Torn At The Seams
Chapter 1
Blue or pink? She thought, gazing at herself in the full-length dress mirror, alternating holding the two shirts against herself.
"Blue" a voice came from the doorway. She turned and smiled. Crowe stood, leaning casually against the doorframe smiling at her. His long curling dark down hair and his sharp dark eyes were the first thing she always noticed whenever she saw him, and she'd known him a long time now. "It goes with your eyes."
"Thanks." She discarded the pink one on the bed and pulled the blue one on, then went to admire herself in the mirror. She felt Crowe's arm go around her waist and he kissed her cheek. Looking in the mirror she saw how different they were; her, with her long blonde hair and blue eyes and him, with his dark hair and eyes. She dressed in light colours, not because she wanted to but because he told her to. She didn't mind, though, she just wanted him happy.
"I have an old friend visiting today." He said against her cheek, "So try not to make me look bad" He smiled, kissed her cheek again and then left, supposedly to get ready.
She sighed and let herself fall onto the bed. Thinking of conversation topics, answers to questions this person might ask. She wouldn't want to make Crowe look bad.
She wondered who this old friend would be, probably an ex girlfriend, someone gorgeous. She gritted her teeth and bit back the tears. She hated it when he invited those sort of people round, they were always all over him and she couldn't do anything about it. They would mock her and she would sit silently. It was better when it was just her a Crowe here, he was nicer to her when they were alone.
"Amy, get ready, now!" Crowe's voice was sharp. Amy wasn't her name, wasn't even close to her name. Crowe didn't like her name, so he changed it to Amethyst as that was his favourite gemstone and now he just called her Amy for short. Her real name is Nocturne, but he always said it sounded too dark and sinister and he wouldn't want her around him with that name so she had let him change it.
She got up, put on her amethyst necklace to please him and her amethyst bracelet. The then put on a bit of make up and wandered out into the hall. The house was huge, though she lived in it, she always felt lost and isolated as if she was just a guest.
She leant over the balcony edge and down into the entrance hall, Crowe was stood looking impatiently up at her. She made her way quickly down the stairs to his side.
"Look at the state of you." He said scornfully, looking her over in distaste. Her expression dropped, she though she had looked ok in the mirror. "It's too late now, go sit down." He waved her off toward the living room; she nodded and did as instructed.
She sat in the isolated chair where she always sat when people came round, she was to be seen not heard, like an ornament she would sit in the chair, not speaking unless spoken to. She blinked back her tears; she'd let him down again.
Crowe entered a few seconds later to check on her, "Good, you're in your chair." He said; before he could start talking again the doorbell rang. "Don't you dare embarrass me," He hissed then went to get the door.
She heard him greet the visitor, his voice light and joking. So different to how he'd just spoke to her, but that's how it always was. He would not ruin his name by treating her like that in front of people.
Crowe walked back into the living room, still talking to the visitor. Nocturne's eyes widened when she saw that the visit was, in fact, male and not just male but an attractive male. He had similar looks to Crowe; long, wavy brown hair and dark eyes. The visitor's eyes were softer though, whereas Crowe's were always sharp and assessing. The visitor hadn't noticed her yet, which was good, because he'd see her staring like an idiot like him.
"And this is my girlfriend." She heard Crowe say, his voice sounded tight and angry but was controlled, she only noticed because she knew him so well. She glanced at him, he was scowling at her, he'd noticed her staring. Desperate to get away from the cold gaze she looked back at the visitor and had to suppress a gasp. He was looking right at her, which wasn't that strange, but the look in his eyes was something she'd never seen before or at least not for a long time. He smiled at her and her heart melted. "Hello, I'm Draven." He said.
"I'm Noct- um – Amethyst." She corrected herself. She saw rage pass over Crowe's expression but it was quickly gone as he turned to Draven.
"Take a seat," Crowe said, settling himself in his grand armchair. Draven took the couch next to the chair, putting his feet up and making himself at home.
"Would you like a drink?" Crowe asked, as always being the fantastic host. "Tea? Coffee?"
