Fighting to Be Free (Fighting to Be Free 1)

“I don’t think so, but thanks.” I pulled out the phone he gave me and held it out to him, he shook his head.

“You keep it, Kid. I’ve got plenty, then I can call you from time to time and see how you’re getting on. Hey, maybe you could stop down the club on Saturday night and check it out, see what you think, then you can let me know about the job,” he suggested.

I shrugged, “Sure, that’d be great,” I admitted, that way I’d probably already know if Connor had convinced his Dad to go for it and I could get wasted at the same time. I said my goodbyes and made my way back to my place, it was after four in the morning. I flopped on my bed exhausted and fell asleep in what I was wearing, I still couldn’t stop smiling from the boost and now I was free to start over.

The next couple of days passed really quickly, Connor had convinced his Dad to try with my suggestion. I was working on fixing up one car and then he was going to put in into auction and test to see how feasible this whole idea was. It took a couple of days, but finally I had one ready. It would be great if I actually had a paint shop and stuff for re-spraying, but you can’t have everything.

Tonight was Saturday and I was heading out to the club and meeting Ray out for a few drinks, his wife and daughter were visiting her mother for the weekend. I’d had the tour from Brett and he said the job would still be open for me when I found out about the scrap yard.

I was happily downing my fifth drink when Ray nudged me in the ribs, “Holy shit, look at that!” he hissed with wide eyes, looking at something over my shoulder. I turned and spotted a pretty blonde with extremely long legs and short skirt.

I laughed, “She’s too young for you, married man.”

He nodded, “Yeah, but she’s perfect for you,” he said enthusiastically. Ray knew I’d never been with a girl before, but he didn’t know the reason, all he knew was that I was too young for sex when I got sent down and I’d been out less than a week.

“Nah, not my type at all,” I said shrugging. In total honesty, I tried not to look at girls too much, I didn’t want to start thinking about what I was missing out on.

“Kid, seriously, you need to go hook up with that girl, because wow, seriously wow.” He was still staring at her, totally shagging her with his eyes.

“She’s not that hot,” I said, glancing over to her again and taking another mouthful of my Vodka and coke.

The blonde was now standing and laughing with another girl. The other girl had long red hair and was stunningly beautiful, she had on a little black dress that clung to her perfect body, holy shit, now she’s hot! I almost choked on my drink as I looked her over. Damn she’s fine. I couldn‘t take my eyes off of her, I’d never wanted anything more in my life.

Chapter 3

~ Ellie ~

I glanced at myself in the mirror, I still looked ok even though I’d been dancing like a mad person in the club for the last 3 hours and was totally off my face. I had on a short black dress that belonged to my best friend, it was too tight across the bust and showed way too much leg. I hated it when I first put it on, but to be honest, the more I drank, the more I began to like it. My long burnt auburn hair still held some of the loose curls that I’d teased in with curlers earlier in the night. I rubbed a finger under each of my green eyes to wipe away the slight mascara smudges. I smiled, yep I still looked ok even though I’d just thrown up in the toilet behind me.

I couldn’t hold my drink and even though I wasn’t old enough to be in the club anyway, I’d been dragged out by my best friend Stacey Gordon and a few of my other friends, because I was trying to get over a broken heart, apparently. I actually think my friends were more upset about it than I was though. I’d been with Mark for almost 3 years and we were the golden couple in our school. He was the school’s ‘IT’ boy, and apparently I was the schools ‘IT’ girl, so it was a match made in heaven, well that’s what everyone told me anyway.

To be honest, he was an ass**le who treated me like crap when no one was around. He had a bad temper, he never hit me or anything but he got jealous easily, he didn’t really like me to go out without him. He was the sweetest boy when we first got together, but after about a year he started telling me what to wear, who I could talk to, where I could go. He was controlling and possessive and last night when he screamed at me for apparently talking to some other guy that I hadn’t even met, a couple of people saw. So I took my chance and broke it off with him in front of them, knowing that it would soon be round the school and he wouldn’t be able to pressure me into going back with him.

Stacey walked into the bathroom, “Ellie Pearce! I’ve been looking everywhere for you,” she said drunkenly.

I giggled, “Really? I wasn’t in that guys mouth, huh?” I teased, rolling my eyes.

She chuckled, “Surprisingly not, but I had a good look.” She winked at me. I shook my head at her, she liked to hook up a lot, I on the other hand, had only ever been with Mark and had never even kissed anyone else.

“Don’t let me drink anymore, I just threw up.” I winced and put on some more lip gloss,

“Ew! Here, have a mint.” She giggled, passing me a packet, I gratefully took one trying to get the horrible taste out of my mouth.

“Come on, come and dance. Maybe you should hook up with someone tonight, take your mind off Mark, it’ll help you get over him,” she said sympathetically. I’d never told anyone what Mark was really like, so everyone really did think we were the perfect couple, so she really did think I was devastated.