Carla woke up with a feeling of foreboding. She knew what she was going to have to face today, or more like who she was going to have to face - her rapist. The man who months ago pinned her to her agaisnt her door and did unspeakable things to her. She had tried her best since then to get over it, apart from her attempted suicide, she had done pretty well. Although it did help that she was having an affair with the man she was head over heels in love with. She knew it was wrong but she hadn't been able to bring herself to end it with him, she was too in love with him and she couldn't give up the way she felt when she was with him. She knew he would be there with her today, although not in the way she would like as until Frank was locked away in prison their affair had to remain a secret. She couldn't wait until Frank was behind bars and she could be with Peter properly, in the way they had wanted to ever since the night he revealed his true feelings for her. All of a sudden she heard the doorbell go, she had got used to flinching every time she heard it, whether she would ever stop doing that, she didn't know, but she knew it would help knowing there was no chance it would be Frank.
Michelle had gone out so Carla had to get the door, she nervously opened it, without taking it off the latch. When she realised it was Peter she felt a wave of relief come over her, she opened it fully and let him in, closing as well as locking it as soon as he was in the door. She never failed to stun him with her beauty, he watched her walk across the room, her long, silky black hair flowing down her back, he could tell how scared she was. he wrapped his arms around her, gazing into her captivating, emerald green eyes which were guarded by thick black eyelashes. He reassured her that everything was going to be ok. "Listen, Carla, I know you're nervous but don't be, if anything you should be excited, as soon as that evil man is locked away, we can be together, I can hold you in my arms whenever I want, can't I?" he said with a small smile on his face, he looked genuinely happy and excited which made Carla's heart melt, she wished she could feel excited but she was just too frightened. What if he didn't go to prison? What if he came and did it to her again? She didn't share these fears with Peter, she didn't have to, he knew.
"How did you manage to get away?" Carla asked Peter, she hated not being able to see him whenever, hacing to skulk around like they had something to be ashamed of, so that was one good thing that would come of today. "I just told Leanne I was going to get some fags, she's coming today as well you know" peter replied. "Really? why, she hates my guts, or is that why she's coming?" Carla questioned, laughing slightly but genuinely interested in why Leanne would bother to come. "Not as much as she will after today, but she's coming to support you, so she says, despite what she feels about you, she knows you're not lying". Carla and Peter both felt guilty thinking about Leanne's devotion to Peter, and the fact she was still sticking by Carla, in a funny sort of way, even after everything. "I best be off anyway, I just wanted to check you were ok, I'll see you at court later, love you" He kissed her goodbye and reluctantly left the flat, he hated leaving her, knowing how unbelievingly fragile she was, but he had to.
Carla got dressed into a smart, plain black dress and knee-high black boots. she finished doing her make-up and tried to calm herself down with a cheeky glass of red, she was aware of how Peter felt about her drinking, but she had a right to drink, today of all days, didn't she.
At 12:30 her and Michelle left for court, Carla tried to appear confident but inside she was terrified. She just had to try and do what Peter said, focus on the future, their future...