That Night Ch. 01

The bottle shook in my hand, gripping the neck of the brown Cider bottle tight and the bottom of the bottle was broken, jagged and covered in blood.

Did I regret what I did? Fuck no, I didn’t.

The bastard attacked her and he honestly expected me to stand back and allow it to happen?

He was trying to rape her, and I would rather fucking die than let a woman be hurt or raped.

She was a woman, and women needed to be protected from men like him.

The bastard was going into shock, clutching at his face and neck — surprising since the sick bastard had a knife to the girl’s neck as he attempted to rape her.

There was blood everywhere around him and his mate, a second guy who was unconscious on the grass after I punched him to the floor and disarmed him of his own knife too.

There she was, on the grass panting as she was looking up at me — I wondered if she thought I was mad or crazy for doing what I did, or did she simply appreciate it.

She was black, I was Scottish.

She was a curvy woman, with a beautiful brown skin and dark curled brown hair that and dark brown eyes.

I don’t know how it had happened to her, she was probably walking alone through the park and they had grabbed her.

I heard her screams in protest the two men and had come to help her.

I threw down the broken bottle, and wiped my hand on my jeans as I then extended it out for her to take.

“C’mon on yer’ feet hen.”

I told her using the affectionate word ‘hen’ which is used for a woman or girl being Scottish dialect.

She took it, squeezing my hand as she pushed herself to her feet and I pulled her.

Unsteady on her feet in her ankle boots, she stood in front of me.

I was 5’10, and this woman was about 5’8 maybe, tall and curvy like Beyonce or even Solange Knowles

She looked like she was freezing wearing a pair of black leggings that was now torn in places as well with the black tight turtleneck.

Shouting down at the two men I had knocked out who were only seconds earlier pinning her down to rape her, ripping her leggings down when I had found them.

“Fucking bastard perverts! Rapist cunts!”

She called behind herself at the two men laid out, and I knew she needed to let out anger and rage at these two fucking animals.

She had a hold of her handbag, and I guided her with me out of the park’s darkened corners, and left the two rapist bastards behind.

We found a gate that led out of the park, and for those reading this in wondering what I was doing in that park where I found her — well I was smoking a joint of Weed, nothing more since it’s usually a nice spot to smoke a few joints in the dark. Innocent and stupid enough I know.

Anyway, we got out of the park onto a busy road in Central London, it was almost 2am and Saturday pubs, bars and clubs were still open for another hour maybe. I sat her down on a wall to see if she was sober, awake and aware of her surroundings.

“Hey hen, am’ James. Yer’ can call me Jamie if yer’ like.”

I said keeping an appropriate distance from her and the wall, as to not scare her or make her feel uncomfortable.

Her eyes were glazed, and yet if a copper stopped me he would have seen my eyes bloodshot from the amount of Weed in my system, and worse than that I still had joint in my pocket I was going to smoke on the way home. Plus I was stinking of the stuff, from the joint I smoked prior to hearing Alesha’s screams.

“Alesha, that’s my name.”

She said in a Cockney-London accent as some revellers passed us, and she rubbed her eyes.

“Do yer’ live local Alesha? I can get yer’ to your door, so yer’ get some safely.”

I told her hoping I didn’t stink of Weed as I usually did after a joint, and prickle Police interest.

“Just to yer’ door, I swear it.”

I added to comfort her.

“I live in Ladbroke Grove, West London.”

She told me, and I was aware of where Labroke Grove was.

I looked at my phone, I knew I had to get this woman home to her front door at least even if it meant an extra hour or two out with her. I couldn’t live with myself if something happened to her after stopping the attack.

I nodded at her as she looked up at me.

“Right am’ gonna get yer’ to your front door. I’ve got nothing else to dae’ an’ I want to make sure you’re safe. As you can probably tell an’ smell it on me, I’ve been smoking Weed. That’s why I was in the park, nae’ other reason than that.”

At that she smiled up at me in a beautiful stare with her eyes, she blinked and nodded.

“I know I smell it on you, but I know you were there to smoke. Nothing else.”

She said with a gentle, soft laugh understanding me, and somewhat making a joke of the harsh situation to lighten the mood at least.

I smiled back under my thick brown beard nodded.

“I think yer’ need a coffee, or something tae’ drink to sober up hen.”

I told her and she nodded.

“Yes please, something to drink.”

