This Love of Mine (Raine Series #1)

CHAPTER 5

Kayla

I called a cab to come gather me up from my house, when I was upstairs getting the rest of my belongings. I knew I most likely would never be coming back to this god forsaken place, so I made sure to grab it all. I didn't hear any commotion coming from downstairs at the moment, but I still proceeded with caution. Between Wren and my momma, you never know if you're gonna get the devil or an angel. As my toe hit the tile, just beneath the last step, I let out a sigh of relief. It sounded like no one was home and that was an amazing thing. I didn't need to deal with all of their bullshit, as I tried to make my great escape.

I piled my purse and cosmetic bag on top of my rolling suitcase and threw the duffel bag over my shoulder, as I made my way to the front door. The sun was sitting high in the sky and I couldn't wait to feel the taste of freedom, even if it came in the form of a dirty old Greyhound bus. I had saved up quite a bit of money from odd jobs and babysitting, but I would definitely need to find a job when I got to Texas. I made sure to stash half of my money in my sock, knowing that my mother almost always went through my purse before I left.

My hand reached out for the doorknob and just as my fingers gripped around the cool, brass knob, I felt my head being forcefully tugged back. Every strand of hair felt as though they were being individually pulled from my scalp. I yelled out in pain as I tried to turn around to see who my assailant was. Clumps of long, dark brown hair fell to the floor below me, as I felt more hands reaching out and grabbing at my hair. I held my tears in along with my rage, knowing the sooner I gave in, the sooner it would all be over. Boy, was I so wrong this time.

When I finally got myself turned around, four hands were latched onto every tendril of hair. It wasn't just my momma this time. It was Wren also. Wren had always been emotionally and verbally abusive, but rarely had he ever laid a hand on me. Maybe deep down he knew how bad my momma was, and he didn't want to put me through anymore unnecessary pain.

Not so much now. When they finally let go of my hair, I pulled back ready to swing at both of them. When they both stood there, with their stoic looks sitting smugly upon their face, I made the decision to try and run. I turned again reaching for the doorknob and just as the door creaked open, a strong force pushed my head into the edge of the wooden doorframe.

My hands flew up to my forehead, catching the pool of blood now dripping down the front of my face. I tried to think quickly, but everything was starting to get fuzzy. I turned to yell at whichever one had done this, but fell to my knees instead. I was getting extremely light headed and I knew if I didn't stop the bleeding soon, I would be stuck here forever.

I yanked my shirt up and over my head without thinking twice and balled it up as I pushed it against my head. I was still feeling dizzy, but I needed to get out, alive. I caught a glimpse of Wren's once beautiful face. His once lively blue eyes were now a dull, thunderous blue, and his thin lips were pulled tight in anger. His blonde hair must've caught some backsplash of blood, because it was now tainted a blood red color. The amazing boy I had fallen so deeply in love with, ceased to exist any longer. And I suddenly felt my heart yearning to go back in time.

Just as I opened my mouth to protest or ask why, his fist came down across my jaw, and all I heard was a loud popping noise. I wish I could say it stopped there, but unfortunately I would be lying. There were a few more fists thrown and just when I thought it was over, my mom reached for the small square tin that was now lying on the floor. Its contents scattered across the floor.

My mouth was already swelling shut, but I tried with all that was left in me to speak. "Momma, please don't. It's all I have." Tears flooded my face as I protested with her to not take the only money I had. There was no way I would be able to get to Texas without it.

When she turned and looked at me with those burning hazel eyes, I knew there would be no changing her mind. She wasn't even herself anymore; I didn't know this woman in front of me.

"Momma, please." She gave me one last piercing look and then I felt something sharp jab into my thigh.

An excruciatingly painful scream came roaring out of my dry throat. My salty tears and copper tasting blood instantly melded together as they began to pour endlessly down my face. I was quickly becoming hysterical and I didn't want to see what she had just done. But unfortunately, I needed to survey the damage.

