Benefits

Ch. 33: We Don't Talk Anymore

"Stop." My dad's hand squeezes harder around my wrist for the first time.

I look down at his hand that squeezes mine. Red flashes in my eyes, instead of spazzing me out.

"Remember Dawn. Keep that pretty mouth shut about that night." His hand squeezes harder. I try to comprehend if anyone is by me. But no one stands by.

"Let me go." I grit my teeth.

"Don't mess up Dawn." He lets go of me, but makes me fling back a step. "You don't want to get hurt." He walks up to me, his body trying to isolate me again, but he can't when I am actually able to step back for once.

My lips tremble at him.

"Don't tell your mother. I'm sorry." My father apologizes for the first time after he grasped me the previous day.

"You do look nice today." Dawson face changes once again. "What's your first class?"

My whole body shakes once again. My fingers click, and I don't know what to do.

"Chill. I am just reminding you what we talked about last week." He laughs softly at my stature. His eyes were always chillingly blue, but there was something else. It wasn't just blue, there was evilness lining within him. "Stay warm." He walks past me.

Slowly my body decreases of shakes, but my fingers still click.

Another tear falls.

---

The worst period comes. English.

Alice usually is here before me since her class is next door, but she doesn't appear. Books drop on my desk, and so does my worried look everywhere.

"You alright there Denise? Seem a little shaken." Jeffery half jokes, and half actually concerned somewhat.

I don't say anything, but stare down at my desk.

Oh no. It's too bad.

Too bad to the point where I can't hide how anxious I feel. To the point where every sudden movement is my head moving towards that direction.

Especially now when he walks in. His smirk is wide, but when our eyes connect, Jake's smirk falls slightly.

My fists unclench and clench. He can believe what he wants about my stature.

His smirk reappears, but it's harder for him to keep it up as he walks to his seat for the first day back. A whole stack of papers are on top of his binder to catch up from lost time with being suspended.

I avoid all contacts with, but he's still there.

His presence is still known. He has told me once or twice that he stares at me in class, and I can tell today some reason. The way he turns towards me is different today. The reason why I know is, he's not looking at me.

The period continues, and I feel myself calm slightly, but my hands keep moving.

My wrist that Dawson squeezed is still raw. The familiar bruising feel arrives as I brush against it, leaving me holding in a breath.

"I swear to you, I'll never do it again." My dad cries to me as he brushes over the bruise with his thumb.

Mr. Davidson passes back an assignment for us to do. Once the person in front of me passes it back, I do the same.

I'm barely able to pass it back in my row when I feel a tug at the sleeve of my arm. The wrist bangs against the desk, leaving me to wince softly.

Jake pulls up the sleeve, revealing the already formed purple bruise. His fingers brush over the hand mark.

"I'm sorry." My dad cries once again at the second bruise. It's a bigger one then the last.

My body shakes, but my arm stays put at his hands.

His smirk is long gone. He's mad. "Who the fuck did this to you?" He growls, not caring who heard.

I tug my arm away from him." I bumped it on something on accident." I write my name on my paper to distract myself from my clicking fingers.

"Was it your dad-"

"Don't you finish that sentence." My voice rages angry. The volume in his tone is not what I need. The fact that he could bring that up right now in front of the whole class makes me want to rip out all his hair.

He sighs deeply." Was it?" He talks more softly.

"No." I say. "It's none of your concern anyways."

"Tell me who did it." He completely ignored my last statement.

"I already told you." My voice grows weak but still was an angry whispers.

"Dawn-"

"Just leave me alone!" My voice loud, everyone looks at us. His mouth opens, but nothing comes out. "Just leave me alone." I repeat with a whisper in the last sentence to him in sadness.

"Dawn, are you alright?" My teacher comes up to our table, and touches my shoulder.

Dawson touches my shoulder in the janitors closet.

I flinch from him, trying to hold in a scream as best as I can.

"Can I step outside?" I need to be alone.

"Of course. Do you want to talk to someone?"

"No." I stand up and rush outside.

My head collides with a locker as I try to calm myself down.

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"Dawn." His voice. The voice that made me melt still was the same.

"What do you want Jake?"

"Did your dad do that?" His voice is at an edge.

"No."

"Tell me the truth."

"I already told you." I turn back to him. "Besides, it's none of your concern."

"You make it so hard." His fingers brush through his hair.

"Make what so hard?"

"To not make it my concern!" He yells in frustration.

"You made it simple Sunday." My voice becomes fragile.

He's silent after that.

"The feelings aren't mutual, and I know that. So stop making it seem like you do see it in that way. Maybe that will save how pathetic I look to you." He makes it hard when he seems to care for me, and then says those things like he did Sunday.

He stays silent.

I walk past him back into the classroom. Eyes were on me again.

I hear:

"I bet they fucked."

"No shit."

At this point, I don't feel like I care about what people think.

Jake follows back after a while. Our teacher continues to stare at our area, but he keeps to himself and continues the lesson.

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