One Hundred And One Sleepless Nights

I turned in bed. I buried my face into my pillow but the knocking that woke me started to get louder. I sighed and sat up in bed. I looked to my right and saw Vic asleep. I sighed and took a closer look. His shirt was off but he was still wearing jeans.
The knocking started again. "Vic!" I stage whispered. He waved his arm at me dismissively. "Vic!" I snapped.
"Leave me." he grumbled.
"Wake up now, you idiot!" I said angrily.
"Zee?" he asked sounding confused. Vic opened his eyes and sat up urgently. He groaned and looked around. "Shit." he sighed.
"You stay here. I mean it." I warned dangerously.
I got up and walked out to the front door. I opened it and gasped when I saw Polly and Alex. "Hey beautiful." I smiled at Alex and gave her a quick hug.
"Sorry, Zandra." she said.
"What are you doing here, Polly?!" I exclaimed loudly. Maybe it'll convince Vic to stay put.
"Alex forgot her reading book. Vic just disappeared, I'm guessing he's at the studio. So I thought I'd take her to school." Polly explained.
"Okay, thank you." I replied.
Alex had ran inside to get her book. I shuffled anxiously. If Polly finds out I am so getting killed on my doorstep. Polly wrung her hands together before she met my eye. "And if we could talk this afternoon. I have something I need to talk to you about." she said. That's it. That's proof. She knows Vic is lying on my bed. She knows I declared my love for Vic. She knows. She's not killing me now because she'd have to deal with Alex being scarred at seeing her mother murdered by her step-mother. The therapy bills would be humongous.
"Great." I squeaked.
"Mommy, can Roy come and play after school?" Alex asked me innocently.
"Not today." I told her. Little Alex glared at me and crossed her arms across her little chest angrily.
"Come on, Alex. I'll be seeing you soon, Zandra." Polly said and led Alex away.
I slammed the door behind her and ran through to my bedroom. Vic was pulling his shoes on. I glared at him and puffed out angrily. "You!"
"Did she find out?" Vic asked.
"I don't think so. I am so dead. I'm dying, look after Alex for me." I muttered.
"You'll be fine. She's not smart, just avoid her."
"Like I don't do that already?" I snapped. "I could have your heartbroken, stupid, dumb fiancée after me."
"I didn't say she was dumb." he told me and I rolled my eyes.
"Just go away. Go home." I sighed. Vic raised his eyebrows at me and I raised them back. Then he finally shook his head and left me. I heard the door slam and sat down on my bed. I'm so dead.

I have just eaten my last meal. It has been six hours, nine minutes and forty three seconds since I found out how I would die. At the hands of Polly. She's going to kill me, there's no question about it. Who will come to my funeral? Will Vic leave her? I can hope.
Now I have been known to exaggerate from time to time. If I'm honest I probably could take her on if I had to. I'm not strong, but neither is she. Austin could hand Vic Polly's ass on a plate. But he's far too high and mighty to hit a girl. Alan on the other hand isn't. There's always Kate if I end up in hospital. God knows Jemma wouldn't stoop to the level of violence.
Someone knocked the door and of course when I answered I saw Polly. She smiled to me but I didn't return it. I wonder if it's polite to ask to search your house guest's bags. We sat down and I started to play with the hem of my skirt.
"It's about Alex." Polly explained.
"What? Is she okay?" I rushed.
"I suppose she is. Alex is at a very important age."
"I know, I'm her mother." I snapped.
"I should just say it," Polly sighed. "This arrangement that you and Vic have. It's just not working at all."
"It was working just fine before you came along." I spat.
"You drop Alex off as you please to us. You drop Alex off as you please to Vic's parents."
"You should stop there because this arrangement has been fine for five years now. I don't drop Alex to you, I drop her to her dad. As for Vivian and Victor if they don't see her all week they phone me! Before you start-"
"Zandra, it's not routine. It'll badly affect Alex. Why would you want that for your own daughter?"
"I don't!" I exclaimed.
"You need to arrange real custody!" Polly said, her voice raising. "It's easy. We wouldn't even have to go to the courts."
"I am not discussing this." I snapped and laughed bitterly.
"It's your duty as a mother."
"Yes. I'm her mother! Not you!" I growled, standing up.
"I'd make a better mother!" Polly hissed, standing up too. She looked at me and bit her lip, realising what she had said. "I'm sorry." she rushed.
"Since you have came along everything here has turned to shit!" I spat.
"I didn't mean that."
"I think you should get the hell out of my apartment before I hit you." I muttered, trying to calm down. How dare she?!
Polly didn't say anything, she just got up and walked out. I collapsed down onto the couch and put my head in my hands. "Ahhhh!" I screamed as loud as I could. I screamed so loud I felt a burning in my lungs. Self righteous, condescending, interfering bitch!
I looked at the time. Vic should have just picked Alex up from school. I grabbed my phone and called him. It rang a few times at first. "Hey Zee." Vic said.
"Bring Alex home now." I said tightly.
"But in your text you said-"
"Bring her home now or I promise you're not having her this weekend." I snapped.
"Okay, okay." Vic sighed.
I hung up and sat for a while. I couldn't move. If I moved I felt like I was going to break. She wants custody? Of course she does. She wants to take her away from me. Well I'm not going to let her. Alex is mine and she's not taking the only good thing left in my life away.
Someone knocked the door and I went to answer. Vic was smiling down at Alex. Alex ran inside and I saw her disappear to play in her room.
"What's up?" Vic asked.
"Thanks for bringing her back." I said flatly and tried to shut the door.
"Wait, can I still have her the weekend?" Vic stopped me.
"Will Polly be there?"
"Yeah, of course." he laughed.
"Then no."
"Zee-" he tried. But I couldn't hear him anymore, I had slammed the door in his face.

Notes

Hey! More drama! What did you think? Will Polly take the custody further? Are you for Jandra or Vandra? Any predictions? :)