When my watery, puffy eyes caught site of the black and chrome handle of one of our steak knives, I gasped in horror. My breathing became erratic as I tried with all of my might not to move. I knew I needed to get to my cell phone that was in my other sock, but every time I tried to move, something new would start hurting. I kept pressing the shirt to my head as hard as possible, but the loss of blood was making my extremities extremely weak. As darkness quickly swept through me, I felt myself fading away. At this point, I could only pray someone would find me.

Doubtful!

*****

I had no idea how long I had been out, when I eventually came to. I was still in the exact position I had been in before, but all of my things were gone. I quickly tried to sit up and squealed out in pain, as I remembered what had been hindering my movements in the first place. The knife still stuck out of my leg, almost taunting me, in that I-told-you-so kind of way. I pulled back the t-shirt that had been pressed against my forehead and saw that the blood had at least stopped pouring out of the open wound.

Just then, I started to feel a line of blood slowly dripping down my face, but I had bigger things to deal with. The knife in my leg, for one. Before I even tried to slide my hand down to the handle, I made sure to listen for voices. After about thirty seconds of nothing, I took my chance.

My trembling hands shakily locked around the handle, as I prepared to remove the object. I wasn't sure exactly how deep the knife had gone, or if it had pierced anything, but I didn't have time for questions like that. I needed to get the f*ck out of this house before one or both of them returned. I took in a deep breath and held it as I slowly started pulling the blade from my thigh. I swear I could hear every tear of the muscles and tendons that the blade was slowly slicing through. I grit my teeth, trying not to scream out in pure torture. As soon as I felt the blade give a little, I tugged one last time and freed it.

The metal clambered against the tile floor beneath me and I instantly clutched my thigh. The tears had returned, but I honestly didn't care this time. I quickly ran through the survival skills we were taught at Girl Scout camp back in third grade. Tourniquet, that's what I need. I quickly reached out for my blood soaked shirt, and tied it as tight as I could around the wound. I squeezed my eyes shut as the knot dug into the now gaping hole in my leg. Once I regained some of my composure, I slid my hand down to my sock to find my phone. I let out a sigh of relief when I felt the money still in my other one.

Without a second to lose, I quickly dialed my one and only friend, Cami. I prayed that she would pick up. After the second ring, I ended the call and instantly started calling her back. If she didn't answer, I didn't know what I would do. She was literally the only friend I had left.

Still there was no answer, so I called one more time. I figured if she didn't answer this time, then I would just call a cab. Just as I was about hang up again, I heard her voice on the other end. She sounded like an angel, an angel who could save my life.

"Ca.." I cleared my throat before trying it again. "Cami?"

"Kayla. Kayla, is that you?" I could hear the worry in her voice reach eminent proportions.

"Come get me, please." I choked out.

"Oh my god, I'm on my way. Are you okay?"

"N..no..I...I...come." I could feel my body slowly shutting down and I couldn't even hold the small phone in my hand anymore. It slipped through my fingers and across the tile floor. My eyelids instantly became heavy and all I wanted to do was sleep. I knew I needed to get out of this house, but I was beyond caring, I wanted to just sleep this day away. After what felt like hours later, I heard a loud gasp come from above me. She had made it. She had come for me.

"Oh my god, KJ, what the hell happened to you? We need to get you to a hospital, now!”

I reached out for her hand, pulling it into my chest. “Please no hospital, I need you to take me to the bus stop.” I barely managed to get the words out, but she must have understood me.

“Are you sure, honey?” I could see the tears starting to well up behind her eyelids.

“No crying. Just help me out of the house. We need to leave, NOW!”

“Okay.” She whispered.

She knelt down beside me and slowly started helping me sit up. I groaned as the pain of every broken piece of me screamed out in pure torturous pain. When she got me in a standing position, she glanced over at me and the floodgates opened up wide. Of course once she started crying, I followed suit shortly after. I have to say, I was amazed that she could even bear most of my weight. She was a petite little thing, standing at only five feet tall and weighing a hundred and five soaking wet, but she was managing to hold her own quite nicely. I wrapped my arm around her shoulders as we made our way to her car. Once she had me safely in the passenger seat, she ran into the house and gathered the rest of my belongings, the ones that were left, and threw them all in the trunk before hauling ass out of my neighborhood.

"Never again!" Was all I could manage to say.