Chords

Chapter 13

MADS
3 YEARS AGO

There she was making a commotion in the middle of the cafeteria wanting her cranberry juice. Invading my peace of enjoying last night's dinner my father had made. Steak with rice was no longer in my appetite with the endless amount of the lunch lady offering other options. I wished someone would shut her up before I placed my hands around her neck.

"Yo Madden, you seeing this shit show," Iversen spoke with his mouth full of chicken tender falling out. I wish my Uncle Damon would teach his dogs to better behave. The only one I could stand was Tavi, sadly she was stuck in primary school with Jett and IV. The most they did was coloring homework with endless nap times. Stirring my attention to the nappy beast who didn't own a brush. She stood on top of a table chanting about our academy not fulfilling every student's dietary needs. With all of this over cranberry juice, people have no sense of dignity.

"You think she will freak if I push her off?" Ivarsen placing bets with the other immature boys around us. Money started to swarm in knowing Ivarsen had no remorse for holding back. Ignoring the others I noticed Indie's poor attempts to bring this creature down.

"Please get down, I'll make sure tomorrow they have more" Indie begs earning nothing but more chants about pointless justice. I had enough of this crap being dragged on for so long. Getting off my seat I stormed directly toward her. Stopping at the edge of the table our eyes locked. Aside from the bird nest hair, she had baggier eyes than mine. That explained her insane behavior, she was surely missing a few bolts in the brain.

"Get down, now." I wasn't in the mood to compromise her stupid needs. Closing her chest with her arms I knew she was too stubborn to break her decision. Making my way to the top of the table, I threw her onto my shoulder ending this whole shit show. Receiving kicks I passed Ivarsen's groan of returning the bet money from not fulfilling his insane needs. Uncle Damon and I will need a serious talk about his oldest falling in his footsteps.

Once outside I dropped the creature down challenging her to escape. We stared at each other for a while, seeing who would break off and speak first. "I hate you," she said combing her hair back as if it did nothing but worsen her appearance. "What you don't talk? More of a hands-on little boy?" She was irritated by my actions of dragging her out of the room. "Speak! Hello, Am I talking in another language?" Waving her hands in front of me I gripped both seeing fear take over. She was no longer the tantrum toddler, she was in shock from daily recurrence. What was going on at home to create all of this protest? Fidgeting to release my whole I dragged her closer to me expecting anything not a scent of vanilla on her. It coated my nose sending signals I didn't know what my body wanted.

We have talked of puberty before, done poorly by Uncle Damon and my mother finding the right words to say. This wasn't in the pamphlet, releasing her from my grip I felt a droplet fall onto my hand. She was crying. Not from me but from a bruise on her arm. Quickly covering with her sleeve we stared at each other again. This time none of us dare to speak, avoiding the ringing bell of lunch being over. We stood together waiting to see who would break first.

"Your arm," I spoke seeing the rest of the children running off to class. She stood still something I didn't know she could do. "You asked me to speak, now answer me."

"I feel"

"Bullshit," I could see through her eyes there was something more than a slip. Her bruise was fresh with purple and yellowing covering it.

"Were you there to see me?"

"I know what an abusive bruise looks like, I'm not dumb." She didn't speak, searching through me for hints to throw me off. Would she lie to me again or say the truth?

"It doesn't matter not like you can do anything about it," She started walking away as I trailed behind

"You fight back"

"I'm 80 pounds of brittle flesh"

"I wasn't offering, come by my house at five pm. Don't be late," I ordered.

"What point of flesh and brittle don't you get?"

"The point where I didn't asked if that was a valid excuse. Come by or I'll find you. Don't make me wait," Walking past her I had a job to accomplish. Protect Tavi and train Xera. She needs to learn of her capabilities without the assistance of another man.