2Author's Note: Hey guys this is a story that i wrote for my creative writing class and i wanted to share it with you guys and get some feedback from you. so let me know and review it and if i get enough reviews i will post the next chapter of falling in love with you later;)...and Ashley Griffin is my real name. loll.
Once and Forever
By: Ashley Griffin
I couldn't breathe. I couldn't even think straight. My mind was whirling around with thoughts about life, death, about what I was going to do with my own problems. But I was afraid; no I was terrified that if I hurt him in any way he would kill me. I felt tears build up in my eyes, but I didn't cry. I just couldn't. How could I cry when my life was in danger and I felt like I wasn't important to anyone in the world, but him? He told me that no one would ever want me, that I was a filthy, dirty girl and no would love me but him. Him being my boyfriend, Ricky Thomas.
No one understood what I saw in Ricky. No one. He was the boy across the street, the one that always smiled and played with me when no one else would. Ricky was my first kiss and my very first boyfriend and he was going to make sure he would be my last. Even if I had to die in the process.
I havehazel eyes, brown/hazelnut hair and I'm 5 feet even. I'm seventeen years old and I'm very petites for my age. I feel like I'm drowning in my own world with Ricky. I used to think I was beautiful but then Ricky came along and destroyed all my thoughts. He told me every day after a couple months of dating, that I was ugly and disgusting and that I needed to cover up my body and not look like another hoe in this school. And I did as I was told. I dressed in jeans, sweats, hoodies, and long sleeve shirts, anything that would fit Ricky requirements of my attire. In the long run I was glad I did cover up my body because every day I would have another bruise or many all over my body.
My dad thought I was just self-conscience about my body image and my mom hasn't been around since I was ten years old. I never really thought about why she left until Ricky put it in my head that she left because I was born. It hurt to know he thought that and for him to put that in my head, it hurt so much. When I first introduced Ricky to my dad, he didn't think Ricky was good enough for me. I mean sure Ricky was cocky, arrogant and determined but that didn't help him with my dad's opinion on him. My dad once told me that if I ever had kids with him they would be very ugly. I took that an offense. Ricky wasn't ugly per say, he was average. He was 6 feet tall, brown hair, brown eyes and had some muscles. He was gorgeous to me but behind that fake beauty and reality Ricky threw out to everyone, was an ugly beating monster.
My best friend Hailey didn't understand me being with Ricky. I didn't really understand either. I tried my best to talk to my best friend as much as I could, but Ricky made sure that I couldn't hang out with her. Heck! He forbids me to see her at school. When I pass Hailey in the halls at school, she just looks at me with Ricky's arm wrapped around my shoulder, glares at him and looks back at me and walks away. I missed my best friend and it hurt so much not to have her in my life. I needed her so much right now and I couldn't do a dang thing about it. I was stuck in this relationship and I wasn't sure how to get out.
Three months ago everything changed. My life went turning upside down to a bigger degree. Wes Wright and his dad, Kyle moved in next door to us. The bad thing about it was that my dad and his dad were friends in high school and basically hung out when they could. That meaning Wes could come over to my house whenever he pleased. But you must wonder why my life is turning upside because of this? It's because Ricky's jealous that I might like Wes, which is kind of true. I mean Wes is very attractive. He's your average bad boy type of guy who gets in trouble and skips school. He's 6'3, has gorgeous blue eyes that anyone could die for, brown messy hair, a strong athletic build and he's eighteen years old. Ricky get's very mad when Wes is around because of the way I look at him sometimes. Ever since Wes moved here to our small town, I've been getting beat harder than ever all because Ricky is afraid I will leave him for Wes. But I know deep down I won't because I'm just afraid of what might happen.
Sometimes when I'm at home and sitting down just doing nothing and Wes is over, he looks at me and it's like he's trying to figure me out. He only does that because my dad told him I've been quite a lot and don't talk as much as I used too. So when Wes see's me, I get annualized to a 9th degree.
A week ago I came home and I was holding my wrist and Wes was just coming from the bathroom and he stopped in his tracks and looked at me.
"What happened to your wrist?" He asked me, looking me up and down and then back at my wrist. I looked up at him, being almost a foot or shorter than him and tried to see if he could tell what happened but I couldn't.
"Nothing, I tripped over a huge crack in the sidewalk and fell. My wrist is probably sprained but I'm okay." I murmured quietly to him. His eyes stayed on me before examining me again and then nodding and left for the stairs. I stared after him for a minute and went down a little ways in the hallway and opened my bedroom door and shut it behind me, locking it.
A week ago it was my wrist but this time, it's even worse.
Ricky and I were walking back from the store and going towards his house when a voice stopped us.
"Hey Leah, Ricky." Wes' voice spoke, as he came and stood beside me. I could immediately that Ricky did not like that Wes was now standing next to me and was gripping my hand as tight as he could making it throb with pain.
"Hey Wes," I spoke quietly. Wes' eyes flicked over to me and he gave me a soft smile. I smiled back, which didn't go unnoticed by Ricky.
"What are you guys up too?" Wes asked, eyeing mine and Ricky's intertwined fingers.