Standing as best she could I helped her down the road to a 24/7 off-license shop, we went inside and most Escort bayan shops now had the mobile Costa Coffee machines that you can use. Same quality as the actual Coffee shops.

I didn’t like the stares from the two staff members in the medium-sized shop, ogling Alesha who had her arms crossed over her chest for modesty and warmth. Like perverts they were mumbling in a foreign language, and eyeing her up like two sexual predators do.

I quickly ordered the coffee Latte for Alesha, and I grabbed a can of Irn Bru; a Scottish beverage sold in the UK and a sealed, sweet croissant for her to eat and soak up the alcohol in her system still.

I pushed past them, and gave them both a look that made them stop talking in hushed tones as we left and I handed Alesha the coffee, and sachets of sugar and found a bus station to sit under.

She was sobering up, and more aware as she made her coffee as she liked with sugar and I gave her the croissant.

I cracked open my can of Irn Bru and watched her eat, and drink as I drank.

She was shaking like a leaf in a gale and shivering.

I unzipped my black baggy hooded jumper, and helped her put it on. I zipped it up closed, for the next minute or so she said nothing but looked up at me no longer shaking or quivering.

“Thank you.”

She said gently.

“Nae’ problem hen.”

I said to her and I checked the route map, and time tables for the city’s night buses system.

There was a 24-hour night bus that would take us directly to Ladbroke Grove, but per the route map it would take about an hour to reach it.

I told Alesha this, and we waited for the bus which was coming soon.

She was finishing her Latte, and the croissant was finished too.

“How yer’ feeling?”

I asked her, but gently.

“Better, sobering up.”

She told me with a warm smile.

“Where are you from James?”

She asked me, her gaze never left my eyes.

“Scotland, up North.”

I told her with a smile.

“I’ve been to Glasgow, for a few days.”

I laughed, ironic that it was the same city I came from.

“I’m from Glasgow myself.”

We talked about the parts of the city she saw as we waited for the bus.

Sobering up she was laughing, and chatting as the bus pulled up and its doors opened for us.

As with London modernising, some idiot in City Hall decided that buses no longer allowed payment by cash like any other normal fucking city in the world anymore. It was all done via the Oyster-swipe cards on buses and at train stations that you had to top up in shops.

Alesha had lost her Oyster, and was looking for it in her bag.

“I’ve dropped it somewhere, or back in the park.”

She told me.

The driver wasn’t happy as she was taking her purse out to pay.

He was a jobsworth, a right prick who didn’t care about anyone just his job.

He told us we would have to find a shop that still sold and topped up Oyster cards, and I was having none of that.

“I remember distinctively aboot’ a year ago here in London an’ a lone woman was raped because some jobsworth driver like yerself’ refused her on getting on the bus withoot’ a ticket. That driver sent that poor lassie to walk, an’ she was raped because of it. Oh aye it was in the newspapers, an’ they decided it was more important for anyone needing a bus to be able tae’ get home. So give her a fucking ticket, or am’ gonna take down your name, the reg’ of this bus and report you.”

I told him leaning close to the plastic barrier between us both, speaking through its voice holes.

I must have sounded menacing but I was simply stating the facts to him, and he gave her a ticket.

She thanked him, I didn’t and we then went upstairs on the double-decker bus to sit.

The top floor was empty, and we sat at the back together.

“You must be cold.”

Alesha said gently, her shoulder pressed to mine.

I was still wearing a loose black t-shirt, and my jeans but it was a cold-night.

“Naw, I’m fine hen. Honestly I’m used to much worse than this.”

I told her with a smile.

We spoke for a few more minutes until I felt Alesha lay her head and rest on my shoulder, slowly falling asleep on the long, bus journey.

As we past my area en route to her home, some young lads came on board who were obviously drunk. Three of them came up the stairs and saw us both, Alesha sleeping on my shoulder. They looked over at us, and I made it clear with my stance and stare to not even try a thing on this bus with us.

I held Alesha as she was moving around in her sleep, eventually our bus was approaching our stop and I woke her up.

We got off the bus, and it took off as she was now awake and aware to direct me to where she lived.

It was a black of flats, down a few quiet streets and I took her to her building door.

“Are yer’ alright from here hen?”

I asked her keeping my promise as she searched through her handbag for the swipe-fob to open the building door.

