After I had gone into the bathroom to splash some water on my face and take a few deep breaths, I went out and joined Damon on the couch. We watched TV, and then ate dinner together, before he announced that he was going out.
I was reluctant to say anything, but I couldn't help myself. I always tried to stop Damon from going out, knowing that it usually ended in him coming home drunk, although I was never successful. "Do you have to?" I asked, my voice ever so slightly whiny.
He walked out of the bedroom, buttoning up his shirt, and gave me a look. "What? You got to spend time with a friend today, I think it's only fair that I get to as well." The way he spoke stopped me from making any more arguments and I simply nodded and let him leave.
Though the fact that I actually vaguely knew where Damon was going to be that night did make me feel better, I still knew that I wouldn't be able to fully relax until he was home again. Thus, I passed the time by cleaning again, and watching movies while I waited.
Once again, I had drifted off, although this time I had finally had the intelligence to climb into bed when I felt myself getting tired. Even so, I was still woken up by the door crashing open, the red glare of the clock announcing the 3:52AM time making me moan quietly.
I stayed where I was, praying that this would be one of Damon's calmer nights, praying that he would simply climb into bed next to me and that would be that. However, I had no such luck. Not three seconds later, he came storming in, a wild look on his face.
His eyes flashed around the room, a drunken grin spreading across his face once his gaze focused on me. I tried my best to prepare myself, clenching the sheets in my hands, as Damon came farther into the room. "Hi there," he said, the alcohol evident on his breath as he spoke.
"H-hi," I stammered out, figured it would be in my best interest to just go along with whatever sick game he was playing.
By this time, Damon had climbed up onto the bed, his face mere inches away from mine. I tried to back away, but grabbed a hold of my hair, making it impossible to move my head without causing a great deal of pain.
"Thought you'd go to bed, huh? Without even waiting for me? Weren't you worried something might happen?" Damon asked, his overly cheery voice in stark contrast to both the look on his face and the force of his grip on my hair.
I couldn't believe that he was getting this worked up about the fact that I had, for the first time ever, actually fallen asleep in bed while waiting for him rather than on the couch. Then again, drunken Damon was never one for rational thought. Still playing along with him, I smiled sweetly, "Of course I was worried, sweetheart!"
He returned the smile with what seemed like such sincerity that I didn't even register the stinging in my cheek until his smile disappeared. The dark look that replaced it somehow made me fully aware of the fact that he had just slapped me, hard. "You're a fucking liar," he hissed.
I was in the process of bringing my hand up to my face, my eyes wide in fright, when Damon grabbed my wrist tightly. His grip tightened even further when I cried out, so I bit down on my bottom lip to keep it from happening again.
Damon had never been physical with me, not even when he was drunk. Sure he would yell, but it had never gotten to the point of actual violence. And now here he was, jeering in my stinging face and pressing bruises into my skin.
We sat, silent and frozen, for what seemed like hours. In reality, it was no more than a minute before Damon literally pushed himself away from me, a disgusted scowl on his face. I prepared myself for another blow, but it never came. Instead, he turned and stormed back out of the room and, seconds later, I heard the front door open and slam shut again.
I let out a breath that I didn't even know I had been holding, all but collapsing back onto the pillows. My breathing was ragged and I lay, paralyzed, while I attempted to sort through my thoughts. I knew I had to leave, before Damon came back, but I honestly didn't know where to go.
Of course, my first thought was to go to Alfie's, until I remembered the fight we had gotten into earlier today. As I tried to think of another place I could go, I pulled a sweatshirt over my head, grabbed my purse and slowly crept out the door, slipping on some shoes along the way. I poked my head out into the hallway, and when I was sure the coast was clear, I practically flew down the stairs and out into the night.
Once outside, I put the hood of my sweatshirt up and kept my eyes on the ground, not wanting to draw any attention to myself. The last thing I needed was Damon catching up to me out here.
I was walking without any true thought of where I was going, until somehow I ended up in front of Alfie's apartment building. Looking up, I knew it was really no accident that I had ended up here. I let out a long sigh and pushed the door open as quietly as possible, making my way up to his apartment.