"Tea please." Draven said after a moments thought.
"Milk? Sugar?"
"Milk, no sugar, thanks." Draven didn't hesitate that time. He looked at Crowe as if he expected him to get up and go make it.
"Amy, you heard the man." Crowe looked directly at her, his eyes challenging her, daring her to refuse. As always, she didn't. She got out of her seat and made her way towards the kitchen.
"It's ok Amy. I'll make it myself." Draven said, rising but Crowe put a hand on his shoulder to hold him down.
"It's ok, you're the guest. Amy is quite happy to get you anything you need. Isn't that right, sweetheart?" Crowe said. He always used pet names when he wanted her to cooperate.
"Of course." Nocturne grimaced but made her voice sound happy. It was good thing her back was to them.
"Well I guess its ok then." Draven sounded reluctant to let it drop, but did.
Nocturne grabbed the mug off the shelf and made the tea for Draven, after giving it to him – which was awkward in itself – she hastily returned to the kitchen. She grabbed her ipod off the counter and played 'My Chemical Romance' songs as loud as she could. Drowning out the nagging at the back of her mind, telling her she should really get out of here for good. She knew deep down that Crowe was no good for her, that this wasn't how a relationship was supposed to be but she just couldn't bring herself to leave him. She feared what would happen if she did.
The music in her eyes stopped, she looked down to see that her ipod had died. She swore under her breath and plugged it into the wall to charge. While it was charging she couldn't listen to it, unfortunately. It's a good thing that it died when it did because a few seconds later there was a knock on the window. Sabina stood outside, waving frantically at her. Nocturne opened the window quietly.
"What are you doing here?" She whispered.
"Taking you outta here, now come on." Sabina said, pushing the window up more so Nocturne could climb out.
"I can't, Crowe has a guest, he need me –"
"Crowe won't mind if I borrow you, come on, its urgent." Sabina was getting more impatient by the second. Her eyes darting to the kitchen door to make sure hadn't caught them.
"I can't –" Nocturne began, sounding a little whiney. She wanted to, she really did.
"It's Vesper."
That was all Sabina had to say, Nocturne was out of that window faster than she had ever moved before. Sabina handed her a pair of sunglasses and a long black coat. She quickly put them on and ran to the car. She only had to wear these so she wasn't as easily recognised.
Vesper was her ex, but was also her best friend and she still cared for him. If he needed help she'd be there. Even if it was going to hurt when she got home, and she knew it would. It would hurt a lot.
The scene that greeted them was horrendous. Ambulances, Police, crowds. Please let him be ok, she begged silently. Her and Sabina pushed their way through the crowds. They were almost there when a large policeman stopped them.
"Sorry ladies, no one beyond this point." He said.
"We know him." Sabina was saying, while Nocturne was looking around for Vesper.
"Sorry, no one gets past here." The police officer was sweating, despite being outside in the cold. Nocturne had had enough; she wasn't going to be told what to do by a big, sweaty police officer. She stepped around him quickly and moved over to where two paramedics were kneeling over someone. Vesper.
He looked awfully pale and despite the pain, he managed to smile when he saw her.
"You always manage to find me at my worst." He joked, but this was no time for laughing.
"Whats happened?" She asked.
Instead of Vesper one of the paramedics answered. "He's been stabbed, but it didn't hit any vital organs. He's lucky." She then went back to work.
Nocturne knelt down and took Vesper's hand in hers and squeezed it gently.
She felt a tear trickle down her cheek, how did he always manage to get into the worst situations?
The paramedics helped him sit up and then left to get something from the ambulance, Vesper used the time while they were gone wisely.
"Why are you here?" His eyes were burning into her, making her want to look away but she couldn't.
"Because you're hurt." She replied softly.
"You know what he'll do." Vesper whispered, his eyes glistening with unshed tears, "I don't want that, please, go home before he realises your gone. Please. I'll be fine."
He kissed her hand and then said with such seriousness she had to, "Go!"
She ran to Sabina who was still arguing with the police officer. Obviously he hadn't noticed her pass him because when she walked past him he shouted, "I thought I said not to go past me!"
