Who Are You?

Chapter 33

Liam's POV

I go directly into panic mode. My breathing increases as I start to think of all the things that could happen to me because of that one picture. Everyone at school would completely shun me for hiding my identity. I could be kicked off the team, which isn't much of a loss, but my dad could find out, which would be big trouble.

If my dad finds out that I wore my glasses out in public, he may just beat me up.

Then again, he already does that.

I blink back the tears as I think about all the times my father has beat me in the basement of our home. If I didn't do enough push-ups, it was a punch in the stomach. If I dropped the bar before I did thirty reps, it was a punch in the jaw. If I refused to do my workout, it was a combination of all my punishments put together until I passed out.

I've never told anyone about my father's abuse. Every time my mom asked about bruises, I just told her I dropped a weight on myself. When she asked about limping, I'd tell her I'm just sore.

I could never work up the courage to tell anyone about what's going on, because I'm not important. No one needs to know about it, because it doesn't matter.

"Liam," Maddie says touching my arm, "Just try not to worry about it ok? It'll all be ok."

I look into her beautiful blue eyes. If I'm ever going to tell someone about what's happening, this is the person I'm going to tell.

I guess now is as good a time as ever. I pull her to car, returning our clubs in the process. I help her in and close the door.

"Is everything alright?" She asks grabbing my hand and rubbing circles into it. The action has a calming affect on me, and I don't know why, but it helps.

"Listen Maddie, you know a lot of things about the way my dad treats me, but you don't know one tiny detail," I say glancing at her.

She looks confused and scared all at once.

"What don't I know?" She asks, choosing her words carefully, as if not to set me off. She really doesn't have to do that though. Nothing she could say would ever make me mad at her. I could never be mad at her, because I love her.

"Well, my dad," I take a deep breath, "He beats me." Tears roll down my face as I bite my lip. I never planned on telling anyone about this. I had no idea how it would feel, but I imagined it'd be mixture of pain and relief. Pain because I know it's not normal for dads to punch their sons, and relief because I would have someone else to share my pain with.

I'm glad I chose Maddie to be that someone.

{Hiiii! So I spent a lot of time on this one, I hope you guys like it! Thanks for reading if anyone does, ily all!

Ps. MADDIES PROBABLY CRYING WOW}