Reaching Rachel by L.L. Collins Page A

head pounded and her stomach roiled. It was right then that she remembered everything. Justin. He had demanded that she let him move in with her, and she had said no. He had hit her. No, he had beaten her. The last thing she remembered was seeing his fist coming at her face.
    Closing her eyes against the pain, she gingerly touched her face. She could feel dried blood and the puffiness of her skin. She could only imagine what it looked like. As she swung her legs over, pain radiated in her ribs and stomach. Oh my god. What had he done? And where was he now? She was almost afraid to turn her head any farther, as the pain was so blinding it was making her sick again. She needed to get away from him. She needed to get up and get to the police station.
    Gripping the nightstand for support, she slowly stood. The room spun dangerously as she found her footing, and she gripped harder to keep from losing her balance. Breathing in short bursts to keep her ribs from sending shooting pain through her body, she took small steps to the bathroom.
    Making it to the doorway, she breathed a sigh of relief. It felt like she had just run a marathon. She knew once she looked at herself in the mirror, Justin better watch out. Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned, well in this case hell hath no fury like a woman beaten by her boyfriend. Oh, hell no this wasn’t going to be the end. Justin was going down.
    Hearing a door on the other side of the house, she involuntarily whimpered. He was here. God no. She had hoped he had left and wouldn’t be back until after she already went to the cops.
    Reaching the mirror, she gasped out loud when she saw herself. Tears fell out of her eyes and down her bruised face, and she took shallow breaths to keep herself from hyperventilating. If she didn’t know that she was looking at herself, she would’ve thought it was someone else standing there. Her red hair was in tangles around her face, and her green eyes couldn’t be seen through the puffy bruises on her eyes, cheeks, and nose. She reached up and touched her face, wincing. Touching it felt like she just lit a match and set her face on fire.
    Turning the water on in the sink, she leaned over gingerly to try to wash the dried blood from her nose off of her face. As she bent, a ripping sensation went through her chest and she cried out in pain, more tears escaping her swollen eyes. It’s my punishment, she thought. For all the things I’ve done.
    Standing back up carefully, the room spun once more and she gripped the bathroom counter, her body shaking from the exertion of keeping herself upright. Determined to make it to her closet to get dressed, she stepped slowly out of the bathroom. I wonder where my cell phone is, she thought. I need to call Kayley.
    She almost made it to the door to her closet when the door to her room started opening. If she could’ve run, she would have been sprinting. Ice ran through her veins as she looked, terrified, at the opening door. Her body started shaking in anticipation of what he might do now. She closed her eyes, wishing that someone would show up and save her from this, from him. I’ve been so stupid¸ she thought. I should’ve known better than to get involved with anyone again.
    Almost like someone else had taken over her body, she started making noises she couldn’t control as she saw Justin’s face. Backing up, she was shaking her head no as he came fully into view. He smiled as he saw her, but the smile was cold and calculating.
    “Well, well, well,” Justin drawled, stepping towards her. “Look who’s awake.” He reached his hand out to her and she screamed. He laughed as he stood so close to her, she could smell the alcohol on his breath. Her stomach revolted again, and she had to bite down hard on her lip to keep the bile from coming up.
    “No,” Rachel whimpered, trying to step back. But he was too fast. He gripped her wrist painfully, and she cried out.
    “Have you learned your lesson?”