"Sabina, we need to go." Nocturne said without looking back or stopping. Sabina was quickly at her side, falling into step beside her.
"Why? What's –" She began
"I need to get home." Sabina understood straight away and they raced to the car and went speeding down the street toward the house. All the way home Nocturne couldn't help but dread what fate was waiting for her when she walked through the door. Sabina was obviously thinking about the same thing, it was obvious from her expression.
Chapter 2
"Where the hell have you been?" Crowe stormed angrily. He'd collared her as soon as she'd walked into the room. Draven had gone. It was just her and Crowe.
"Crowe, please, listen – " She tried to explain, she hated being shouted at and the tears of anger and upset were already filling her eyes.
"No. You, listen. I had a guest here. You were supposed to be here to get him whatever he wanted and you weren't. So tell me, where the fuck you were."
"Vesper had – " He slapped her hard across the face. She staggered back away from him. He'd never hit her that hard before. Tears spilled form her eyes and she sobbed.
"So you're cheating on me now? With your ex? That's low." He looked angry, very angry.
"No, it's not like that. He was hurt." Her voice was cracked and broken because she was crying so much.
"I bet he was. And did you play nurse for him as well?"
"No!" She was crying so hard now.
"Oh, stop crying, no one cares!" He snapped, "You're giving me headache. Just go upstairs, I don't even want to look at you."
"Crowe please – " She begged and reached for him.
He slapped her hand away; almost breaking her wrist with the force, "Don't touch me! Get upstairs!"
Sobbing all the way, she did. She locked the door and collapsed in a heap on the bed. She hugged her pillow hard and sobbed into it. Her cheek burned where he'd slapped her.
She needed to get away from this, she needed a release. That's when she noticed it, sitting neatly on her desk. Her Swiss-army knife. She leapt up from the bed, grabbing it and flipping it up. The blade shimmered with a deadly glimmer in the dim light.
She ran in over her wrist in a swift movement. Blood welled up on the surface and trickled down her arm.
"What the fuck is that on your arm?" Crowe demanded as she put his tea down on the table. She tried to pull her hand away but he was too fast and he grabbed her wrist. A searing pain shot up her arm, she bit back a scream as he examined her arm.
"Attention seeking, bitch." He commented then flung her arm away as if it disgusted him. She felt tears sting her eyes again, she wouldn't let him do this to her again. She walked straight out the front door and down the street, desperate to get away from him. She pulled her hood of her hoody up over her head.
"Amy! You get back here!" She heard him shout behind her.
She glanced back and walked straight into someone just as she did. "Oh I'm sorry – "
"Hey, Amy." Draven looked down at her.
She glanced up sharply. Coincidence. Or not?
"Um, I think Crowe is calling you." He said, looking over her head. Nocturne looked down and felt the tears leave her eyes.
"Please, get me away from here." She heard her voice break as she started crying. Amazingly, Draven put an arm around her shoulders and led her away quickly. They broke into a sprint when they were around the corner. Draven had hold of her hand and was dragging her along as he was the faster on. He led her down an alley, through a few more streets and up a long winding path and into a house. She hoped it was his house and that they weren't trespassing. Once inside, he led her upstairs into a bedroom that supposedly was his. He then locked the door.
"Right, you're away." He finally said after staring at her for a long moment. "What's happened?"
Nocturne looked at the floor and played with a frayed piece of cotton on her hoody.
"Is that what I think it is?" Draven said, his voice sounded tight and scared. She glanced at him, his gaze was on her wrist. She tucked it inside her sleeve self-consciously and winced as the fibres caught the still-tender skin. "Oh, god, why did you do that?" His voice was soft, he sat next to her. She flinched away and instantly regretted it because of the pain she saw in his eyes. She hadn't flinched away because she didn't like him, she had flinched because whenever Crowe sat next to her it was to abuse her in some way.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean – " She began but he cut her off.
"It doesn't matter, I didn't realise he was like that." Draven put his arms around her.
