Secrets Only My English Teacher Knows

Secrets Only My English Teacher Knows (Chapter 5)

I creaked open my bedroom door slowly, peaking my head out and looking down the hallway. My eyes passed over the hole in the wall, wincing from the memory, glad that he had missed. After further glancing investigations, its had seemed that my dad had left on his business trip. A shaky breath left my lungs, and finally my muscles loosened. Thankfully last night I had made it home safely and had managed to crawl through my window undetected. Still though, I laid wide awake in my bed all night. Listening to all the crashing and breaking of glass. Waiting for him to realize that I was home. But he didnt, and eventually all the noise did stop letting me get a small window of sleep.

  My bare feet dodged over broken glass on the cold wooden floors, trying my best not to get cut. I stopped at the hallway, kneeling to a nearby picture that was knocked off and punched. Picking up the frame, I delicately shook off glass revealing my mothers smiling face. I felt my own mouth move into a sad smile looking at her. She was so young then. Must have been only in her early 20's, with such long brown hair. I remember when I use to look at this as a kid and think that she looked like a princess. She would laugh at that and kiss my forehead, telling me that the only princess around was me. Slowly that smile fell from my face, missing her kisses. Before I could get all teary eyes and depressed, I quickly stood and placed the picture on the couch where some random clothes were thrown about. Something twinkled to the side, catching my gaze as I looked to see a small note and a little black box. My stomach turned reading the note and picking up the box.   

 "Hope you like it.  Love dad."  

I slowly opened the small box to reveal a very shiny, and very expensive opal necklace. Something cold went through my body as I gripping it tightly. Throwing the paper to the ground, I returned back to my room and into my closet. In the very corner of the closet stood a large handmade jewelry box. I knelt in front of feeling a bitter taste in my throat. Every single piece of jewelry had a story, and a bruise. It all started when my dad started to drink and become abusive, then the gifts would come. And it was always jewelry. Like the diamond tennis bracelet in the last draw, that was from smacking me in the face with his brief case. And the princess cut emerald ring, almost drowning from my head being held under sink water. There was many more, and many more stories. This opal necklace was just going with the rest, with a busted lip attached to it. Since then, I have stopped wearing jewelry. It is all dirty to me. I feel sick and nervous whenever people gift me any shiny accessories. Somehow, my dad must of thought he could buy my silence and forgiveness with these trivial items. Maybe it was because I was so easy to forgive him and keep quiet about it. Was this really my fault? I threw in the necklace, slamming the jewelry box door and began shifting through cloths. Of course, the worse of all the wounds, thats when that jewelry box suddenly showed up in front of my door. What that gift told me, was that it was not going to stop, and that I now have something to collect those dirty things in now. The price of such a thing? Hospitalized from "falling out of a tree" and breaking my wrist.  

I tried to smile as I got dressed quickly, attempted to throw myself back in a good mood when I cleaned the dry blood off my face. But the more I thought about it, the more I heard Tyler's words in my head. "Why do I protect my dad, when I cant even protect myself." I asked my reflection, tenderly caring for my swollen lip, bruised jaw, and cut on my forehead. There was no way I could cover these things with makeup, nor with clothing. It was obvious that I had been beaten, I just hope that everyone takes in Tyler's black eye and just think we finally duked it out.  

 Dragging myself to finish getting ready, I was finally able to get out the door and begin my way to school. Unfortunately, I was more late then usual. The moment I walked through that school door and down the hallways, the place was deserted. Although my feet had picked up speed to get to my first class, my mind was wondering if maybe I had time to just turn around, go back home, clean my fathers mess. That too also seemed awful as well. Before I could convince myself to skip school, I took a deep breath and walked through the classroom. Mr. Whilder was talking about something to do with next assignment when he suddenly stopped. I quickened my pace to my chair and plopped myself down, keeping my eyes off everyone and on the table. A blush rose to my cheeks, knowing everyone was looking. Although the wounds werent that bad, they sure as hell wasnt pretty. "Ms. Amiline and Mr. Tyler, out in the hallway." Mr. Whilders voice was rough with annoyance and I had to bite my lip to stop myself from saying anything stupid. Keeping my head still down, I stood leaving my bag on the desk. My blue eyes glanced to Tyler who was now walking beside me, and I couldnt help a smirk from appearing on my lips. I really did slug him a good one. Big ol' black eye, busted blood vessels in the whites. Yeah, I did pretty good. He on the other had, didnt seem so proud of my work.