The Ending.

My small feet moved me down the darkened alley way. A flickering light could be seen in the distance as I carried on scuffing my black boots along the concrete floor. Running a hand through my hair it became tangled on a knot.

Something I knew had only just become in that position due to my hair being scrunched up in his hand. So I decided to leave it. I didn’t particularly want to remind myself about what had just happened. Yes it happens every day but it still hurts knowing I have nowhere to go without being hurt physically.

Turning the same corner I usually do I saw the flickering light go off behind me and heard a man huddled beneath it with a blanket swear to himself. Then his voice trailed up my arms and surrounded my ears.

“Please baby let me stay with you tonight.” I turned back to him sighing. This was a usual occurrence me and James had.

“James. You know Donny would kill us both if I let that happen.” He nodded solemnly as if he knew the answer I would’ve given him. “I’m sorry, I’ll find somewhere for you to go I promise.” With that I turned slightly and mumbled under my breath. “If I find somewhere for myself first.”

As I carried on walking away I heard him call out the words. “Be safe.” For some reason I felt chills run up my body, clinging my leather jacket closer to myself in response. I was always safe. Even though I knew people saw me as this suicidal smoking teen I would never try to get myself hurt. My mum would always say “Stick up for yourself darling or there is no point even being here.” She never liked me my mum. Even at a young age I knew she didn’t want me to stick up for myself so I wouldn’t have to be here. It hurt knowing even when I did have people, I was still alone then.

Feeling tears sting my eyes I quickly wiped them away, knowing I had just pulled blackened mascara over my lids and slightly down my cheek. It’s not like it changed my homeless dirty look anyway. Right?

I pushed the same door off the small newsagents open and made my way over to the till. It was darker than usual and a gloom seemed to hang over the dusty shelves. The familiar voice of benny rushed to meet me.

“Samantha what are you doing back so soon? I gave you a pack yesterday already.” I looked at his small features and looked down at my feet. Fiddling with my fingers in embarrassment. Should I tell him the truth? Would he let me have a pack for free if I did?

“D-donny took them.” I stuttered to him. Remembering back to the other night when I was shoved up against the wall and touched all over just so he could find the pack he asked me to buy for him. He looked at me confused.

“Well you and Donny get along great don’t you kids. Young love that’s what it is, stealing each other’s cigarettes. Oh how life has upgraded.” I could feel my strong walls slipping from me. I was losing my image. Quickly I spoke up in loud voice.

“Ha. I need a pack and I need them now.” A rough velvety voice sounded from behind me his words like liquid as they caused the hairs on my body to stand in fear.

“A girl like you shouldn’t be here.” Turning around without hesitation I was faced with a tall guy, brown curls messily placed on his head and big green eyes glaring down at me. He was dressed in the same attire I was, black everything. However his boots looked newer than my disgusting old ones.

“Who do you think you are? I come here all the time thank you very much.”

“Well you aren’t going to anymore. It’s not right.” Benny’s voice spoke up.

“I think you shouldn’t talk to her like that, she isn’t the usual girl.”

“Obviously not if she is talking to me like that.” All this time his eyes still never left my face, it felt like he was trying to get me to scream and run in fear. Oh how wrong he was.

“She has a name. And can do whatever she wants.” Smiling at him rudely I walked around the counter, picked the packet of cigarettes I knew Donny would want and headed for the door. But I felt a strong hand yank me back hard and without hesitation. It was him again. Green eyes.

“You know if you wanted to keep me you could just ask nicely.” I retorted at his strong hold. Feeling it tightening on me I whimpered slightly from the bruise I had taken on recently. He released immediately as I cowered back.

“Like I said you shouldn’t be here.” This was all he said as he grabbed the pack from me and paid for them himself. I would have just left and gone off un-phased by everything that had just happened. But I needed that packet. If I came home empty handed to Donny I knew I would be out cold in seconds. That’s when I did it. Grabbing a bottle of beer out of the freezer I threw it at Green eyes’ back. I expected him to turn around and do something crazy. But he simply walked over to me handed me the pack of cigarettes and turned to leave. As he did I stood still, not making a movement in case he hurt me. But for some reason I knew he wouldn’t do that. He looked back at me and my fingertips started to tremble so I looked back down at my boots. “You are welcome for buying you that packet you so desperately needed. You owe me one next time bottle girl.” Scared. I was scared. I knew setting myself up with a bad girl image would have its consequences but I didn’t I would have another guy out to get me.

Then he was gone.

I looked up to see Benny staring at where he was stood in disbelief. Swallowing the fear in my throat I made my way out of the shop. Tripping slightly down the steps. I was about to make my way back around through the ally when someone grabbed my arm steering me towards a bench on the opposite road. The hold was the same as before. I didn’t need to even look to know it was green eyes. He sat me down and did the same with himself next to me. Our legs brushing as he did causing me to move further in disgust. His velvety voice kicked in again.

“Fag please.” I looked at him. He was staring straight at me. Not at the box in my hand, not at my ripped skinny jeans not at the cuts on my knuckles but into my eyes. Knowing full well that if I returned missing a cigarette Donny would go mad. So I put the box in-between my legs out of reach.

“You wish pretty boy.”

I felt his breath move closer to my ear, it was warm. Causing my senses to tingle with delight.

“In case you had forgotten I bought them as well as put up with a glass bottle being smashed into my back. Cigarette now.”

“I’m not scared of you.”

“Oh really? I’m not scared of you either bottle girl. Must be pretty good at sex if you can throw that hard.” I felt his hand up my leg and I made a noise of disgust before shoving his hand away. Suddenly he pushed my legs open and grabbed the box. My mouth fell agape slightly as I glared at him.