“Can you come upstairs with me, one of my neighbours harasses me Bayan escort when he hears I am coming home. He’s usually still up.”

She told me, and I agreed.

She swiped the door and we went inside, into an elevator to the fourth floor.

We then walked along the balcony past two doors and then a red one to a final one of brown oak at the end; Alesha’s flat.

The red door to our left opened and a talk, scrawny white guy stepped out who looked to be in his forties stepped out.

His smile disappeared as he saw me, and realised he wasn’t getting Alesha on her own tonight.

“Alesha…”

He began to say before trailing off upon seeing me.

“Hey Tommy.”

Alesha said trying to simply be friendly in response, as any person would.

He didn’t take his eyes off me for a moment, but he did to ogle Alesha.

“Well we better get indoors Tommy. See you later.”

She said including me, saying we both had to get indoors.

Suddenly the guy leaned out and grabbed Alesha’s arm.

“Hey, I forgot I got that money you said you needed, I know you told me you’d handle it yourself but I know you’re feeling the pinch with your rent and whatnot.”

Tommy said, his eyes moving between me and her.

I wasted no time as he grabbed her and looked to be holding her firmly, I grabbed his wrists and pushed him away from her breaking his grip of her arm.

“Didnae’ lay a fucking hand on her pal.”

I told him, and I made sure my tone made it clear not to press his fucking luck with us both.

He wasn’t happy but he didn’t pursue grabbing her again.

“I’ll see you later Tommy.”

She said and we went to her door, and she pushed it open after using her key.

We both stepped inside and Alesha locked the door with three different types of locks, this estate that she lived on was not safe.

“Yer’ alright?”

I asked her.

She nodded, her eyes were focused and no longer glazed.

“Does he hassle yer’ like that a lot?”

I asked her slowly sitting on her sofa, giving her a chance to object if she only wanted me to get her inside before leaving.

She nodded unzipping my hoodie at the front opening gently.

“Yeah, he knows I am in debt and I’m working extra shifts for work. He offers me cash, but I know he only does it because he wants something else in return. I’m not like that, I don’t go with men for just the money if they’re scummy bastards.”

Alesha explained as she too sat down on the sofa beside me.

“Aye didnae’ take a penny from him hen, I know guys like him and yer’ right they are scum an’ will want something else.”

I told her gently hoping not to scare her too much.

“Why did you help me?”

She asked looking at me, her deep brown eyes pulling me in.

“Because I could, because I should have an’ because it’s what a real man does Alesha. A real man protects a woman, an’ never hurts her. Not intentionally at least.”

Alesha nodded and I tried to keep my space with her so as not to worry her in any way.

There was an awkward silence between us for a good minute or so, as I tried not to make her feel uncomfortable.

I was almost about to ask her if she wanted me to leave when she stood up.

“You want a drink? I’ve got Pepsi, some Diet Coke or water?”

She asked standing over me.

“Aye please hen, Pepsi.”

I replied.

She walked into the kitchen through its door disappearing as I heard the fridge open.

A few moments of silence followed, before I could hear her; she was crying.

I stood from the couch and followed her into the kitchen and saw Alesha crying as she leant against the countertop.

Tears rolled down her cheeks as she looked up at me.

“Hey it’s alright hen.”

I said and suddenly she leapt at me wrapping her arms around me taking me by surprise, pressing her head to my shoulder.

My arms were wide open as I hadn’t expected this, and I gently placed them around her.

“Yer’ alright Alesha, nothing happened.”

I told her trying to comfort her as I kept my hand above the middle of her back and gently rubbed.

My hands would not go lower, I made my promise.

“Something could, I just realised… I mean it just hit me now.”

She cried, and I didn’t blame her. Let it out was all I was thinking.

“Had you not come I-I-I would have been raped.”

She was crying and I held her as a man should, not as a man wanting something out of a sickening situation.

“Yer’ alright, you’ll no’ see them guys again.”

I told her gently stroking her brown curled hair.

“Come on let’s get yer’ to bed, yer’ need to rest Alesha.”

I told her gently guiding her out of the kitchen and towards the room she indicated was hers.

Maybe she was worried that I was trying to get her into her bedroom, so I reassured her.

“Am’ gonnae’ get yer’ a glass of water an’ you get intae’ bed.”

