What It Feels Like for a Girl (Part 3)

Glancing at the digital clock on the car stereo, Shaun was shocked to see that it was nearly one in the morning. She considered calling Alex back and telling him that she wouldn't be able to make it but decided against it. Exiting the interstate, she followed his directions and was soon pulling into the parking lot of the IHOP where he promised to meet her.1

Shaun pulled down the visor and checked her appearance. The bruise around her eye had turned darker, making her pale skin look sickly white. She cursed Daniel under her breath as she flipped her dark blood red hair over her shoulders and pulled some over to cover the blackened eye. After grabbing her purse, she got out of the car and went inside the restaurant to wait for her friend. Thankfully, there were not very many customers inside and she was able to find a booth near the back of the restaurant for some privacy. A moment after she was seated, a waitress brought her a menu. "I'll have a Coke," she told the young waitress, handing the menu back to her. Shaun's stomach was tied up in knots which caused her to lose her appetite.2

Resting her chin on her hand, she stared out the window into the night, hoping that he would soon be there to take her away from her misery.3

Hurt that's not suppose to show4

And, tears that fall when no one knows it5

When you try your hard to be your best6

Could you be a little less?7

Shaun slowly sipped her Coke for her jaw still ached dully from the beating. 'I need some Tylenol,' she thought, reaching for her purse and digging through it until she found the small bottle of painkillers that she always carried with her. Popping open the cap, she tapped the bottle until two gelcaps fell into her palm. Putting her hand to her mouth and popping the gelcaps in, Shaun took another long sip of her Coke to wash the medicine down. 8

"He must have hurt you pretty bad this time," a voice said to her. Looking up, Shaun sighed with relief to see Alexander. She pushed out of the booth, stood up, and wrapped her arms around his neck.9

"You don't know how glad I am to see you," she whispered as he slipped his arms around her waist.10

"You leaving him for good this time, lass? he asked softly, the warmth of his Irish accent playing through with each word.11

"Yeah, I am. Don't squeeze me too much. He hit me in the ribs with a baseball bat."12

Alexander gently let her go and motioned for her to sit back down while he sat on the opposite seat across from her. Taking her hand between both of his, he held her hand gently as he rubbed the back and the palm of it. "Shaun, tell me everything. I won't interrupt you, I just want to know what happened."13

Taking a deep breath, Shaun told Alex what had happened between her and Daniel in her apartment. She could tell by the look in his deep blue eyes that he wanted to beat some sense into her ex. "He was never much of a man, Shaun," he said, looking down at her hand while he stroked it. "What I don't understand is why you stayed with him all this time."14

"I thought I loved him, I really thought I loved him," she murmured, placing her other hand on top of Alex's. "If only he was more like you."15

Alex took her hand and brought it to his lips, placing several soft kisses along her bruised knuckles. "I would never hurt you, Shaun. You know that as well as I do." 16

"I know, but at the time I was young and stupid. I didn't know what to do or say when you told me that you wanted to be more than friends with me."17

He then placed her other hand to his cheek and held it there, turning his head briefly to kiss her palm. "I still love you, Shaun, and I still want to be with you. But right now you need a friend more than you need a lover."18

She nodded slowly as tears began to fill her eyes. Here she was getting out of an abusive relationship and now sitting with the one man she should have ended up with. "Alex, did you bring your car?"19

"Yeah, why?"20

"Could we go to your house in your car? If Daniel decides to go looking for me, I don't want him to find my car parked at your house."21

"Sure, better to be safe than sorry."22

"He won't let me go that easily, Alex. He thinks of me as nothing more than his property, not a human being."23

"Tell you want, let's get something to eat then we go back to my place. I already have a room ready for you and you can stay for as long as you want."24

Shaun managed a weak smile at Alex as he kissed her hand once more. Somehow the higher power above had something more in mind for the young woman than she cared to admit.