I stood in the school hallway, idly chatting with my friends. My boyfriend, Ivan Braginski, brushed back his soft pale hair and fixed his purple icy eyes upon me. He stared me down from across the hallway. The atmosphere became awkward yet tense. He walked towards me, taking long strides while silence ell upon everyone. His presence was almost unbearable. Ivan pulled a black coat from his backpack and pulled me away from my friends. Dragging me, he pulled me aside to a quiet area in the hallway.
"Tori, wear this. " He's soft voice echoed as Ivan spoke softly into my ear.
"Why?" I questioned him, taking the jacket. It was a heavy winter coat that usually worn in the winter….but it was spring.
Ivan smirked and his eyes darted above my head to see if anyone was there. "I can see your bruise marks, Любовь моя." Ivan rested his hand on my right arm and traced his fingers over a large purple bruise forming. I bowed my head at him.
"I-I'm sorry, Ivan." I slipped my arms through the jacket immediately and stared at my feet. I would feel his smirk growing on his face as he bent down to kiss my forehead.
"Now, this won't happen again, now will it, Miss Laurinaitis?" Ivan said wearing a crooked smile on his pale face.
"Of course not, Ivan. I apologize." I bowed my head twice more. He smiled once more.
"Вы уволены." With that, he turned from me and continued walking down the hallway.
I stroked my arms and counted the bruises and scars and healing wounds. 23 bruises. 12 scars. 14 healing wounds. Tears began forming in the corners of my eyes. Ivan would beat me, whip me, chain me down, punch me, kick me, spit on me, and cuss me out. And if I even TRIED to leave him…I'm sure I would be killed or at least tortured. So, I continued to be his 'arm candy' as Estonia called it. I was his trophy girlfriend with the pretty face and perfect curves that he need to reach social popularity. That's all I was to him…
"Tori? Is that you?" A voice behind me called. I spun around and saw the always cheerful Feliks, my best friend, beaming at me. His face was joyful and full of glee as he approached me. But as soon as he was close enough to see my face, he was emotionless. A frown curled on his lips.
"Tori, why are you crying?" Feliks reached his hand out and wiped the tears falling form my eyes.
"I-If Ivan sees you he'll-"
"I don't give a rats ass what he like says!" Feliks' voice was stern and overpowering.
"Pull up your jacket sleeves." He said , noting the big wooly jacket covering me.
I knew there was no point in arguing with him. I raised my sleeves and showed him my bruises and bloody arms.
Feliks paused, scanning over my arms thoroughly. After an awkward silence, he broke it by asking, "When did he do this to you?"
"Last night."
"How many times is that now?"
"I lost track after 50, Feliks."
He stared into my eyes for a long time, without saying anything. All of a sudden, he reach ed out and embraced me.
"I will end this, Tori. I swear."