“Boom.” Was all he said as he took one out and lit it. Crap. Donny was going to kill me. His voice began again.

“Are you gonna have one or let me guess you don’t smoke?” He winked and took a long drag from his cigarette.

“Actually I don’t smoke with other people. I don’t do it to impress like you do.” I heard him snicker.

“You think I do it to impress? Aw yea definitely girl. I’m down with the crowd.” He laughed again at his witty remark. Grabbing the box back I snatched the fag from his lips and put it in my own mouth. Taking as long a drag as I could. It was disgusting. I hadn’t smoked in ages. I was normally forced to when I hung with Donny’s mates.

“Woah woah easy there.” He took it back from me and ran his thumb over my bruised lips. I looked at him to see him scanning my eyes for some emotion. “I don’t want you to pass out. Then I’d be all alone.” I saw him smirking and turned away. This is the part when I should’ve got up and left. Heck I should’ve done that ages ago. But instead I said something I knew I was going to regret.

“You are alone?”

“No no.” He quickly replied with ease. “My girlfriends back at my apartment. Moody bitch she is today.” I felt my heart tear slightly. I had a feeling for once someone was alone like me. But obviously what a stupid thing to believe. “And you?” He said again looking towards my slightly turned head.

“Oh no, I have a boyfriend. He’s ummm great really nice and caring.” I smiled with the act hoping he’d buy it. However I think he saw behind my lies.

“You blatantly don’t love. No one says that about a relationship. When you are in a relationship you hate them. Trust me.”

“I do though. Not everything’s the same as it is for you.” Quickly without thinking I said,

“Please give me that cigarette back…” His eyes shot up to mine and I saw his hand fumble to his lips, pulling that object free and handing it to me.

“It’s not much good once it’s been used. Not that you would know, you’ve never smoked before.”

“You just saw me. Smoking my heart out.”

“It’s nothing to be proud of love. You shouldn’t do it. I shouldn’t do it.”

“Nothing to live for anyway.” I trailed off as I stood up and started to walk away from the stranger.

“Aren’t you going to kiss me and say thank you?” Looking back he winked at me and stood next to me. Towering over my small height.

“You have a girlfriend hot shot.”

“Nah I just said that to see if you would lie about having a boyfriend because you were into me and didn’t want to be disappointed with my relationship status. I know you want me.”

“You obviously know nothing then.” I turned to walk but he grabbed me again.

“Look what’s your name?”

“Samantha.”

“Harry. Can I call you Sam?”

“No.”

“Okay then Sam.” He winked again. “You know this is the part where you chuck a glass bottle at me.”

“Sorry I’m all out.” Making a sad face he lifted my chin up to meet his gaze.

“What a shame I was looking forward to taking my shirt off for you.”

“Dick.” I spat and turned to walk down the alley. Keeping my speed fast I knew he had finally given up with following me.

“No matter how much of a dick I am I wouldn’t let someone walk alone at this time.”

“I walked here alone, I’m pretty sure I can walk back alone.” Turning around my foot came into contact with a pile of bin bags and fell flat on my face on the hard floor. A shot of pain was sent through my body, hitting every bruise my skin had at that current moment. I felt myself cry out in pain as I held my body to myself.

A strong arm slid under my back as I felt myself being hauled up gently into a warm body. He slid my sleeves back to see if I had hurt my arms in the fall but his eyes landed on the deep purple and yellow bruises up and down them. He knew I hadn’t just got them. I watched shivering as his finger lightly ran up and down them, causing me to whimper from the hurt.

“How did you get these Sam?” He said it sternly almost as though he had been caring for me ever since I was born. I felt my legs starting to quake and my hands starting to tremble as he watched my eyes for an answer.

“I fell.” And with that I ran. Tears running down my cheeks slowly. No one had seen the bruises before. No one suspected a thing. I couldn’t say anything to him. He was a stranger. What if it was a test from Donny. I moved my sleeve up to my eyes and wiped them frantically as I ran trying to stop the tears falling. “No Samantha stop crying, stop crying. You are strong. People fear you. Stop crying. Don’t turn into this pathetic girl again.” I cursed at myself. Running around the corner I came onto the street to which Donny’s house was. A black car pulled up beside me and the window rolled down.

“Cigarette pack now.” I handed them to him without hesitation. He looked in the pack and glared at me, slamming the car door shut hard as he got out. Backing me up against the brick wall. I tried to run past Donny’s figure but his friends had gotten out too forming a circle around us.

A sob escaped my lips and I closed my eyes tightly as his hand pulled at my hair again. I cried out as he pulled my head to the side leaving my neck exposed to his teeth. His breath was cold against my neck and I felt it travel up to my ear.

“Where is the other cigarette babe?” He pulled on my hair again making me whimper out in pain.

“I-I-…” I felt my body slam into the wall behind me and I felt more sobs escape my lips. “I’m so sorry Donny. I love you I’m sorry I’ll get it back I promise-“

“Get it back now. Or I will have to do it to you again. I’ve already done it once today. I won’t hesitate.”

“Okay here you go.” I heard the same velvety voice in the background and looked to see Harry stood there with a smirk on his face. All of Donny’s friends were nowhere to be seen and the car was gone too. As Donny turned around a hard punch was slammed into his features. Breaking them apart slowly. He fell to the floor and swore out in pain. My body was shivering uncontrollably as I tried to hold back the sobs to come. I felt Harry’s gaze upon my weak body, his tall frame quickly picking me up and running back down the way we had come.

“I think I know how you got those bruises now bottle girl.” His voice whispered gently towards my still trembling body. He seemed to be carrying my skinny lifeless body with ease.

I managed to stutter some words out as my sleeve wiped away more tears.

“D-d-don’t go-o.”

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Notes