to her as she smiles and nods replying. "Just please watch over her." I nod as we see Melanie walking into the diner. So I respond quickly. "I promise I will."

She nods at me as she says. "Hey Mel! Can you help me get this handsome young man a coffee again?!"

She smiles at the older woman and then locking eyes with me as she smirks at me. "Yes of course Grams." She walks over to the coffee maker getting it started as Grams runs to her across the room touching her neck gently that's under a turtleneck shirt.

I see her pushing the sweater up around her neck more, shaking her head at Grams in denial about whatever it is.

Melanie puts her things away as she gets the cup and pot of coffee making her way across the room to me.

"I feel as if you may be following me around." Melanie says playfully to me making me laugh as I watch her pour the cup. "Maybe I am.. or maybe you just keep noticing me because you like me and like having me around." I say even more playfully to her.

Her eyebrows raise as a smirk appears on her gorgeous face. "Maybe." She replies then sets the mug down on the table as she turns walking away.

I watch her talk with her tables joking and conversing here and there. I eat my food just in a trance wondering what I should do about her. She seems like an amazing girl that just needs a little help.. we all need a little help sometimes.

"Hey Liam, how's your food hun?" She asks sweetly to me. "The food and entertainment is beyond expectations. Thank you." I say winking at her as she gets confused asking, "entertainment?"

"Yea you're amazing at your job and very entertaining to watch as you converse with your tables. You're too sweet you know that?" I respond to her making her blush.

"Well.. thank you.. I don't know why you would want to watch me.. but ok." She states pouring me more coffee in my mug.

"Because your stunning." I state so honestly as she blushes more looking at me nervously. "Thanks.. I'm sure you will get tired of me sometime soon.. they always do." She says to me as I respond without hesitation. "What if I don't?.. because I don't think I will."

"I guess we will just have to wait and see how long it takes before you run." She states smirking at me so I smirk back wiggling my eyebrows saying, "I would run to you anytime."

Melanie looks so suprised as she smiles and says, "We will see."

"Yes we will." I respond watching her walk away from me and nervously looking back every now and then. I'm not trying to throw myself at her I'm just trying to make sure she knows I'm serious about being around her and hopefully she will accept me. But I guess, like she said, only time will tell.