Eight

Do you feel like a man when you push her around?
          Do you feel better now as she falls to the ground?
          Well, I'll tell you my friend, one day this world's gon' to end
          as your lies crumble down, a new life she has found

I watch them leave with him actually dragging her out of the bar. I feel sick that she's going back with him, that even after all this she's still by his side. I feel like I'm about to throw up. I can't stand the sight. And I'm angry with myself because I'm not doing anything to stop her. I say I love her but I and can’t even save her.

No wonder why she doesn't love me, I'm a coward.

If I really loved her as I claim to I wouldn't let her be treated like that. I would so something. I mean, I'm not even calling the police. What kind of despicable man am I? I hit him with the same brutality he hit me. I'm no better. I might not talk to her like that, I might not hit her but I'm still allowing this to happen. Isn't my duty as a citizen to stop this?

"Hey," I call out loud, clenching my fists and trying to keep a calm facade although I'm a living hell inside. Fury and frustration both burn bright in the pit of my soul, scaring me.

He stops and she turns around first, agony and plead in her eyes but I shake my head. I can't let her go. I have to stop her. I have to stop him.

"What now? So you feel like a man? Treating her like this feeds your stupid ego? Or isn't even that enough? Does it make you feel powerful pushing her around until she ends up on the ground?" I spat and this time he turns around, burning rage in his eyes.

"Shut up before I break your face so not even your mother will recognise you," he threatens me but I shrug off his words with ease.

"That'll make you feel like a man, won't it?" I grin in mockery and for a second I look at her to see the horror in her eyes. That makes me hesitate for a second but no, I have to do this. If she won't face him I'll do it. I tell him exactly what he is. "Humiliating her like that surely makes you look like a big bad boy," I carry on, dripping sarcasm. "Well flash news, my friend. One day all the control you have on her will crumble down. This sick world you've made and forced her to be in will disappear and she'll be free of all your lies and bullshit."

He lets go of her and steps towards me. I stand straighter because I'm not afraid of him. He's just a bully, bullies feed of fear so they can bear looking at their reflection every morning.

"You know nothing. You're just a poor stray dog who wants someone else's bone. But I'm a bigger and scarier dog."

"Uuhh the bad boy uses metaphors. Please, a round of applause for him! This is probably the brightest thing he's ever done!"

Am I making things worse? Probably. Is he plotting how to kill me? Most likely but I won't stop. I'll humiliate him like he humiliated her.

"You know, psychologists state that the bad attitude is only to compensate," I smirk even if I know how childish I'm acting. Mocking him by means of size is immature but with someone at his level is a pretty powerful weapon. It hurts harder than any punch I can blow.

"She can't tell you otherwise," he replies trying to sound nonchalantly but it's clear he's about to explode. His weakness is language. He may be strong but he can't keep up with a verbal fight. Which makes me wonder for how long he'll hold back before he kills me.

"Oh, I'm sure she doesn't wanna humiliate you. After all, she's not like you," and after saying that I look at her just to wink and that's when he jumps on me.

His fists are everywhere and soon I'm on the floor and he's punching me nonstop. I can't even block him, he's like an animal, too thirsty for blood. My blood. He screams and curses me but I don't say anything back. I try to protect myself the best I can but he's brutal.

"Stop, stop, STOP! Leave him alone!" someone screams desperately and I recognise her voice. His blows slow down and I can see her on his back, pulling, trying to stop him. "Stop now! You're gonna kill him!"

"He deserves it! And you're no better!" he shouts back and only then he stops hitting me just to grab her and throw her away, like a piece of rubbish. The troglodyte stands up and goes after her and I can barely move, but I try to stop him. "You cause all this. It's always your fault!"

"I'm sorry," she cries and I feel sick. She has nothing to be sorry about. "I'm sorry just... Please, stop. You'll end up in jail. Please," she begs one more time and I'm about to say something but I only cough blood. "Please. It won happen again, I swear."

"You better! I'm tired of your shit," he spats and she sobs, slowly standing up and trying to reach him.

"I'll quit. I'll never see him again, just stop. Please. Let's go home," she cries and I see him taking a deep breath before he nods.

"Let's go," he agrees and grabs her arm. He literally drags her out of the bar and once he's gone it's completely silent.

I swear you can hear everyone's heartbeats, it's like you've paused the scene. No one moves. That until I explode, barely holding myself. 

"Couldn't you do something?! Why didn't you help her?" I demand and many people look around, they even step back. "Why didn’t you help?!" But no one answers.

And the worse part? No one called the police. I don't understand why. I call them once I can stand up —with Derek's help— but it's pointless. I don't know where she lives and if she doesn't present charges they can't do anything. The chance was when they were here.

I can't believe she left with him after all what happened. I'm so furious that I don't want to see my mates. I don't want to see anyone. They all were witnesses but no one helped.

Why? Why did they all look away when she needed them?

Sick to no end, I leave the bar even though my shift it's not over. I just can't stand it anymore. I've reached my limit.

-:-:-

There's a video at the sidebar. I already put it in the previous chapter but in case you didn't see it, go to the multimedia and watch it. We need to raise awareness regarding abusive relationships. Please, share that video, share this story, share the message. There are many kinds of abusive relationships, physical violence is just the only one that leaves visual scars.

Bel, xx