~My Teacher Hits Me~ (Book 1) [Rewritten]

Chapter 17: No More Lying

Dream of the future, Dream of the past

All of these little things will soon outlast

It's a dream come true when something terrible finally becomes a thing of the past.

Rylan wishes with all her heart that Mr. Quinn could be a part of her past. But life deals you the cards. You don't get to pick them; you just get to decide how to play them. Mr. Quinn in jail doesn't appear to be in the cards anytime soon. Rylan remembers all too well what he said at the school.

She stares at the ceiling, tracing shapes with her eyes. She'd been woken seven times since her admittance to the hospital. The doctors won't let her sleep more than thirty minutes at a time, then they wake her up and ask her how she feels and if she knows her name. Each time, Rylan recalls why she's in the hospital and the horrific events that lead her to where she is now before exhaustion tugs her back into unconsciousness and the cycle starts all over again.

Now she's exhausted by her exhaustion. Rylan's brain refuses to go numb and let her drift off again and, instead, replays every detail of the night over and over. There are so many things she would have done differently now that she looks back. The thoughts don't help, but she can't help thinking them. Rylan bites her tongue and tries to focus on something other than her memories.

It doesn't last very long. The door clicks shut and startles her as her dad enters the room. It reminds her of the locked doors at the school and how she couldn't open them no matter how hard she tried. Rylan sighs heavily and presses her eyelids tightly together.

"Rylan, honey? Are you in pain? Should I call the nurse?" Mr. Winchester asks.

He sets his coffee-filled styrofoam cup on the table and curls his hand over Rylan's.

"I'm fine. I just want to sleep." She tugs her hand from beneath his and turns her head away.

Mr. Winchester frowns solemnly. "I know you do, but the doctors are still monitoring you."

"I'm just so tired, dad." Rylan groans softly.

"I know. I'm sure they'll let you sleep soon."

Mr. Winchester watches her worriedly. She looks up at the ceiling as water pools in her eyes and she tries her best not to cry.

"I can't do this anymore." She whimpers.

"Do what?"

Rylan sniffles and tears stream down her cheeks. "It hurts. Everything hurts."

She jerks the breathing mask off her mouth.

"Rylan, keep that on. I'll get the nurse."

"No." Rylan cries. "I don't need the nurse!"

She wheezes a little, but breathing without the mask isn't much different than with it. Mr. Winchester remains seated tensely.

"What's going on?" He demands. "What happened at the school?"

"I don't know."

"You don't know?" He echoes.

"Nothing happened."

"'Nothing' didn't leave you bruised and nearly beaten to death!" Mr. Winchester replies in frustration. "Who did this to you?"

More tears drip down Rylan's face and she closes her eyes.

"Rylan, who did this?"

She shakes her head slowly and her lower lip wobbles.

"Who... Rylan, look at me... who did this?"