After about a twenty minute walk, she arrived to see Liam standing at the front of the building holding an extremely large bunch of her favourite flowers.
“Alright? These are for you.” Liam said.
“Thanks. I wondered where you’d gone…”
“Oh, sorry I disappeared like that; I went to get these for you,” He handed her the flowers. “I’m so sorry about last night. I didn’t mean it babe. Anyway, I’ve got a surprise for you. Come with me.”
He pulled her down the steps, they ran through the car park; they got into Liam’s car and began to drive away. Stacey thought better of asking questions about where they were going and why, so instead, she just sat in the passenger seat staring blankly out of the window at the blurred houses as they passed.
It was 9pm by the time they’d got there. It was dark, and the stars were shining brightly above them.
“Aww, this is where we first met.” Said Stacey, happily surprised.
Five years ago today, they’d met at this point on the hill, at this exact time. The were only thirteen at the time, and were both on school trips to the lake below. Their separate groups of friends had wandered off from their classes and both met behind a tree at the top of this hill. Not intentionally, of course, they didn’t even know each other. Liam was hiding behind a tree watching Stacey as she fell about laughing with her friends and his. This was the moment Liam knew he wanted her, and that he was going to do whatever it took to got her.
They got out of the car and lay down on the cold, damp grass gazing at the sky in silence for a while.
Everything was quiet and peaceful, but suddenly Liam shot up off the ground and swore.
“What? What is it?!” Stacy screamed, loudly.
“You always ruin EVERYTHING!” Liam shouted back.
“I… What?” Stacey said, confused. “I haven’t-” But before she could finish her sentence, he punched her straight in the face harder than he had ever done before. She fell to the floor crying and clutching her head. There was crimson coloured blood dripping from her face to the ground, slowly forming a dark red, thick pool to the right of her. He began to kick her, punch her and spit at her as if she was nothing. She didn’t fight back; she loved him. In her opinion, that’s not what lovers did. She lay there whimpering to herself for what seemed like an eternity, until she heard the crunching of gravel near where they had parked the car. She thought to look up, but decided not to just in case; so she just listened intently to try and make out the sound. She heard the rev of a car engine, saw headlights flash over her, then the screeching of car brakes coming from behind her. She guessed it was Liam, running away like he always did, but this time was different. He’d left her here, in the middle of no where. For what? To die? She was no longer going to chase after him each time he gave her a beating. It never got her anywhere before, so why would it be different this time?
She lay there until she could no longer hear the cars engine, and then slowly sat up.
“I can’t take this anymore,” She whispered to herself. “I don’t want this life; it’s not far. I haven’t done anything wrong.” She got up and moved over to the edge of the cliff and hung her legs over the side. She sat there for hours looking out across the midnight sky, and every so often checking the time, as if she was waiting for someone to come or something to happen; anything at all. But nothing did.
At four o’clock the next afternoon there was a knock on the front door. Liam thought it may have been Stacey coming home. He’d assumed she’d stayed over a friends house the previous night.
It wasn’t.
“Liam Dean?”
“Yes.” He replied.
“I am arresting you on suspicion of murder. You do not have to say anything, but it may harm your defence if you do not mention when questioned something which you may later rely on in court. Anything you do say may be given in evidence.”
Liam was questioned for hours that night, and later put into the cells to await his court appearance on Monday. He didn’t understand what was happening. All he’d done was show Stacey who wore the trousers in this relationship, he didn’t kill her… Did he?
Monday came quicker than ever, and Liam was appearing in court at 11am. He stood in front of the judge and made a not-guilty plea. The Judge adjourned the court for a trial to take place in a weeks time.
The week passed quicker than ever; it was 9am on Monday 14th March, and the dreaded day of the beginning of twelve strangers deciding his future.
After three long days of hell, they finally came to a verdict.
“Have the jury come to a decision?” Spoke the Judge.
“Yes,” Replied one man. “We have been provided with satisfactory evidence that the defendant is in fact guilty of the murder of Stacey King.
“Very well,” The Judge replied. “Court is adjourned until Friday 18th March, where the defendant shall be sentenced.”
Liam was so shaken up by one day being a normal man, leading a normal life, and the next he was thought to be a murderer. He didn’t know what to think; his mnd was tearing him apart.He was even beginning to miss having Stacey around. He wished he’d never hurt her in the way he did. He would’ve given anything to turn back the clock and make it up to her. Of course, he knew that wasn’t possible. So from that moment on, he vowed to change his life; to make himself a better person.
Ten Years Later.
Liam never found out what really happened to Stacey, and he knew he probably never would. The memory of what he’d done to her was going to haunt him forever; that was something he was sure of. He’d decided he was going to try and make up for all the things he’d ever done to her that were wrong instead of letting it bring him down.
He had been out of prison for six months now, and in those six months he had been volunteering to help people who also had anger issues in their lives. He knew that his anger towards Stacey had done him no favours, and hadn’t made life any easier for Stacey either. He had changed into a better person while he was in prison. He realized how wrong it was to hurt people, especially those you love. He used to be a violent and aggressive control freak, but now, he was considered a blessing to those he had helped. Yes, he had a rough past, but he was one of the few people who had changed their life around instead of leading themselves down the same path again.
