Chapter 18

I storm into the house to a bewildered abuela.

"Neita! What are you doing home so early? What is going on?"

I ignore her as I tear into my room, throwing cupboard doors open, searching frantically for a small box filled with junk. Clothes, shoes, documents all come flying out behind me as I hear abuela screeching from behind me about what I am doing tearing my room apart. I step back and grab my desk chair, standing on it to reach the top of my cupboard and begin tearing items out from the top.

As I am about to give up I see it, a small shoe box I've used to keep old electrical items; phone cords, warranties, boxes, and my old phones!

I grab at the box in the back desperately and fall from the chair in a hurry to get to the contents. I whip open the lid and there it is, my old phone. The shattered screen stares back at me and I plug it into the cord hanging from my wall. I wait impatiently and finally look up at abuela's concerned expression.

"I'm going to press charges against Ben." I tell her with a straight expression.

------

I walk into the same police station Lakyn and I had visited just a few days before. I carry the damaged phone close to my chest, fearful that someone will take it from me and destroy any documentation I have of the abuse I endured. At the desk upon entry I am greeted by Miller. He is shocked to see me, but quickly replaces his composure and plasters his arrogant smirk back on his face.

"Ms. Heart, back so soon? What can I help you with?"

"I would like to talk to someone else please." I tell him tautly. I refuse to let this man take any statement from me about his obviously dear friend.

His grin widens, "I'm afraid there's no one else here." He tells me as he raises his hands in the air like some terrible sitcom child that's just been caught red handed in the cookie jar.

He thinks this is a joke.

"I refuse to talk to you. I want to discuss this matter with someone else."

His patience is starting to wear thin and I can see the anger flash across his eyes as his brow furrows at my clear defiance of him and his position.

"Like I sa-" he is cut off before he can finish his sentence as constable Williamson walks out from the door behind Miller holding a napkin to his mouth.

"Ms. Heart! How are you dear? Excuse me I just finished lunch." He says warmly through a final mouthful.

"I need to talk to you. Alone." I tell him.

He looks from Miller to I and the standoff that is clearly visible between the two of us. He pauses for a moment as Miller begins protesting and explaining to him that I refuse to respect his authority and I need to make the statement to him. Williamson looks at me and I silently plead with him, hoping he can read from my expression that all is not as it seems.

He calms and silences Miller with his hand and turns to me, "Okay Ms. Heart. Come with me and we can discuss whatever issue you have."

Miller begins protesting before Williamson silences him, "Enough Miller. I am going to take Ms. Heart and you are going to man the desk here. Got it?"

Miller nods, disapproval clear on his face. Williamson gestures for me to follow him as he begins to walk down the hallway. I smirk at Miller, before poking my tongue out like a petulant child. The shades of red that cross his cheeks fills me with a drive to see this through and I perkily walk down the hallway to catch up to Williamson. As he opens the heavy door and watches me he tries to hide the giggle just under his breath at my disobedience at his colleague.

I take my same seat across from the two chairs, plonking down and carefully placing the phone on the desk. Williamson scrapes his chair open before me and both our expressions turn serious.

"Now Ms. Heart. The charges were dropped, so what could you possibly be here for?"

"I'm not here for Lakyn... I'm here for me." and with that I unload my story and open my old phone.

I show constable Williamson everything on my phone for two hours. I show him the saved texts, the abuse within them, the admission of Ben's abuse in his own words from his own number, and finally the photos. Pictures of my bruised arms, my bruised body, cuts, tears.. all of it.

"I thought you said you had no evidence?" He questions me.

"I didn't. At the time. Or want to use it I suppose. Ben made me clear my cloud after we split... but I disconnected this from everything and kept it, just in case." I tell him.

"Well this is definitely enough. Do you want to press charges?" He asks me.

"Yes. I do." I tell him.

After another hour I walk out of the office with Williamson in front of me. I told him about my suspicions of Miller, of everything that had happened, of Ben coming to my work place. He took all my statements, and copies of all the documents on my phone, as well as the phone itself. I handed it over reluctantly, but we agreed that I could keep a USB copy of everything to make myself feel secure in retaining the evidence against Ben.

Miller was still at the desk waiting for us when we came out. I turned to Williamson, thanked him for all his help and walked out of the office with my head held high. I'm stronger than Ben.

-------

I drove slowly to the apartment building, afraid of what would happen, what he would say. I found a place to park, paid of course. Why does Sydney parking have to be so expensive I groan.

A women exiting lets me into the building and I thank her. The elevator ride goes so slowly to his floor. The air in my lungs begins to freeze and I try to control my breathing in order to calm myself.

The elevator dings and I step out into the hallway. Fuck, which apartment number is his again? I had only been here once and I wasn't exactly focused on which number he lived in. I walked down, guessing how long the walk was last weekend.

I stop in front of door 1604 and bang on it. After a minute a woman in pyjamas answers looking less than impressed.

"Can I help you?"

"Ah, I'm looking for Lakyn?" I tell her, fearful that I'm at the right apartment.

"Next one down. 1605." She tells me before slamming the door in my face.

I let out a sigh of relief. It looked like I had woken her up. I suppose I deserved that. Maybe she works night shift. I tell myself as I make my way to the correct apartment.

I feel the lump in my throat begin to rise as I look at the number before me.

1605, I knock on it and wait.

After a few seconds I hear the latch turn as the door is unlocked and swung open to show Lakyn standing there looking perfect. He has grey sweatpants on and a white T-shirt.

At the sight of me he puts one hand on his eyes rubbing the frustration away, and one hand holding onto the frame of the door blocking any entrance into his apartment.

He sighs, "Charlie. What are you doing here? I thought it was clear this was over?"

"I know but hear me out." I plead at him before unleashing a monologue without a pause, "I didn't understand what happened at the police station and you wouldn't tell me how the charges were dropped, and then there was Miller and his smug attitude and you wouldn't let me in but then Ben came to my work-"

"He came to your work?" He demands, breaking my dialogue.

"Yes he did but let me finish!" I scold him.

He looks amused at me and locks his mouth with an imaginary key.

"He came to my work and was like your new boyfriend dumped you and everything comes at a price Charlie,"

He lets out a laugh at my impression of Ben and I continue.

"None of it made sense till he came to see me and then I realised what the price was. It was me. And I just got so angry and I couldn't handle his control over me anymore so I went home and found my old phone with all the pictures of Ben's abuse on me and now I'm pressing charges against Ben and-"

"You're pressing charges against Ben?" he cuts me off again.

"Yes. I am."

"For me?"

"Well, not just for you! Okay kind of for you but also for me. I need to stop his abuse of me once and for all..." I trail off.

We stand there in silence as he mulls over my words, trying to make sense of all I've told him. I can't handle it anymore and I break the silence.

"I wanted to tell you, incase he came for you again. I don't want to make more trouble for you. Oh God maybe I shouldn't have said anything-"

"No! You're doing the right thing." He tells me.

We pause again in the silence of the hallway. Lakyn takes a moment to look me over, noticing my work clothes.

"You left work to go press charges against your ex?" He smirks, raising an eyebrow.

"Yes, I did. I'm probably going to be in trouble for that tomorrow." I sigh.

He laughs as he continues to look me up and down, a sly smile comes across his face.

"Well we better make it worth it then huh? Get your ass in here." as he stands aside to allow me to enter his apartment.

My stomach flutters as I walk past him into his apartment.