(Jasmine's POV)

Two panic filled hours later, I find myself sitting on a tourist filled coach. I clutch a small black backpack on my lap and gaze frantically out the window, my eyes dart in every direction out of fear that Greg will somehow pop up out of nowhere.

From the moment Greg left the house I started packing my large suitcase with terror taking over every cell in my body. It took me a good twenty minutes before I was able to calm myself down enough so that I could think straight. I needed to be careful about what I did next.

I couldn't take a big suitcase with me it just wasn't practical. Instead, I fished out the small bag I now clutch so tightly. Next I pulled out the stash of cash I had hidden under the floorboard beside the bed. It wasn't much, but $800 was better than nothing at all. I had saved the money up from working in the bookstore.

Martina had thankfully paid me cash and I was able to keep a little to myself every week. Greg controlled all the money that came into the house, or so he thought. I had secretly been saving $25 every week for the past eight months. I didn't know what I would need it for but my gut told me to save.

I glanced around the bedroom, trying to see anything that I wanted to bring with me but there was nothing, nothing that meant any importance to me. All my cherished belongings had been thrown out, or worse, burned in front of me by Greg as a punishment. Whenever he thought that I had eaten too much or he thought that a guy was looking at me, he would grab something that reminded me of my mother and destroy it in front of me. He would then slap me, hit me or kick me. Whatever part of me he could reach easiest was his target.

He knew how much I cherished my mother's belongings. They were all that I had left of her. He knew I didn't have any memories of her, that I was too young when she died. To destroy her things like that was almost as bad as the beatings, if not worse. He knew it too, which is why he made it his mission to burn everything I had of hers.

I put the cash securely in the backpack along with a piece of paper with cell phone numbers of people I might need to contact. I dropped the backpack on the bed before heading into the bathroom. As I entered the bathroom I kept my eyes downcast, so that I wouldn't see my reflection in the mirror in front of me. I haven't looked in a mirror in over six months, not since Greg gave me a black eye. It hurt to see my bruised face, especially when he told me that I had drove him to it. So I simply stopped looking.

I pulled off my clothes and scrambled into the shower, the hot water cascaded down on me and I let out a shiver of fear. Without looking down I focused my gaze on the glass in front of me and methodically washed myself from head to toe, letting out soft whimpers of pain every time I hit a bruise or a tender area.

I hated showers. I used to love the water so much, but now the idea of it petrifies me. It started one night when I decided to take a bath after a long day working. My feet were killing me from standing and all I wanted to do was soak in the tub for a while. Greg wasn't due home for another hour and a half, so I knew I had time to have a relaxing bath before I needed to start dinner.

I had filled the bath up with relaxing salts and lots of bubbles as a mini pamper treat for myself. I climbed into the bath and just relaxed in the soothing aroma of the salts but, before I knew it, I had drifted off to sleep. I was awoken some time later by the bathroom door slamming open and a furious Greg looked down on me. His fists were clenched and he had a wild look in his eyes. I'm pretty sure he had been drinking.

Before I knew what was happening, he had grabbed me by the hair and pushed my head under the water. I screamed in shock and of course my lungs instantly filled with water. I panicked and my legs started flailing in every direction. I reached up and clawed at Greg's arm, which only infuriated him even further. He dragged me up from the water and I couldn't even scream in pain because I was coughing and choking so much. He yelled at me in fury before shoving me back under again. The second time he pulled me up, he yanked me out of the tub altogether and flung me across the room. I'm not sure what happened next but I remember waking up on the floor by the sink a few hours later, my hair was mated with blood and there was a throbbing pain between my legs. It didn't take me long to figure out what he had done.

Ever since that day I've hated water. I haven't taken a bath since, only showers, and even then, the showers are horrible. Greg usually pulls me into the shower with him and makes me stand under the water while he washes me. He knows I hate it and knows it terrifies me, which thrills him even more. I'm almost certain it turns him on to see me so scared of him.

I wrapped a towel around myself and made my way back into the bedroom. I dried myself off and threw on a pair of old jeans and a black sweatshirt. I glanced at the clock and noticed that it had been almost two hours since Greg had left. He'd be boarding any minute and I knew he'd ring me before his flight took off. He always did. He always rang the minute his flight landed too. I used to think it was so sweet of him, letting me know that he had landed safely, but now I know different. Now I know it was just him making sure that I was still there, that I was still under his control.

When my phone rang I waited two rings before answering. "Hello."

"Hi, babe," Greg replied, his voice sounding almost frustrated at the length of time it took me to pick up.

"H-hey," I said, taking a deep breath to stop the panic of being found out come through in my voice. "Are you at the airport already?"

"I am, babe. I'm on the plane. I almost didn't make it thanks to that lousy cab driver."

"Why? What happened?"

"He missed the turn off and ended up having to drive an extra twenty miles before he could turn around."

"Oh." I felt pity for the poor cab driver having to face an angry Greg. That's not a nice thing to have to witness. "At least you're there now though. When do you take off?"

There's a short pause before I hear his reply. "In around two minutes. The flight attendants are just doing a final check so I'm going to have to go, Jasmine. I'll call you when I land. Should be in around six hours."

"Ok, have a safe flight."

"Thanks, babe. Talk to you later. Love you."

I swallowed the lump in my throat. "Love you too."