I said pulling aside the blanket of her bed but handing it to her as she slipped into the bed slipping off her flat-sole shoes, I noticed Escort she had a pair of purple ankle socks on. Before slipping off my black hooded jumper she handed it to me.

I put the blanket over her and only her before I went into her kitchen, searching through her cupboards I found a tall glass that could hold of a pint of liquid. I turned on her cold water tap in the sink, gave it a few seconds to really chill and get colder before filling the glass up.

I returned to her room placing the glass of water on her bedside table.

I tucked the blanket in under her for warmth.

“Thank you, for tonight James.”

She said truly grateful, and I smiled.

“Just doing what I should dae’ for a woman.”

I told her.

“Goodnight hen, I’ll make sure yer’ door is locked behind me.”

I said simply.

Suddenly she reached out at me.

“Wait, let me get your number at least.”

That was quite a request.

“Are yer’ sure hen?”

I asked her to be certain, and it wasn’t the alcohol making her ask.

She nodded and she took out her phone and handed me it to put my number in her contact book.

I smiled and tried to be friendly and supportive.

I put in my number, and saved it to my name in her contacts and handed her the phone back.

She took my hand.

“Honestly, I really fucking mean this James. I appreciate what you did, thank you.”

She smiled at me.

I nodded and leant in for a hug, I truly fucking mean that as I didn’t know how to say goodbye to her.

She put her arm around my shoulder as I leant in, I was going for about almost to her shoulder but she tightened her arm around me and pulled my face towards hers and our lips touched.

It was a kiss, a few seconds pressed to one another but it became a more passionate kiss.

I had to stop this, I didn’t want her to regret this in the morning and gently pulled back as our lips broke apart.

“Get some rest hen, yer’ safe now.”

I said with a smile and she smiled back and nodded, I closed her bedroom door behind me and turned out the light for her.

I slipped on my hooded jumper zipping it closed.

I closed her curtains, but left the side light on in the front room so as make Tommy think she was still awake, put the little fucker off from doing anything stupid maybe.

I turned off her kitchen light, and opened her front door and stepped out.

I closed it behind myself staring out into the dark yet lit skyline of London in the early hours of the morning.

I stared out at it for a moment, taking out my bent out of place joint of Weed; cupping it in my hands I lit it with my lighter and after a few puffs I leaned over the balcony to look out at London.

Crime was up; especially with Firearms and Knife crimes as well as spates of rapes and sexual assaults.

London had changed a lot since I moved down here in my late teens, gangs were on the streets stabbing people to death over nothing and sexual crimes were on the rise.

But nothing was much different down here to where I came from; Glasgow.

Once named for a long, dark period ‘The Murder Capital of Western Europe’ for stabbings and shootings.

I had survived as I could, if you couldn’t fight you wouldn’t survive long.

You had to prove you would go further than the one trying to bully you, rob you or just attack you for no good reason other than being from another part of the city.

Coming down here I found London schools were easier to deal with using my experience of my upbringing in Glasgow, I just had to scare them with how crazy or mad I would go to make them pay for something they did to me.

But you had to go the whole way or they’d know you were faking it, I hunted down my bullies in Secondary School one by one as I would have back North, making it clear to them all to back off from me. A chair leg, hunting knife and a baseball bat made it clear to those trying to bully me in class were dealing with a whole new type of person.

I never backed down for anyone, and especially for my morals.

Right and Wrong.

I knew what was wrong, and tried to help and protect people from the evil, and nastiness in this world nowadays.

I toked on my small joint, breathing in and exhaling.

As I did I heard Tommy’s door open in my hearing distance.

Turning I saw him step out, I didn’t break eye contact even as I smoked.

“So, are you Alesha’s friend? Is she asleep?”

He asked, and he made it a point to as the last question much faster than his first question.

I never looked away, breathing out the smoke I watched him for a moment giving him a silent stare.

“I’m her friend, Alesha and I are close.”

He said trying to convince me poorly.

Cowards when facing men that don’t back down and fight, tend to become anxious and worried quickly when they notice they can’t bully someone easily.

As I smoked the joint down to the filter timing my next action, I finished the joint.

“I think I can look after Alesha well.”

I flicked the burnt out, empty filter of the joint I finished and moved quick grabbing him by his throat pinning him to his door.

“If I ever see yer’ near her door, or offering her money for what we both fucking know yer’ giving her it for, yer’ wee fucking rat!” I growled in his face