One Last Shot

Chapter 1

I walk into my bathroom, and look at myself in the mirror. I roll up my sleeves and brush my fingers against the scars on my arms. I flinch at every bump my fingers roll over. "Okay, that's enough," I tell myself as I pull my sleeves back down. As I pull my hair up, a pain rushes through my shoulder. I pull the collar down to reveal a dark purple bruise. "Maybe I deserve this," I say. I left my hair down, and started to walk to school.

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I hate going to this hell hole, but at least I have my best friends by my side to help me get through it.

"Hey Rufus," I say.

"Hey Ember," he replies with a grin. "How was your weekend?"

"Same as usual, just watching TV and eating, what about you?" I say, but he doesn't know the truth. He doesn't know why I have bruises all over my torso and chest. He doesn't know I cry myself to sleep every night, wishing I wouldn't wake up. But it's not his fault, my smile can hide everything.

"I went to the beach, but the weather wasn't as good as the news said it would be," he laughs, "But I still got some great pictures of the sunset."

"That's great Rufus," I reply with a smile.

"There's Julietta and Asher, let's catch up with them."

I look at Julietta and smile, but I don't hug her because her "popular" friends are there, and I might "embarrass" her. And then there's Asher, I've liked him since third grade, but never had the guts to tell him. Now I think it's too late because he is also in the "popular" category along with Julietta. I walk up to him and give him a friendly hug, he doesn't mind, because everyone knows he's a sweetheart to everyone. He's different, he's not like all the other stuck up jocks who pick on the "lower class" students.

*RIIIIIIIINNNNNGGGGG*

"I'll see you guys later," I say to the group. They all wave at me, and I walk to my locker. When I'm getting my books out of my locker, and someone pushes my face in. But my head didn't go straight in, it hit the side of the locker and then the back of the inside. I turn around to find Kelly chuckling under her breath. I sighed and rolled my eyes, and then my eyebrow started to sting. I reach my hand to it, and wipe a smudge of blood on my finger. Classic Kelly, ever since middle school. I slam my locker and continue to class.

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When I get home I close the door as quietly as I could. Can't believe I'm saying this, but I'd rather live at high school, than to live at home. "Noooo!" I hear my mom scream. It's happening again. And then I hear a glass break, and my mother is silent. "I told you, didn't I?" my stepdad says. I open the door to my room but it creaks, and then I hear his footsteps coming closer. I immediately pause, afraid of the act he'll do next. I want to run but I know he's behind me, staring at areas he should not.

"So you weren't even gonna say hi or anything, and let us know you were home?"

"Sorry," I say with trembling lips, "It sounded like you were a little busy."

"Don't get smart with me, I was just trying to be nice and look out for you," he says while brushing his hand down my arm.

I push his hand off of me and tear rushes down my red cheeks.

"Hey, hey, hey, don't be like that," he says as he throws me against the wall and holds me by the throat.

A muffled cry comes from my mouth as he forces his lips against mine. "Get the hell off of me!"

"How dare you disrespect me? Huh?" he yells.

He punches the wall, almost hitting my face. I couldn't hold it in any longer, I busted out in tears. Then he takes another shot at my stomach, and banged my head against the wall, still holding me by the throat. And then he throws me on the floor. I just sit there and cry, I tried to move but I couldn't. Every time I would try, an excruciating pain would rush through my side. So I just sat there, so vulnerable, and so alone.