Chapter 10

"You can pull over here, I'll just walk for the rest of the way." Emma said to Nicholas as her house came into view.

"You sure, I don't mind." Nicholas said over his shoulder. The car slowed down a bit.

"I'm fine, it's just over there." The car came to a stop at a curb wall and Emma hopped out from the back.

"Okay, this is you, take care." When Emma slammed the car door, Nicholas started the engine again.

"Wait, Nick, wait here, I'll be right back." Skaii said as she stalked after Emma.

"Hey, Em wait up." She called out. Emma turned to face Skaii with furrowed brows.

When Skaii was near enough, she stopped walking and sighed. "The other day, I said some things that I felt I should've said. I realise that I was being selfish to you. Not many persons would have done what you did for me. And you didn't deserve what I said to you."

"I was just trying to help Skaii." Emma shifted her bag on her shoulder.

"I- I know, okay. And I appreciate it. It's just that when you were assuming shit like that, you hit a nerve, and I just flipped. I'm sorry." Skaii apologized.

Emma was silent for a while, then she said, "No, I'm the one that needs to apologize. I've always been pessimistic, and when I saw those bruises, I just assumed. But I really hope that it's just nothing." She held onto Skaii's shoulder and looked at her with concern.

"I'm fine." Skaii smiled reassuringly. Emma nodded and hugged her, taking Skaii completely by surprise.

She froze. No one has ever hugged her before, except Ian and her dad.

Skaii reluctantly hugged Emma back. But the longer they stayed like that, the better she felt.

The cold night air bit into Skaii's skin, she slowly broke away from the embrace. "Okay, see you tomorrow." Skaii whispered to Emma.

"Good night Skaii." Emma said, her eyes glossy with tears.

"Bye Em." Skaii said as she walked back to the car.

"I didn't know you were into girls." Nicholas said as Skaii sat beside him.

"What can I say? Their tits are my fetish, I just can't get enough." Skaii stated with a straight face.

Nicholas smirked and pulled the car out from the curb.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

When they arrived at the house, Skaii didn't see any car in the drive way and the lights were off.  She thought it was safe to say that no one was home.

She quickly walked to the kitchen to pour herself a cup of water.

"That was quite a stunt you pulled this morning."

The cup fell from Skaii's hand, spilling its content on the kitchen floor. Matthew walked down the kitchen aisle, he was holding a cigarette between his fingers. Even though it wasn't emitting any smoke, Skaii could tell it was lit, by the familiar scent it gave off. She found herself reversing.

"It was brave of you, to take a ride from a cop. You never cease to amaze me." He kept coming at her, while twirling the cigarette with his thumb.

"It's not like I said anything to him. Nicholas was there anyway. I wouldn't want to damage your reputation at school." Skaii sarcastically said.

Matthew shook his head and knocked the ash off the cigarette.

"You know, that sweet mouth of yours is going to get you into a lot of trouble."

Skaii gasped as her back hit something solid.

"There's a thing called respect, obviously you don't have any. I'm going to teach you how to be respectful to me," he paused and pointed to his crotch. "And me."

Skaii's eyes widened, she tried to run around the other side of the counter but he grabbed onto her left hand. She screamed out in pain.

He pushed her back on the counter and slammed her casted hand against the marble tiles and pressed the tip of the cigarette on her shoulder.

The fire burned through her flesh. She opened her mouth to scream but her voice did her no justice. She wasn't sure if she was awake or unconscious; everything was a blur behind her tear clouded eyes.

"It's really easy Skaii, just cooperate and you won't get hurt." He said wiping her tears away and smiling.

"Matthew you can have any girl you want-"

"But not you! Not the one that's rightfully mine. I think it's about time." He leaned into her and kissed her neck.

She squeezed her eyes shut as his wet tongue slid over her skin. She grunted as she pushed him hard. When he staggered away from her, she kneed him the groin and darted towards the front door.

She ran across the yard as fast as she could.

Her feet stopped moving, and she fell to the ground, allowing darkness to consume her.