My Muted Mate. *editing*

Chapter Ten.

Chapter Ten.

I covered my brother’s ears the best I could so he wouldn’t have to hear my parents arguing from across the hall. Tyler was sitting in front of me on my bed, with my back against the wall, trying to block them out.

Tyler was playing with his toy as my hands were over his ears.

“How about you help me!” my dad yelled.

“What do you want me to do, Will?!” My mom yelled back at him.

“I don’t know. How about you get your lazy ass up and get a job! I can’t be the only one around paying for stuff, not to mention all that liquor you’ve been drinking. It’s not up for debate, Angela. You’re getting a damn job and you’re going to help pay for things around here!” he yelled.

“What kind of job can I get with the education I have, Will?!” she screamed. “You made me drop out of college when I got pregnant with Abigail—ah!” she yelled when he slapped her, I heard the impact from here.

"Bastard!” she yelled and I heard her gasp when he slapped her again.

I heard a thump against the wall “You won’t ever speak to me like that again, Angela!” he yelled. “I’m your husband, and you’ll respect me and do as I say! Find a job, it doesn’t have to be a nice fancy one, but one that pays!”

“Where do you want me to go? A fast food place? A bar? Huh?” She continued to argue even though she and I both know she should just shut up. I know to never talk back to my dad or I’ll get it worse.

“Please, like anyone would want your old ass working at a bar!” he yelled. “Now—don’t speak or I’ll cut your tongue out,” he said, his voice lowered, but threatening and dangerous. It even made me jerk. “Why can’t you just be a good wife and mother? You promised me a happy family and do I look happy? You ruin everything, ever since college when you got pregnant and then that little bitch had to continue ruining things.”

I sniffled a few times as my eyes water up, and I tried to hold back my tears, but a few slipped out. I closed my eyes, my emotions running wild. I knew I was a mistake, but I never knew they regretted having me quite so much.

I felt Tyler shift and I opened my eyes to see him turn around and put his arms around me. I rubbed his back and put my forehead in the crook of his neck.

*

Don’t you hate it when your weekend feels like it’s gone to fast? I walked down the hallways, holding one side of my rib cage where a bruise was. None of them were broken because I know what it’s meant to feel like when they’re broken. My dad’s broken four in my entire life.

My face has never felt so caked up from wearing concealer. My face was bruised around my eyes. I sighed heavily and brushed my hair behind my ear.

Suddenly someone grabbed my arm and pulled me into somewhere. Colleen closed the janitor’s door and turned to me, taking a step closer to me. “Okay, do you want to explain to me about why you said you couldn’t talk?”

I bit my lower lip and looked away. I knew it was be pointless to try to tell I don’t know what she’s talking about. She heard me Friday and I’m sure she won’t leave me alone until I tell her.

“Look, I have my reasons,” I told her. “I just don’t want to talk to anyone.”

“I doubt that,” she said. “Look, Abigail, it’s alright to tell me why. But I feel kind of hurt that you would do something like this. I don’t know what I’m doing to make you not want to talk to me.”