paramour

chapter 3

More New Arrivals

My eyes started to crack open just as the morning sun began to filter in through my window. And at that moment, I realized how stiff, how sore I was. Ugh. This wouldn't be one of my better days. It seemed that something prevented me to be free of bruises for any length of time.

It was Monday, I realized. I'd woken up Saturday worse than I was today, which was a good thing. I was over most of the intense pains now. I would only really start hurting if I attempted any sudden movements... or any movements in the wrong direction. Stretching hurt the worst, so I avoided that, obviously. Even though I felt compelled to do it, since I was so stiff.

Cynthia and I did end up having a talk. I was only left with a warning, or more like a threat, and nothing else... which was also a good thing. Maybe she actually took pity on me for just this once. I mean, I had been beat pretty much half to death, and I don't think Cynthia really wanted to finish me off. So, when I did something 'bad' later, when I was healed, she would just give me back the bruises. That was a fairly simple routine for her.

As I'd predicted the night of my attack, I did have some severe bruises. Nothing worse than I'd had before, but still. They were almost faded enough to be completely covered by make-up, but not quite yet. That would take probably another week. I didn't know why I bothered to conceal them. No one noticed me anyway, let alone the ink splotches that covered almost my entire body. The worst regions would have to be my whole torso.

I sighed, and let out a sharp breath at the pain that that caused. It was time to get up, and face the world. The only way I would survive today is if I looked like I had absolutely nothing to do with Damian. I couldn't talk to him, walk by him, even glance at him, or even possibly glare at him when he stared at me. It seemed hopeless that he would break that habit anytime soon. But, that had been only his first week at Salmo Secondary School, so his second week could turn out different. Who knew? I would only pray that it would turn out in favour of me.

I got up carefully, trying to mind my sensitive areas but not succeeding very well. Showering was less enjoyable as before. The hot water was relaxing, true enough, but that didn't matter when every movement pained you. After I was done with my morning preparations, I still had about an hour to kill. That hour had been normally spent at my tree every morning that I'd start to wake up at six or five. After that incident at the little clearing, there was definitely no question of my going back.

Even though I didn't have a nightmare today, surprisingly enough, my body had gotten used to it.

True, I was thankful that I didn't have a nightmare, but I also wondered why I didn't. Maybe the pain kept me sleeping dreamless like a baby like it did that first night, but I don't know. There really was no real explanation, I suppose.

I don't' know when it would be wise to return back to my special spot... or if it was even wise to ever go back again. I didn't really want to chance going back too soon, so I guess my extra time would be spent on pondering these things. I had nothing else to do... my homework was done; finished long ago, the house was spotless; I'd also done my chores awhile ago... So there was absolutely nothing to do except think about how to avoid Damian and other various things till I thought it was an appropriate enough time to drive to school.

And that time came soon enough, sadly and happily. I was not too thrilled about going to school today, and trying to avoid a person just for my own life's sake. But I was happy that I didn't have to sit around at the kitchen table, doing absolutely nothing, any longer. Hours spent like that were sometimes good, but most of the time they were agonizing.

I jumped into my car, or rather, edged gently into the seat and took off at a comfortable speed down the road. I had plenty of time to get there, and then some. I kept reminding myself the whole way there that the only thing I had to do was avoid anything to have to do with Damian. My resistant side had died out awhile ago, or else I would have given more trouble than I had. My resistant side wouldn't have backed down as easily as I did now. But, through many beatings I guess, my spirit had broken and I was just compliant with everything. So, if Janet told me to do something like this, though I didn't like the fact very much that I was going along with her commands, I would do it.