Chapter 4

Her cheek feels like fire had been thrown on it and her head feels like someone is hammering it. Melanie starts crying from the pain and Robert starts to regret what he just did to his girlfriend. Robert let's out a heavy sigh and stops his car on the side of the road. He turns around to look at Melanie, "Baby…" Robert says trying to get her attention, but she continues to cry her eyes out. Realizing his begging isn't going to calm her down, Robert takes his seat belt off and picks her up and puts her on his lap. When he removes Melanie's hands from her face he feels even guiltier; there's a little bit of blood running down the side of her face. He grabs a bottle of cold water he had in the car and some napkins and wet the napkins with the water and put it on her cut. Melanie isn't full blown crying anymore, but she's sniffling. He slowly brings her head to his chest and rocks them both back and forth for a while and holds the cold, wet, napkin on her cut until she stops bleeding.

After she has calmed down, Robert lifts her head up and pecks her forehead, "I'm sorry ok? You know I love you. Why do you make me do these things? Let's just forget about it, you need to listen to me next time." He said while holding her.

She nods her head agreeing.

"Let's go to my house." Robert says lifting Melanie off his lap and laying her head in his lap instead so he can drive.

Robert starts driving to his home as Melanie falls into a dreamless sleep.

When Melanie awakens there's a Band-Aid on her forehead and she is lying on a couch with arms wrapped around her waist. She looks around to see that she's in Robert's house.

All of a sudden, she feels fingers running through her hair, another hand on her thigh, and soft lips on her neck, "Somebody's awake…" Robert says calmly. "Well he's got busy hands today." She thought to herself. Melanie stretches her arms out and kind of squirms under his touch feeling uncomfortable. Melanie sits up and gets off the couch, "I'm kind of hungry..." Melanie says trying to avoid the obvious situation about to happen, well, obvious to her. Robert quickly comes behind his girlfriend and wraps his arms around her waist while leaving little kisses all the way down to her collar bone as his hands run down her sides before he speaks, "Don't worry babe. I'll get you and I some popcorn and soda alright? Just relax." Robert says in a seductive tone. Melanie is not stupid. Why is he acting like this suddenly? He never acts sweet like this unless he wants something and Melanie thinks she knows what he wants. And that's not going to happen until she's married. She might not be the most religious person, but that's ONE THING she tries to follow in the Bible. And she plans on keeping it that way.

Melanie shakes her head and moves away from Robert and insists she gets it instead, "No Robby, I can get it! Just give me-" Melanie's sentence was cut off by Robert turning his girlfriend around and kissing her suddenly. When they pull apart he speaks up, "Hey…I said I'll get it OK? Go back to the couch and sit down." Robert nods to the couch at the end of his sentence. Melanie sighs defeated and goes to sit down on the couch. As Robert walks into the kitchen with a devilish smirk on his face, Melanie grabs a romantic comedy and puts it into the DVD player and waits for Robert to come back.

He comes back 12 minutes later with a large bowl of popcorn and two large glasses of grape soda.

He puts the snacks on the table in front of them and sits on the coach and wraps his arms around her shoulder and Melanie presses play.

It was around 7:00 and the movie had ended a couple of minutes ago. Melanie had texted her mother 2 hours ago and had told her she was at Robert's house so she wouldn't get worried and call the police or something. She was very tired and was getting ready to get up and go, but Robert had other things in mind. Robert pulled Melanie into his lap and started kissing her neck again and putting his hands on her bare thighs. Melanie had a mini skirt on. Melanie started to move uncomfortably and spoke up, 'Robert stop. Umm, It's seven o'clock, I haven't been home all day, I haven't done my homework, I should get going." Melanie stated trying to slip her way out of the situation she was about to be put in, but Robert wasn't oblivious; he knew what she was doing.

He chuckled at her and replied saying, "Baby forget the homework... stay with me." He said while playing with her shirt.

Melanie shook her head in frustration. "No. I'm not stupid, I know where this is going."

Robert's nails dug into her delicate skin and he began to chuckle at her like she said the funniest thing in the world. "You're really saying no to me? I'm the only guy in town who probably finds you attractive. No one else wants you. Don't you see that? Who are you saving yourself for, huh? Get a grip." Robert said while running his hands down her arm.

His words struck her like the sharpest blade, but she tried her best not to show it. Melanie has had enough by this point and she pushed him away roughly, "I said stop, alright? I'm not a play toy. I-I…I just wanna go home now. Or I swear I will-" Melanie was again cut off by Roberts's lips. His kisses always seem to shut her down to her demise. He pulled away and replied soothingly, "Alright, alright. Calm down, babe. We'll continue this conversation another time..." Robert stated in a quick change of mood, while putting his hands up in surrender.

Melanie sighed with great relief, but she had a feeling this wasn't gonna be the last time. It never is, this situation happens continuously. Every time he does it makes Melanie feel awful, as if she isn't doing her "duty" as a girlfriend. With the way he keeps pushing her, he's starting to frighten her a little bit. She got her things and mumbled a goodbye to Robert as she quickly left out the door.

Melanie had no idea of the maze her boyfriend was about to take her through.

When she got to her door she can already hear the yelling inside the house.

Do I ever get a break? Melanie thought to herself as she shook her head and unlocked the door. When she steps in the door Bob and Linda stopped yelling, but Melanie paid them no mind. She mumbled a, "hey" to them as she marched up the stairs and shut her door. Melanie dropped her bag on the floor and grabbed her diary. She grabbed a pen, opened the book, and began to write once again:

For You:

Everything I do is for you.

I say things are OK, and it's not a big deal to me, when it really isn't, for you.

I'm afraid to trust people, to let them in, afraid they'll take my heart and never come back again, because of you.

I walk on glass; cutting my feet, the pain…it's no longer there. I've become used to comprising to everything for you.

If I've ever had any other options for a good life thrown at me, I rejected it because I was focused on you. Focused on loving you; focused on having a relationship with you.

But it's you who hurts me. It's YOU who uses me. It's you who leaves me in the dust and forgets about me later.

But I'm your girlfriend, the one you're supposed to love. Don't you care?

Mom, I'm your daughter… your precious baby girl. Should I have to even wonder if you care?

But don't worry, I'll fight, I'll pull through. But remember, when I'm done, and when I'm no longer able to put up with you, it will be the end, and I'll no longer communicate with you.

So when you wonder why I'm gone, why I don't talk to you,

Remember what I did; remember what I went through, just to stay close to you. Remember the pain in my heart that I held, all just for the both of you.

Melanie put's her diary down, stands up, and flops down on the bed and lets out a loud groan as she stared at the ceiling and let her mind wonder for a while.....