Contradiction by Salina Paine Read Free Book Online

inflicted upon Jasmine. 

 
    Chapter 7
    ~~Jasmine~~
     
    My eyes flutter open slowly only to find my vision distorted, and there's a burning sensation on the left side of my face. Blinded by the bright overhead lights I close my eyes again.
    "Miss Greyson?" I hear, coming from only inches away.
    Turning my face to the right I open my eyes and try to make out who is talking to me. As my eyes begin to focus, panic fills me and I try to sit up. I scream out in pain as the soothing voice speaks again.
    "Don't try to sit up. Do you know where you are?" He asks.
    "No," I say, barely audible.  My throat feels like I swallowed acid. "Where am I?" I ask and tears fill my eyes from the pain.
    "You are in the ICU at Health Guard Medical Center."
    Everything begins to come rushing back and I begin to remember what happened. I lie there staring at the person talking to me. "Do I know you?" I ask.
    "Yes, Miss Greyson, you do. I had the pleasure of talking with you at Bottlestopper a few days ago." As my thoughts begin to become focused I recognize him.
    "Brandon Whitaker," I whisper as loudly as I can.
    "Yeah," he says running his fingers through his hair. The nurse comes in and brings some pain medication.
    "Well hello, Doc," she says to Brandon.
    "Hey, Amelia," he responds. Amelia smiles at him and is probably thinking the same thing I am.   
    "Jasmine, this will probably make you sleepy," she says. I nod as the cold injection fill my veins. In a few moments I can feel my eyes sliding shut as the pain begins to subside. 
    "You do know that people who have never been abused often wonder why a person wouldn't just leave. They don't understand that breaking up can be more complicated than it seems," he says.
    I nod listening to him and his attempt to get me to open up and press charges.  "What day is it?" I ask weakly.
    "It's Tuesday, Miss Grayson," he replies, watching me closely.
    I remember it being Friday. As I sit there trying to comprehend what he has just told me, my mind begins to wonder.
    "Miss Grayson, are you ok?"
    "I'm as good as I can be, considering the circumstances. I have an answer to your question.   I stay because of fear, I'm afraid of what will happen if I decide to leave the relationship. I have nowhere to go and no one I can trust."  I am also aware of my cell lighting up and then fading dim, resting on the table next to the bed. I can't bring myself to move, or answer the persistent calls from Jeff.  He did this and there’is no way I can ever put myself in that situation again. 
    Besides the beat of my heart the only sounds in the room are Brandons' baritone voice and the constant hum of the machines. He continues to talk and I lose myself in the reality of what happened. Brandon becomes silent as he observes me. I can still feel the piece of glass from the shattered whiskey bottle jaggedly tearing into the skin of my face and slicing down to my neck. I immediately bring my hand up to the left side of my face. I cringe at the pain that radiates from it when I touch face. I suck in as much air as my lungs will allow and let it out slowly. My eyes fall to my right hand and the cut that has been closed with black surgical thread. A flash of memory seared into my mind.
    As I continue to look over myself I see the sporadic bruises that line my arms and my whole body feels like it's been beaten to a pulp. Shifting the blanket slowly to reveal my legs, I find dark purple bruises and scratches are evident on my thighs. As I pull my gown up higher the damage increases. I can feel the color leaving my face when I notice the net-like looking underwear and pad in place.
    Tears begin to fill my eyes, "Did he rape me?" I ask holding my breath. He shakes his head and I release my breath slowly, grateful some part of me was still intact.  As I continue to inspect myself I have to bite my tongue to keep from gasping. The bruise hidden by my gown looks nasty, it's the darkest of purple, outlined by red and yellow, just