You Should've Listened

Coping

The next morning I leave extra early to avoid my mom. I sit in my car, down the street from where Dalia stays like always. Eight thirty rolls around and I don't see her making her way down the block.

She's always on time. Every day, without fail she's on time. Five minutes pass and nothing. Five minutes turn to ten and I feel myself growing unsettled. I'm about to go check what's holding her up when I notice her walking towards me.

I feel myself relaxing at the sight of her but only for a second because then I notice she's limping. I get out of the car but freeze when I see her.

"Oh my god." She clutches her arm to her chest and her face... My eyes examine every bump and cut, her swollen lip and the knot on her forehead. She looks like she's about to pass out from the pain and before I can even think, I scoop her into my arms and carry her into my car.

She doesn't look at me once as I strap her in. I kneel down so we're at eye level but she still looks forward. "Is he still inside?" She quickly shakes her head no, obviously lying and I feel myself somehow growing more angry at the way she protects him.

"I'm going to kill him." My voice his ice as I rise from where I am crouching beside her but then I freeze when I feel her grab my arm.

"Just get me away from here." I feel the fire in me diffusing at the sound of her voice. "Please, I don't care where we go, if you don't want to miss school I understand-"

"I don't give a shit about school, Doll." I soothe her hair but freeze when she winces. I slowly close my eyes and take a deep breath, trying to calm myself. When I look back down at her she's resting her head on the seat with her eyes shut.

Letting out a sigh, I shut her door and make my way to my side. I take us home and she wakes up when I rest her on the couch. I don't know if she's cold or not but I threw a blanket over her and put two pillows behind her back.

She leans forwards so I can adjust them for her but when my hand skims her back, she sucks in a breath.

"Doll-"

"I'm fine."

"Stop saying that." My voice comes out a bit harsher than intended and I let out a breath. "I'm sorry." She doesn't say anything and tries to lay on her back but from her face I can tell the simple act of trying hurts.

"Just let me see, Dahlia." She doesn't say anything but leans forwards a bit more and rests her head on the couch. I hesitate for a second, afraid of what I'll see. Slowly, I raise the back of her shirt.

I squeeze my eyes shut at the sight and pull it back down a bit too quickly. Her back is covered in scars. Some fresh, a lot of them look old. There's slashes like she was... whipped.

"Okay." I move her curls from her face. She has tears streaming down her cheek but she doesn't make a sound. She doesn't move. She just sits there silently as she stares at nothing and cries.

"You want to try laying on your stomach?" She moves her head every so slightly I think I imagined it. "Why not?" A beat passes then she pulls the front of her shirt up, just enough to see her bruised ribs.

"God, Dahlia." My voice comes out just above a whisper. If she hears me she chooses not to answer as she lowers her shirt again and stays sitting there, still as a statute.

I study her for a minute. "Let me take you to the hospital." I don't even know why I brought her here in the first place. She clearly needs medical attention. This time her eyes cut to mine.

"No." I open my mouth but she doesn't let me get a word in. "They'll ask questions that you know I can't answer. I don't even know if I have insurance."