Somewhere in Between

By: Broken Shadow Dragon

Chapter 7:

Helga clasped her hands together and looked at the doctor sitting before her. "So what do you want to talk about?"

"Anything you want to tell me." Dr. Bliss said, removing her glasses.

Helga shook her head, "I don't know."

"There must be something you want to tell me. How is your relationship with your family?"

She scoffed, "My dad hates me now and my mom is finally starting to pay attention to me. But that's only because my boyfriend beats the crap out of me."

"Tell me about Frankie."

Helga sat back on the plush couch and folded her arms across her chest, "I met Frankie at a party of a mutual friend. We spent the entire time talking. He was really sweet and he had a motorcycle which I thought was extremely cool. At first we just hung out as friends then one night he asked me out. We had such a wonderful time."

"What did you do?"

"We went to the Cheese Festival. We went on the Ferris wheel and the Tunnel of Love. It was a blast."

"How did your relationship progress?"

"We went out a few more times. And after a few dates all his friends just started referring to me as 'Frankie's Girl'."

"How did that make you feel?"

"Good…at first. I mean being Frankie's girl was a great social status. There were plenty of girls that wanted to date him."

"What made it change?"

"When he started degrading me."

"How's that?"

"He started acting like he owned me."

"That must have really bothered you."

"No kidding. He treated me like a baby. He said I was too stupid to decide things for myself. And he started isolating me from my family and friends. I spent a lot of time in his apartment. And when I would go home, he would call constantly. Then…" she closed her eyes and shook her head.

"Then it turned violent…"

She nodded as she wiped away a few tears.

"When did the physical abuse start?"

"About a year after I started dating him."

"Tell me about the first time he hit you."

Helga sighed, "We went out that night and I met one of my friends from school, who happened to be a guy. When we got back to his apartment, Frankie accused me of cheating. When I denied it he called me a liar then he hit me."

"How did you react?"

"I was shocked then mad."

"What did you do? Did you hit him back?"

"I just went home. My mom asked about the bruise the next day but I lied."

"You covered for him."

"Yep because he said he was sorry. And that it would never happen again."

"Did you believe him?"

"I wanted to...I sort of forced myself to. I knew he would hit me again though. I guess just didn't care."

"How did your parents take to him?"

"My dad hated him from the start. He told me that Frankie was bad news and he wouldn't tolerate me dating him. By then he had already started hitting me so leaving wasn't really an option."

"Why was that?"

"Because he said he would kill me if I ever tried to leave him. And I knew he was capable of it."

"How?"

"A few weeks before I moved in Frankie, I was late coming to his apartment. When I got there he went ballistic. It was the first time he beat me. I remember…I had bruises everywhere. He was like a machine." She closed her eyes. The memory was still fresh. His voice filled her ears. She could even feel the pain of his hands striking her skin. With her eyes still closed, she continued to speak, "He threw me on the floor and hit me in my stomach. And when I screamed he kicked me in my face." Helga looked up at the ceiling as tears began sliding down her cheeks. Dr. Bliss handed her a tissue and she wiped her face with it, "I guess you think I'm pretty pathetic, huh?"

"Not at all. You're a very strong person."

"Then why couldn't I protect myself from him? Once he beat me so bad, I could barely walk the next day. Why did I allow him to do this to me?"

"Because he thinks he controls you."

"He does. I do not think, breathe, or move without his permission."

"Take your life back, Helga." Dr. Bliss said leaning forward and taking her hand.

Helga looked at Dr. Bliss and smiled, "I'll try."

Dr. Bliss looked at her watch, "I think that's plenty to think about. I will see you next week right?" she asked standing with Helga.

Helga dried her eyes and nodded, "Yeah, I'll see you next week." She gathered her things and hugged the doctor.

"Helga, wait," Dr. Bliss handed her a card, "this is the number and address of a shelter. If you need it."

"Thank you."

"Your welcome."

"So how did it go?" Arnold asked walking up as Helga exited the building.

"Not bad. It felt good to get some of that stuff out."

"Are you going back next week?"

"Yep."

"Aren't you glad I gave Dr. Bliss a call?"

Helga smiled and nodded, "She gave me this." she handed him the card.

"A battered women's shelter?"

"Just in case…"

I hope you won't need it."

"Me either." She took the card from him and put it in her pocket.

How about you and me grab some lunch?"

"I would like that." She said following Arnold down the sidewalk, unaware of the eyes watching her across the street. Frankie sat in the driver's side of his car with one of his friends, Tony C. "Why don't you just get you a new girl Frankie. It's easier than chasing after Helga."

Frankie didn't respond. He only chewed on the end of his toothpick.

"There are plenty of other girls out there. You don't need her."

He started the car and looked at Tony C., "I love her."

Once they arrived at the Noise Café, Frankie gave Tony another run down of the plan, "Just make sure you get her outside." He said throwing his toothpick out the window.

Tony nodded then went inside. He found Helga sitting by herself at a booth. He sat across from her, "Hey you." he said.

She looked up from the menu, "Tony! How are you?"

"Fine. I just finished talking with you-know-who."

Helga's smile faded, "I'm not going back." She said shaking her head.

"He's a wreck without you, Helga. He knows what he's done and he's sorry. He just wants to talk to you."

She shook her head again, "No."

"Well he wants me to give you this." he reached into his pocket and handed Helga her engagement ring, "He says he wants you to keep it."

She accepted the ring. "Where is he?" she asked after a brief silence.

"Outside in the car."

She got up to follow Tony, when Arnold returned, "What's going on?"

"There's something I need to take care of. I'll be back." She walked outside and Frankie got out of the car. "I miss you so much babe." He said pulling her into his arms and holding her close.

She pushed him away, "I'm not coming back."

"I'm not asking you. I'm telling you! You have until tonight to get home or I will hunt you down." He said grabbing her wrists.

Arnold burst into the parking lot and separated Helga from Frankie, "Leave her alone."

"And if I don't?"

"I'll make you wish you had. Now get out of here." He said forming a fist.

Frankie smirked, "Yeah right football face." he reached for Helga again, but Arnold grabbed his wrist and pushed him away, "I told you to beat it."

"I'll see you tonight Helga," he said getting into the car and driving off.

"Are you all right?" he asked looking at her with concerned eyes.

"Yeah, I'm fine. But you didn't have to do that." Helga said rubbing her wrists.

"Well I couldn't stand by and let him hurt you. Come here." He pulled her into a gentle hug.

"I think I'm gonna have to go…" she whispered into his shirt.

"The shelter?"

"Yeah."

"Why?"

"You can't protect me forever and I know I can't escape from him. And I probably never will. I'll be safe there."