Miamora browsed the racks at the video game store ideally. She wasn't really interested in anything they had to offer, but she didn't dare speak up about that. She glanced nervously to her right, seeing her boyfriend chatting with the store attendant about some new release she couldn't begin to care less about. However he'd probably discussed it in depth with her by this point. She really had tried over the years to find an interest in this, and while some of the games sounding interesting, her hands never cooperated. Miamora had always been clumsy, and her hand eye coordination was not built for a gaming controler.
Jason, Miamora's boyfriend walked over to her. As he raised his hand to run it through her hair, she flinched suddenly. He gave her a hard look, just for her. Her heart pace had quickened in the moment of terror before she mentally shook her head at herself. She knew he'd never act out in public. Besides, hadn't it been three blissful weeks since their last drunken incident? She should know better than to jinx it by being silly. Sure things weren't always great, but no relationship was perfect. She'd learn to take a couple jabs and comments when he'd had a few too many in stride. He was always so nice to her afterwards. He bought her flowers and took her out to nice dinners.
Deep down, in the recess of her mind she didn't like to visit, she knew it wouldn't be long before he had another one of his "episodes". As she internally referred to them. She tried a soft smile to appease him, and it seemed to work. She breathed out a sigh of relief as she watched his shoulders relax and his jaw unclench. Miamora wasn't sure if it was because they were in public or because he was really happy with her right now. Maybe it wouldn't get bad again. A girl could hope right?
Miamora had always been a romantic. At first her relationship with Jason seemed too perfect. They'd been together for two months before he hit her for the first time. By that point in their whirlwind relationship, she'd already moved in with him. She'd gone to her mothers for the night, but her mother had told her to make it work. Every good man slips up now and again, she'd told her. It was a good woman's duty to see her man through the hard times, to stand beside him and help him back up onto his feet. So back to their little apartment she'd gone. She cooked and cleaned and made him little cutesy gifts, all on top of her part job and studies.
"Their system's down, so their only taking cash right now. I'm gonna walk to the bodega across the street and use their ATM." Jason said. She nodded her understanding and gave another small smile. They stood their in silence for moment, she shifted from foot to foot, curious what it was he expected from her that she wasn't providing. He sighed roughly, obviously irritated with her. She worried her lip as she watched his eyebrows draw together in frustration.
"Give me your card, silly." His words were playful, but his tone was anything but. She froze for a moment, she didn't really have that much in her account. She had been saving up to buy his christmas presents, but she'd had a lot of school expenditures this semesters and her hours had been cut at the library. "Mia…" He said quietly, his voice low and threatening. "Do we need to have this conversation somewhere private?"
She shook her head no and immediately pulled out her wallet. He snatched the whole thing out of her hands and walked out the door as someone else walked in. She looked down at her feet as she tried to mentally catalogue how much he was going to take out. She knew he'd been out of work for a little while and his unemployment check mostly went towards the bills. She should have known he didn't have enough for the new game.
"Mia, you okay?" The clerk asked her cautiously. The state of relationship has become a not so well kept secret around their small town. It seemed like everyone and their mother had seen her bruises at one point or another. At the very least, they'd heard about them. Nothing was private in a town like this.
"I'm fine Kevin." Miamora said in her best fake chipper tone. Kevin had been in her high school graduating class. They'd never been close, but he had taken to using the same soft, worried tone with her that everyone did. Like she'd break if anyone talked too loudly. Maybe she would…
Her eyes drifted around the store in an attempt to look anywhere but his patronizing eyes. She settled on the guy who'd walked in as Jason walked out. He was handsome. Tall and a little ruged. He had that earthly look about it, like a man that worked with his hands. He caught her eyes and smiled softly. Wandering over with an ease gait to lean against the rack she had been pretending to browse through.
She looked down and tried to busy herself. What was she thinking. She was as taken as them come. It didn't matter how handsome he was, it's not like she could ever heave Jason. He'd never hear of it. Weather she liked it or not, she belonged to him now. They'd been together for too long.
She reached across the rack to grab a game with a colorful cover right as the handsome stranger did, their hands brushing against each other and in that moment Miamora's entire life changed.
Her blood ran cold and an overwhelming heat began to pump through her system. She briefly worried this was what a heart attack felt like it. Then, like magic, images began to flash across her minds eyes. She saw the stranger, whose face was even kinder than she could have imagined, holding her hand as they walked across her school's campus. Just as her heart began to warm, she was whisked away to another vision. They two of them were curled up in bed together with broad smiles on their faces as they laughed and joked. Finally she saw herself slow dancing with him. Their arms entangled around each other. She was in a blood red dress and bare feet.
As the last vision faded from her eyes she realized he'd somehow moved around the rack and was holding her face in his warm hands. Hand she knew with a certainty would never hurt her. She stared into his eyes and didn't seem to care how close he was to her. They were so blue and she felt like she could see the very depths of his soul in them, such a kind soul. He was a good man.
"Sshh…" He cooed softly to her. "Everything's gonna be okay now." It was then in that embarrassing moment she realized she was crying.
"Who are you?" Miamora asked, her voice shakey and unsure.
"My name is Drake Jacobson, and I'm so incredibly happy to meet you." He said, and his voice felt like silk settling against her skin. Soft and cool and breathtaking.