"We're going over to my house to watch a movie," Ricky spoke, anger seething out into his voice. Wes noticed and looked at him hard and then at me.
"Um, your dad said I could crash at your place since my dad and him and are going out tonight, is that okay with you?" he asked. I took a moment before answering again.
"Yeah, it's fine with me," I murmured. Wes smiled and nodded and then starting backing away.
"See you later, Leah," he said and went to my house.
Ricky pulled me up the steps to his house and once inside, pushed me to the ground and started yelling. His parents weren't around to hear this because they never were around. I looked up at Ricky and noticed how angry he was. Ricky grabbed my arm and pulled my back up and pushed me against a wall and slapped me across the face. My head shook to the side and I took another glace at Ricky but not before his right hand balled into a fist and punched me in the eye. I fell to the ground, screaming in pain.
"SHUT UP!" Ricky yelled at me and started to kick me rapidly in the stomach and my legs. Tears fell from my eyes and I couldn't help them from falling.
"HOW CAN YOU LIKE HIM? HE'S NOT EVEN WORTH YOUR TIME!" Ricky screamed, still kicking me. I knew what he was talking about. Wes. He was angry that I was getting close to Wes. I couldn't help it, but let out a cry once again. My eyes closed and I felt so tired. I continued to scream as Ricky kicked me but then everything stopped. All I could hear were some grunt and punches and my crying. After awhile I felt myself being picked up by a pair of warm arms and carried somewhere distant. I didn't know what was happening. It was all a blur.
I woke up some time later and looked around and noticed I was in a hospital bed and that someone was sitting at the foot it. I saw the athletic body of Wes sitting there, with his eyes on my body looking me up and down, wincing here and there. I looked at what he was looking at and saw my body was out in the open. Wes must have changed my clothes because I was in boy shorts and a tank top. Wes was looking at my bruises. My nasty, god forsaken bruises. I didn't want him to see me like this. This was not how I wanted people to find out, especially since Wes was the one that found me. I was scared so much that I began to cry. I cried for everything I thought I had and could have kept hidden and what could have been. I especially cried for myself, because I had aloud Ricky to hurt me. I felt a pair of arms wrap around me and noticed Wes was holding me.
"It's alright Leah, your safe now," he murmured. I nodded against his chest and closed my eyes. I wish I could take this year back to where I never met Ricky, but thinking that means I never loved him which isn't true; I love Ricky so much it hurt. I couldn't stop thinking about him. He was my everything and now he will become nothing. I pulled back from Wes' embrace and looked at him and then down.
"You think I'm discussing don't you?" I asked him, quietly, keeping my head down. I felt his fingers push my chin up, so I would look him in the eyes.
"No I don't. I think you're gorgeous. What he did was discussing. Hitting and kicking you like that…it was disturbing and seeing you crying…it broke my heart, Leah." He told me, making me cry. I immediately pushed myself back into his arms and he held me firmly in place. I felt safe with him. I felt beautiful and gorgeous…nothing compared to how I felt with Ricky. He always made me feel nasty and bad about myself. I wish Wes had been the one I ended up with for a year instead of Ricky. All Ricky did was brought me pain and misery.
"What happens now?" I asked into his chest, my sobs quietly going down.
"Well I called the cops before I got to Ricky's because I heard your screams from when I was leaving my house to go to yours," he spoke and I felt tears prick in my eyes again. "I slammed his front door open and saw him kicking you and lost control of my actions. I tackled him to the ground and beat him up. The cops came and took him away and then the ambulance came and got you." He said and I nodded once again. I noticed now that my hospital gown was on the chair beside the bed.
"Why aren't I wearing that?" I asked.
"The doctor wanted to look at every one of your bruises, so he asked me to help get you changed." I nodded and looked down at the millions of bruises. I winced at the movements and sighed.
"So he's not going to hurt me ever again?" I asked Wes, looking him directly in the eye. Wes looked at me and nodded.
"But you need to testify and put him away. You're seventeen and he's eighteen. That's abuse on a minor. You can win this Leah…I believe in you, always." He told me and I was crying once again.
That day my father saw my bruises realized I was being beaten and took charge and helped me put charges against Ricky. Ricky was charged, as Wes said, Abuse on a minor and was put away for a few years. I don't know how many to be exact but he is put away for good…away from me.
A few months after the trial with Ricky, Wes and I got together. A few reasons were only because he treated me like a boyfriend should treat a girlfriend. I felt loved and free. I felt amazing. My life was finally coming together again. And I owed my life to Wes. I think back now and see that if Ricky hadn't beaten me that day, Wes would have never saved me and I wouldn't be here with him as I am now.
"Wes…thank you," I murmured to him as we lie beside each other in my backyard, looking at the millions of stars in the night sky. Wes turned towards me and smiled his gorgeous smile.
"For what?" he asked me.
"For saving me," I told him and smiled.
"I will always be there for you Leah. Always and Forever." He told me and leaned over me and kissed me sweetly and romantically. I pulled back and looked at him. Everything was perfect now. Being beaten made me realize that once and forever can happen only to those who believe. And on that note, I very much believe.