Speak Up

Chapter 19

Mom wasn't home when Trey and I returned. I was glad because I didn't want her to start questioning me why my clothes were damp. Violet greeted me in the door way. I pick her up and took her to my room while Trey went and got us both towels.

"Be glad you don't have to go through like me, Violet," I tell her, hugging her before putting her down on my bed. She meows in response.

I take off my damp shirt and place it on the floor. I search for clean clothes in my draws just as Trey walks in with two towels. He hands me one.

"Thanks," I say, taking it. "Would you like something dry to change into?"

Trey shakes his head, drying his hair. "Don't worry about me, mate. I won't stay too long. Not unless you would like me to spend the night."

"It's up to you." I dry myself before unzipping my jeans.

Trey goes to sit down on my bed, stroking Violet's back. She meows at him, purring.

I grab a pair of sweat pants and slip them on, not worrying about putting on a shirt. I dry my face and glance into the mirror to take out the other contact lens. I reach for my glasses on the dressing table. I was happy to be able to see better with them instead of wearing the lens.

"How are you feeling after all of that?" Trey asks me.

"Thankful you were there. Thanks, Trey." I smile at him.

"It's no problem." Trey returned the smile. He then points to my cast. "What are you going to do about your cast since it's ruin?"

I glance down at my cast, completely forgetting all about it. It was soak, and I knew tomorrow I will have to get a new one.

"I can't believe Liam did what he did," I say to myself.

"Are you going to tell your mum about what happened?"

I think for a moment on how to explain to my mother about how I have gotten my cast wet. I couldn't tell her what Liam had done. She would freak. She would go to the police. She would be all over the school. I knew it should be something I should agree on, but I couldn't think of a positive outlook without thinking of what Liam could do to me. The same way he had fractured my arm after Trey had told the principal.

No. I have to keep this quiet.

"I'm just going to tell her that I forgot to cover it when I went into the shower," I tell him.

Trey stares at me with a serious look on his face. "Seriously, Zach? That dick almost killed you, and you don't want to lie about what he did to you?"

"You saw what he did when you first told the principal what he did."

"Yes, I know what he did to you, Zach. And you really need to speak up and tell someone before he does something very serious, just like what he did tonight. You could have drowned if I hadn't been there. I understand you're scared. But trust me, Zach, in the end you will be thankful once you speak up and tell someone what he is doing. It needs to end, Zach."

I nod. I knew he was right, but how could I convince myself that this was the right thing without feeling the fear of what Liam would do to me?

* * * * *

I disobeyed Trey and lied to Mom about why my cast was wet. I couldn't let her worry. I tell her that I had forgotten all about it when I stepped into the shower. She tried not to get mad with me with what I had done, and knew it was only an accident.

If only she knew the truth that it wasn't an accident at all.

After getting a new cast, since Mom had the day off, she decided we could go out for lunch. We sat at a table in a small cafe just down the road from the hospital. It was great to be out with Mom and catching up with her throughout the week. It was hard to spend time with her because of her shift work for her job. Mom asked me how school was going, and I told her it was fine, leaving out Liam. But of course, being concerned about my safety, she still asked me if Liam was bullying me.

I nod, taking a sip of my chocolate milkshake.

"On Monday I want to speak to the principal," she says. "He has no right to be doing what he is doing to you." She takes a bite of her steak sandwich.

I shake my head. "No, Mom. There is no reason for you to do that. I will talk to Mrs Kingston about it."

Liar! I yell at myself at the back of my mind. And of course the little voice was right. I was a liar. I was never going to approach my principal about it.

"Zach?"

I turn to see Kara walking over to our table. "Hey, Kara."

"How are you? I was worried when you took off like you did last night. I was hoping you would come back to the bleachers so I wouldn't be alone, and have someone to talk to while the game was on."

"Sorry. I would have stayed if you have wanted me to. I had to get back to Trey who didn't know I was out there."

Kara smiles at me, which makes my stomach do a somersault. "Well, I guess I will see you on Monday. See ya, Zach." She smiles at my mom and then leaves the cafe.

"See ya."

When she is out of ear shot, Mom turns to me, a great big grin on her face. "She seems like a nice girl. Who is she?"

I shrug, taking a sip of my milkshake. "She is nobody."

"Are you sure? She doesn't seem like nobody." She takes a sip of her strawberry milkshake.

"Her name is Kara. She is in a few of my classes. She is fairly quiet. Last night was the first time I ever spoke to her. I was having a panic attack and I had to go outside, and she was there. We talked for a bit."

"How is that girl Emily you always talk about?" She takes a bite of her sandwich.

I take a bite of mine as well, chewing slowly as I thought of what to say about Emily, the girl who I thought I had a chance with when things between her and Liam were going sour. But maybe it wasn't going sour at all, and it was Liam's way to stop me from crushing on his girl.

"I don't like her anymore," I force the painful words off my tongue, which is something I wasn't sure if I did or not. "I thought I had a chance with her, but I don't."

"I'm sorry to hear that, honey. Maybe you will have a chance with Kara."

I think about it, and realise my mom was right, but I wasn't sure. If I befriended her, Liam will start picking on her like he does with Trey ever since he befriended me. I don't want her to be involves with my troubles with Liam just because he has nothing else to do besides ruin my life. I don't even deserve to have friends. Not if they get caught up in my sad life.

* * * * *

I bite down on my lip hard as I cut my wrist with the blade of my razor. I debated in my head to whether or not if I should continue hurting myself on the way home. But at the same time I thought this was the only way I could punish myself. For years I have allowed Liam to bully me, thinking that maybe I have done something wrong to deserve to be punished by him. I have lied to my Mom that everything was fine, and at times I lie to myself that I'm fine.

I sit on the edge of the bathtub, watching the blood spill out of the small cut I had made. Tears flow down my cheeks. At the back of my mind I keep asking myself why am I doing this?

It's because you're a wimp, Zach. You're a loser just like Liam always said you are. You can't even stand up for yourself. Trey is the one who is standing up for you. You need to start doing this yourself. Trey is not always going to be around. It's time to speak up, Zach.

The voice in my head was right. I need to speak up. I need to stop being afraid of Liam. I need to show him that what he is doing is wrong.

A/N: A lot of things are happening for Zach. What do you think of Kara? Do you think she will be good for Zach?

Tell me your thoughts in the comments below.