I hung up the phone and let it drop onto the bed. I took another deep breath as I tried to calm myself once more. Now was not the time to panic. I could have a breakdown later when I was safely away from here.

I walked into the closet and grab some clothes, just enough to last me for a few days until I can come up with a plan. I packed the clothes into the bag, threw on my shoes before heading downstairs my bag and phone in hand. I glanced at the time on my phone and decide to wait another ten minutes before leaving. I wanted to be sure that Greg's flight had taken off before I left.

If I've learned anything about Greg over the past year, especially after yesterday, it's to not put anything past him. At this stage it wouldn't surprise me if he had put a tracking device in my phone and in every single piece of jewelry he ever bought me. For that reason alone, I planed on leaving everything he ever got me here. I wasn't taking any part of him with me.

That was easily done, as I always hated the stuff he got me. The jewelry was always too big and too flashy for my liking. He insisted I wear it though, especially whenever we went to formal events related to his job. It was his way of staking his claim on me in front of others, particularly the men he works with.

Once the clock struck eleven, I threw on my coat, put my bag on my back and left the house, leaving everything bar the haunting memories behind me.

***

The coach pulls to a stop at a large, very familiar shopping mall. I sit and wait until all the excited tourists had climbed off, before I rise from my seat. It's strange being back home after all this time. It's been almost two years since I've been here.

Thankfully, Greg never came here with me. Whenever I came to visit my Dad or even Ruby, Greg always had something work-related to deal with. Perhaps that was more my doing than anything else. From the minute he ever laid his hand on me, I knew I didn't want him meeting my Dad. Dad could see through people so easily; he could read them like a book. It was probably one of the reasons he made such a good police officer. He, like Ruby's Dad, worked in the local police station. Ruby's Dad however was the Chief, with my Dad being his right hand man.

I sling my bag onto my shoulder as I step off the coach. The doors shut behind me and the driver pulls out of the parking lot. I feel exposed in the almost empty parking lot. The coach had been my safety zone for the last few hours and I feel more vulnerable now with nowhere to hide.

Without wasting any time, I scurry into the mall and make my way towards the pay phones. Memories of home flood my mind as I walk the familiar corridors of the mall. I keep my head down, praying that I don't see anyone I know, or rather, that no one recognizes me.

My heart races and my breathing hitches every time a male walks by me. Thanks to Greg, I'm terrified of being close to a man. He's ruined me and he knows he has. He knows just how much power he has over me. Tears fills my eyes as the severity of the mental damage he's caused me starts to kick in. Now that I've left him it's as if everything he's put me through is only starting to hit me now and it's beyond overwhelming.

Finally, I reach the pay phones and I hurriedly shove money into the slot before dialing the all too familiar number with trembling hands. Tears blur my vision and it feels like forever before the phone is answered, when in reality it only rings three times.

"Hello?"

"Ruby," I say, trying to keep my voice as steady as possible.

"Jasmine?" She asks in confusion. "Jas, is that you? Are you okay? You sound different."

"Ruby, I need your help," I whisper as I bite back the sobs. "Can you pick me up? I'm at the mall near your parents' house."

"What you're here? Jas, what's going on?" I can hear the panic rising in her voice as well as shuffling in the background. "I'm on my way. I'll be there in five minutes; I'm leaving my parents' house. I was dropping Mireya off, just hold on."

"Ok," I say as a sob slips through my lips. I glance around behind me, paranoia kicking in. "Please hurry."

"You're really scaring me, Jas. What's going on?"

I don't answer as silent sobs rack through my body. I cover my mouth with my hand as the tears stream down my face.

"Oh, Jasmine," Ruby says through the phone and I can hear the heartbreak in her voice. "Don't worry, what ever it is, it will be ok." She's silent for a few seconds before she continues. "We'll get through this together."

Her words hit me hard. If only I will get through this. I can't believe I've left Greg. How could I be so stupid? He's going to go insane. He'll be livid when he finds out I've gone. Oh, God! What have I done?

Panic starts to rise and my breathing gets shallower as I start hyperventilating. I grip the phone tightly in my hand as my throat constricts.

I jump as Ruby shouts my name through the phone.

"I'm outside."

That's all I need to hear before I drop the phone, clutch my bag tightly in my hand and make my way towards the parking lot, my eyes glued to the floor the entire time.

Only once I've reached the parking lot do I look up. My eyes quickly scan for any sign of Ruby and I let out a sigh of relief when I finally do. I run towards her and by the time I've made it the few paces to her car I'm severely out of breath.

She looks almost the same as she always has. Her long blonde hair is pulled up into a topknot, with loose strands falling around her face. She's dressed in a pair of black skinny jeans, a white tank top and a blue and white checked shirt. The only thing different is the look she's giving me. Gone is the happy, smiling best friend I'm usually greeted with. Instead, Ruby stands before me with a horror struck impression. Tears fill her eyes and she lets out a loud gasp of shock.

"Jas," she breathes out in horror. "What the hell happened to you?"

************************************

Woo! So it's finally here! This was actually a really fun chapter to write and it's actually given me a few new ideas and potential twists for the story.

What do you guys think of Greg after reading this chapter? Is he as bad as you initially thought? Or is he worse?

How do you think Ruby will cope when she learns the truth? Will Jasmine even tell her the truth?

Let me know what you guys think!

Lots of love,

Di xx