She snuggled against him and let herself cry out all of her pain and loneliness. He just sat there and let her. When she finished crying he offered her a tissue, which she accept and gladly cleaned herself up.
"I don't understand why he'd do that, and to such a beautiful girl." Nocturne gazed at him and his soft dark eyes seemed endless. He'd just called her beautiful, Crowe never called her beautiful and meant it. She could tell Draven meant it.
His lips met hers. She froze against him.
He pulled away, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to – " She pulled his head back down so his lips met hears again, silencing his apology. She felt all her loneliness and troubles fade away and they were replaced by love. She knew it was meant to be. He was for her.
Chapter 3
"Amy. Come down here." She heard Crowe shout from below. She reluctantly dragged herself from her room. It had been almost a month since she'd seen Draven. Crowe had banned her from going out after she got home. She walked into the living room to see Crowe sat looking very calm. That was never a good sign.
"I just got off of the phone with a friend of mine. Lives near Draven." Crowe said slowly. "She says she saw you two go into his room. From across the street."
Crowe got up and made his way over until he was stood looming over her, glaring down at her. "You slept with him." He wasn't asking, he wasn't accusing, he was stating with a fact.
He grabbed a handful of her hair and pulled hard. "You are my girlfriend." He let her hair go, she didn't even get to take a breath before he pushed her backwards, she hit her head off the wall hard. She saw stars in front of her eyes as she went down to the ground. A burning white pain began behind her eyes.
She automatically protected her stomach from the kick she anticipated coming.
His eyes narrowed. "I also know that your pregnant." He kicked out at her again but she caught his foot and sent him off balance.
She got to her feet and ran for the door before he could get up. She flung it open, forgetting to grab her hoody on the way out. She made it to the alley before her nausea form her head injury kicked in and she collapsed. She fumbled for the phone in her pocket. She called Draven, her phone was nearly out of credit and out of charge. He answered after the second ring.
"Whats up, Nocturne?" He said instantly, knowing she wouldn't call for no reason.
"Help me," She was crying, "Please help me, I'm three streets away. It's Crowe, he's – " Her phone died. The message must have got across that she needed him.
"Amy!" She heard Crowe shout angrily, he was scarily close. She got up and tried to run but she's hurt her ankle when she'd fallen. So she limped as fast as she could ignoring the shooting pain up her leg. She just got out on to the second street when she realised it was closed for road works. She was isolated, no one until the next street over.
Crowe rounded the corner of the alley at the moment, she gazed in horror at the shiny object in his hand. A long knife with a wicked sharp blade. He advanced on her, she tried to fun away but her bad ankle snagged on a cable that had been left trailing on the floor. She hit the floor hard, but ignored the pain and rolled over on to her back only to see Crowe way too close to her and still advancing. She tried to shuffle away, but she wasn't quick enough, his knee landed hard on her stomach, she screamed. He silenced her scream by gripping her neck and slamming her head back down on the ground hard. The other hand with the knife in was poised ready to strike.
She heard Draven shout her name from a distance but she was too lost in to the look on Crowe's face. His eyes were so murderous and angry, he averted his gaze to glower at Draven.
"Crowe please don't!" She heard Draven beg, despair in his voice.
A slow, cruel smile curved Crowe's lips, his hand moved quickly and drove the knife right through her chest.
"NO!" Draven almost screamed and she could hear his quickening footsteps as he ran to her but she was slowing leaving the world. The pain was so intense.
She hadn't even notice the pressure on her stomach was gone. Crowe had taken off so quickly she hadn't even noticed. Draven collapsed to his knees at her side.
"Oh, shit, oh shit, oh shit." He ran his fingers through his hair in frustration.
He wanted to save her, but it was too late. He had noticed her eyes falling closed, "No, Nocturne, you have to stay with me, please, stay awake. It'll be ok."
She shook her head, it wasn't going to be ok, "hold me." She breathed. He did so, at least now she could die happily in his arms. "I love you." She whispered.
He pulled back slightly, tears falling from his eyes openly. "I love you too."
He kissed her once, then she was gone to world.