Hiding
1396 Words
I search the apartment, checking behind everything, in cupboards, everywhere that someone could hide. There's no one, I’m safe. I walk to the window and peek out of the curtains watching the cars and people pass, hours pass by before I slide down to the floor and fall asleep with my arms wrapped around my legs for comfort.
I can’t believe I’m free, not yet, it’s too soon. When the sun comes up I go to shop and get food for a week, along with a new sim card. I will keep my old one purely for contacting family, I can’t risk giving them my new number and it being given to Joel. I ignore the influx of angry warning messages and calls he has sent and slide out the old sim card putting in the new one.
My plan is to search for a job online and apply for any that aren’t too close. I don’t want to work too close to where I live. I will check my old number once a week, purely to reply to family. He’s clearly angry with me, which is obvious by his threats. He never made mistakes before and it’s all my fault that he left the key according to him. It gave me my escape, I can’t ever go back, or let him know where I am. So, I will work, and come home. That’s it, the less time I spend outside the better.
I won’t make friends, I won’t go out. The fewer people that know me the less chance he will hear about me. I peer at the bruises and cuts, they will be gone soon, leaving only the mental scars, even I know they won’t go as quickly and easily.
I can’t go to my family, not until I know he isn’t watching there for me, and not until I know I can stand there and lie and hide the damage. Joel should be smart enough to know I wouldn’t go home, not covered in bruises, I wouldn’t walk in and let my daddy see me battered and bruised. I certainly wouldn’t let him hunt down Joel and kill him, he would kill him, which scares me.
So, no going home until I’m fully healed. I need to be sound-minded, so it might be months but it stops them from finding out the truth, it stops my dad from doing anything crazy and getting locked up. I look down at my boots, realising just how much I miss him and that life. It’s been four years since I saw him, and over a year since we spoke, everything has been text messages.
That’s down to Joel, every new bruise made me hide away, not to mention the past two years I only left with him, and he ensured I was locked up the rest of the time. Soon, soon I will go home and see my dad, I will feel safe with him, even if I only go for a small holiday.
Six Months:
I wipe the table and walk around the counter. Sam smiles at my holding out her hand and I pass her the cup watching as she places it in the dishwasher.
“So, tonight?” She smiles and looks at me hopeful, but her energy is wasted. It’s been six months since I ran, six months of working here. I can’t go out though, I can’t risk it.
“Sorry, but I can’t.” I’m getting better, I don’t think about everything all day, and I’m feeling more like me.
“Harley, whatever you’re hiding from, stop. It’s not happened.” She smiles at me. “Come on, come out with us.”
She could be right, but it’s not worth the risk. I shake my head. “I can’t.” She rolls her eyes but nods, the workers here are nice, and always invite me out, but I won’t go. I finish making the black coffee and begin to turn with it in my hand when I hear it.
“Little mouse, I found you.” I jump, screaming and the coffee flies all over, spinning around I get ready to face him and freeze when I realise it isn’t him. A man is standing with his arms wrapped around the woman whose coffee I was making.
“Dammit Harley!” I turn and look back at Sally. My eyes widen as I see Sam crying.
“I’m sorry.” s**t, that’s twice now I’ve thrown hot drinks on someone.
“Look, you’re a great worker and everything Harley, but this time I can’t ignore it. Pack up and leave.” I go to argue but stop, she’s right, she can’t ignore this. The first few weeks I dropped so much, and then I slowly felt safer not jumping as much when I heard the door or footsteps. Last week though I dropped hot chocolate down Luke, I spaced out, and I somehow went back to there. Sally let me off with that, but this time I don’t blame her for wanting me gone.
I walk through the back and grab my bag packing my things.
“Look, I’m sorry. I know my workers would never take me to court, but I can’t risk this happening with a customer Harley. Can I give you some advice?”
I nod as I throw my bad over my shoulder.
“Get help, whatever happened, whatever this is, you will always be on edge until you get help.”
I don’t bother replying, instead, I walk out and leave. Driving home I stop the car about the same distance as I always do before walking to the apartment. I step inside and lock the door, doing my usual routine of checking all cupboards, behind furniture and anywhere else someone could hide.
Once I’m satisfied it’s clear I sit on the old worn sofa, and grab the laptop. I begin looking for a new job. I have enough money to last about two months, but I need to get a job before that starts to run out.
I apply for random jobs, stopping when I see an ad for dancers wanted. I lingerie on it for a moment before clicking it and reading.
Dancers wanted.
Identity stays hidden.
We’re not a brothel.
We are not a strip club.
We do not exchange s*x for money.
Experience is preferred but training can be given to the right woman.
After finishing reading the article I send a request through to them. I like that my identity is hidden, it means no one will know it is me. It is also a place I know Joel would never walk into. Which makes it even safer.
I need to speak to my dad, I keep avoiding him and I know he will get pissed off. Switching sim cards, I ignore the messages and everything else from Joel. Hitting the messages I find my dad and tell him university is going great. I’m lying, but he thinks everything is fine so for now I will play the part. I place down the phone and laptop and fall asleep.
I wake hearing a scream, rushing I look out of the window, my heart pounding through my rib cage, I look around and see a man and woman. She is laughing now, her body thrown over his shoulder.
I move back to the sofa and sit in silence for a few moments before picking up my phone and clicking on the message it is from the club, offering me an interview tomorrow. I guess I will go, if it’s not safe, or anything I can always leave.
Forcing myself into bed, I go to sleep, knowing that I need sleep to be able to perform tomorrow. I have no idea what they will ask me to do, or if they will even ask me to dance. I will need the energy though.
I stand outside the building, I didn’t sleep well last night, those words had me on edge. I haven’t heard anyone say little mouse since Joel. This is my new start, I hope. I can dance, and it’s how I made money before meeting Joel. He despised it, and very quickly put a stop to me dancing. Maybe dancing is the way to find the true me again.
- Writer