"Miamora Hendricks." She said, trying to gain control of her breath. She took a step out from his grasp and tried to wrap her mind around what was happening. She glanced around Drake to see Kevin staring at them incredibly. Certainly she would be the talk of the town gossip for a whole other reason this week. Drake glanced behind him too, as if he was noticing they weren't alone for the first time. His eyes settled back on hers, warm and kind.
"Is there somewhere we can talk in private, Miamora?" He asked. Suddenly reality came crashing down on them as Jason walked into the shop. He glanced at them and she saw his eyes glaze over. She had completely forgotten about her boyfriend until now. He walked over and threw an arm casually over her shoulder, using it as a chance to yank her back, away from Drake. She didn't understand what was happening - but she was suddenly incredibly pissed off at Jason for the action.
"Hey babe," Jason said in a harsh, clipped tone. "Whose this?" His headed nodding briefly towards Drake. Miamora didn't know what was happening, but she knew for sure that she needed to be alone with Drake at least for a few minutes to understand what she'd seen and what she'd felt.
"This is Drake, he's in some of my class at the U of T." She said, trying to cover quickly. If her relationship had taught her anything, it was how to lie and how to lie fast. Jason was the possessive and jealous type.
"Sure." Jason said, dismissing Drake. "Come on, let's pay and get something to eat." Miamora saw the look of panic maring Drake's beautiful features. They exchanged eye contact quickly and she knew she had to act fast.
"Actually, I got called into work while you were gone, babe." It didn't escape Miamora's attention that Drake physically cringed at her term of endearment for her boyfriend. "I didn't wanna leave before you got back, but I do really have to go." She hoped this would work, she prayed it would work.
"How the hell am I supposed to get home then?" Jason said dropping his arm from around her shoulder and turning towards her accustorively. She watched out of the corner of her eyes as Drake fought to keep himself from intervening. Quickly she dug her keys out of her purse and handed them to him. She placed a soft hand on his bicep and smiled contritely, hoping she could pull the move.
"Why don't you take my car and I'll walk there. It's not too far from here and I'm sure mom will be able to give me a ride home." She said softly. It was important to keep her voice soft and small, always smaller than him. "How much money did you take out?" She asked quietly.
"Why do you need to know? What you planning something Mia." The way her name came rushing harsly at her mouth made her flinch. She could tell Drake was fuming as realization dawned on him. It was funny, she thought everyone in town knew about her relationship. Apparently there was one guy who didn't, one guy she really didn't want to know, but this had never been something she could hide.
"I just figured if you took out enough, you could go get a couple beers with the guys?" She said trying for a sweet voice. She rubbed his arm in what she hoped was a soothing motion, although it irritated her to placate him in a way it hadn't before her encounter with Drake.
"Oh… you sure?" He said, glancing at Drake. The steam had gone out of him with the promise of alcohol.
"I'm walking so it's not like I'll need my wallet for anything. Why don't you hang onto it and have a nice night with the guys. I'll have dinner ready for you when you get home." Miamora said with a brighter smile. She was trying to act like she was excited about the plan, when in reality she just really needed him to leave.
He nodded, his concentration drifting away from them. She knew then that she'd won. This was a gambit she'd tried a couple times over the years, and she'd learned to perfect the approach and the words to let her out of whatever their previous plans had been. Beer, food, and a sweet face that wouldn't fight him when he came home with heavy hands. It was a risk. They'd been so good for three weeks now. She knew the liquor would rile him up and she'd been in for a fight tonight, but she had to tell herself it was worth it for a little alone time with Drake. She felt drawn to him and those visions had been no joke. She needed answers and he was the only one who had them.
She tried to turn to walk out the door, and suddenly realized she couldn't. She didn't know what was stopping her, but she was incapable of leaving. Her foot wouldn't even lift up off the ground.
"Sweetie…" Miamora said, turning on her best charm. "I forgot to get the details from the professor about an assignment, would you mind if Drake walked me out while he caught me up to speed? I'd hate to take up any more of your time when you have plans." She said, her voice like sugar, but this time it seemed to sicken her stomach.
"Yeah yeah, sure whatever." Jason said dismissing her as he walked over to the counter to pay for his new game. His new game with her money. The minute he was out of earshot, she turned and whispered to Drake. "Why the hell can't I leave?" Her voice was a little harsher than it needed to be, but they had to move fast
"Don't worry, I'll explain everything. Right now follow me." Drake said turning to walk out the door. She could tell, no… she could feel his barely restrained anger and yet it didn't scare her. She knew somehow it wasn't directed at her. It was directed at Jason. She could feel his emotions coursing through her and it fueled her in a weird way.
Quickly and quietly the two walked out the door and she followed him without hesitation to his car. She didn't think of question the safety of getting in the car with a total stranger, she just looked into the windows to make Jason was sufficiently distracted before climbing in. Drake didn't seem to need her to tell him to fucking drive. He drove like a bat out of hell and pulled into a small parking lot down the street, which seemed secluded enough to Miamora. She unbuckled and turned to face him. He reached over and took her hand in his and she immediately sighed.
"Okay, I'll explain everything." He said.