Touch Me

Run

I woke up to my father shouting from down the stairs. Typical. I ignored it and started getting ready for school.

I skipped breakfast again, despite having barely eaten over the past few days. I was too stressed for it. But it was really starting to show. I had the darkest circles under my eyes that I've seen in my entire life, I looked so frail that a gust of wind could probably take me down.

"I'm off to school.." I alerted him as I made it down the stairs

"Are you seeing that little faggot today?" He slurred, adjusting the logs in the fireplace with the fire poker, in an already agitated and clearly inebriated state. Christ, it wasn't even eight a.m.

"We have the same classes.." I replied nervously, trying not to slip up my answer, while still avoiding a lie. Getting caught in a lie is very heavily punished, worse than the truth.

"That all?"

"Uh, w-we usually walk with each other, but that's it! That's all, we have the same route to school, we just walk near each other, nothing else.." I admitted, preparing myself for his screaming.

"..I thought I told you not to talk to that boy ever again...!" His voice raised, still clutching the hot fire poker, with white knuckles

"I'm sorry.. I won't do it again, I promise! I-I thought just the walk was okay, it's the same way home, I'm sorry! I-I just wanted to tell you the truth, I always tell the truth.."

"You son of a bitch, you're never fucking sorry!" He growled as he suddenly slammed the scorching fire poker against my arm and side, making me cry out in pain.
He didn't stop. Even through my yelps of agony, he persisted, searing my skin

I cowered on the floor as he purged his wrath, until he was satisfied enough with what he'd done to let me go. I always cower. Though, it's not like I had any choice in the matter this time - all I could do was recoil into the floor and pray he would soon be finished

Dizzy from pain, I laid there for nearly three minutes after he had left, simply trying to breathe my way through the intense nausea brought forth by the pain.
I was no stranger to my father's punishments. But truthfully, few had ever hurt this way. There was nothing I could do but lie there and tremble until the intensity began to fade away, enough to allow me to my feet.

As I staggered out the front door, I expected to see Kevin waiting for me as usual, but he was nowhere to be found. In all honesty, I'm glad he wasn't here. I'm glad he couldn't hear me screaming like that. I closed my eyes to hold back the tears that formed, until I heard Kevin shout my name

"McKinley! Wait up!" He smiled widely, rushing over to me

I looked up at him trying to hold back my tears, and plastered on a fake smile.

"Hey.."

" what's wrong..?" He saw right through my attempts to mask my distress

"It's nothing... Just having a long morning. I'm okay." I assured him, pulling my sleeve down to hide my burns.

"Are you cold?" He inquired, noticing my long sleeves

"Yeah, a little bit." I fibbed, just going along with what he was saying.

"Well, here.. we can't have that.." he started taking off his brown leather jacket

"No, I-I couldn't.."

"Don't be ridiculous. Put it on"

He handed me his jacket to wear. It was a bit too big on me, it looked like the reverse of 'Fat man in a little coat' from Tommy Boy. Short man in a big jacket. But it was warm. And comfortable. And it smelled like him.