Adopted By Mr. Somerhalder (BOOK 1)

Chapter Nine

"You stupid little bitch!" My father yelled punching me over and over again. "I'm sorry!" I sobbed as he abused me. "It's your fault he's dead! If you hadn't of left he wouldn't be dead!" He yelled at me. I lay there and sobbed while he hit me over and over again.

"Charlie!" I heard. "Please!" I sobbed sitting up. "Sh! Charlie it's okay! Your safe!" Ian said hugging me. "It's my fault!" I sobbed. "What's your fault?" He asked rubbing my back. "Russell's dead because of me!" I sobbed. "Now listen!" He said stern pulling away. "It is NOT your fault!" He said looking me in the eye. "Yes it is! If I hadn't left he wouldn't have hit harder or gotten more drunk! This is all my fault!" I sobbed looking down. He pulled me in and hugged me while I sobbed into his chest.

"Charlie, Russell and I both wanted you to leave that home. When Russell told me I wanted to do everything I could to help. He knew the risk. He didn't care. All he cared about was your safety!" He told me. "Do you understand? This is not your fault!" He said. I nodded and he held me tight and I cried into his chest and falling back asleep.

"Charlie," I heard. I groaned and snuggled into whatever I was laying on. "Charlie, do you wanna try to go to school today? You don't have to if you don't feel like it but, I have to go to work today," I heard Ian. I yawned. "I'll go," I mumbled and slowly opened my eyes. "Good! I have a surprise for lunch!" He said with a smile. I nodded and sat up. He pat my back before walking away. I sighed and got up and went to my room. I grabbed some clean black jeans and my brown hoodie again. I looked in the mirror and my eyes were still red. I went to my bathroom and washed my face. I finished and went downstairs and Ian had food on the table. "I'm not hungry," I mumbled.

"Charlie, you need to eat!" He said. I looked at him and he had a stern expression. I looked at the food, not wanting to eat it. I gave in and sat down and ate. "Thank you!" Ian said. I nodded and continued to eat. He sat next to me and ate as well. After a few minutes we were both done and we got out stuff and left.

"Take it easy in gym remember," Ian said. "Yeah, no flips," I sighed. He looked at me and smiled rubbing my shoulder. "If you need anything you can call, text or come see me, okay?" I nodded. Soon we arrived to the school. We got out and people started looking at me. I looked down and walked in the school and to Ian's classroom. "Charlie!" I heard. I turned and saw Kyle and his sister running to me. I smiled and hugged them. "I'm so sorry are you okay?" Kyle asked. I sighed and nodded. "There's nothing to do now," I said. The three of us went into Ian's classroom and he rolled his eyes at me. I just gave him a goofy smile. I went to the white board and grabbed a marker.

"Don't write on my board," Ian groaned. "You'll like it!" I said and wrote in the top corner, 'Mr. Somerhalder is the COOLEST teacher ever!' "See!" I said. He looked and it laughed, shaking his head. "Oh my god, Charlie," he laughed. "It's true!" Kyle and I said in unison cause him to laugh harder and Kye, his sister, Megan and I to laugh too.

"Alright, you guys head to class. The bells gonna ring soon," he said. Shooing us off. "Don't erase it!" I said. "I won't!" He said turning me towards the door and playfully pushing me out.  Kyle looked at me and laughed. "Off to gym!" I cheered. We said bye to Megan and we went to gym. "Charlie!" Jaycub cheered when he saw me. I smiled at him and he pat my back. "Sorry about Russell," he said. I sighed and nodded. "I'll be okay," I said and smiled at him. I'm used to smiling when I don't mean it.

"Alright, boys! Pick a sport!" Coach said as we finished getting dressed. We all went outside. Kyle, Jay and I grabbed a soccer ball and started playing. "Oof!" I groaned after being knocked to the ground. "Watch it freak!" Carter growled. "Carter!" I heard. We looked and it was coach and he looked mad. Ian brought something outside to coach as he was talking to Carter. I saw Ian get angry. I sighed and Jay helped me up. "You okay?" He asked. I nodded. A few minutes later class ended and we all went in and changed. Then I was off to choir! I can sing today!

"Evan, I want to record you and Megan singing!" Mrs. Fowler cheered seeing us walk in. "Okay, you up for it?" I asked her. She nodded and smiled. "At the end kiss her hand, I'm sending it to the theatre teacher and she likes drama," Mrs. Fowler said. We nodded and took a seat. Apparently she wanted us handcuffed together and to wear mask but whatever I still did it.

We sang and everyone's jaws were on the floor. "Woooo!" They cheered. I laughed and took the mask off and took the handcuffs off as well. "Send it to me!" I told Mrs. Fowler she nodded. "Me too!" Megan said. She nodded and sent it to us. I saved it into my phone and smiled. I'm gonna show Ian that later. Mrs. Fowler let us have a free day today so we hung out and talked and sang a little together. It was a great day in choir. Then the bell rang and it wad time for study hall. I checked my phone and Ian texted me.

Ian
Come to my classroom for lunch. Don't buy a lunch or anything.

Ok.

I walked into the classroom and saw my seat and the empty one next to it. That's were Russell used to sit. I sighed sadly and sat on the floor against the wall. "You okay, Evan?" Mr. Tomlinson asked. "Yes sir," I sighed glancing at the chair and looking down. "Do you know how he," he started. I shook my head no. "They only found his body at the bottom of the creek," I told him. "I'm sorry," he said giving me a sad look. "I'm fine, thanks," I smiled, not meaning it. Thankfully study hall went by fast so I didn't have to be in there long. As soon as the bell rang I went to Ian's classroom and he was getting stuff put up.

"Hello," I said dragging the o at the end. "Hey! Wanna leave your stuff in here?" He asked. "Uh, why?" I asked. "We're going out to eat," he said grabbing his keys. "Oh, sure," I said and put my stuff in the closet and he locked it. "Ready?" He asked. I nodded and followed him out and he locked his classroom door. Then we went to the office. "Where you boys heading off too?" Mrs. Fowler asked walking in. "I don't know. I'm scared!" I said dramatically. "I'm taking him out to eat," Ian answered her nudging my shoulder. I smiled a goofy smile causing her to laugh. "Ian! Did you know your boy can sing?" She asked. "No, I didn't! He needs to sing sometime!" He said looking at me. "I'll send a video later!" I said to him, flapping my hand up and down as if to shoo him off. He and Mrs. Fowler laughed at me. "Ready?" Ian asked. I nodded. "Have fun!" She said. "Bye!" I said as we left. "We're we going?" I asked. "To a restaurant," he smirked. I groaned and leaned my head back. "What restaurant?" I asked. "Gambinos," He said. "Sounds fancy," I said. "It is. And expensive too!" He laughed.

We listened to the radio and drove to Gambinos. Soon we arrived and we went in and got seated. The waitress brought out rolls and got our drinks. I found chopsticks and put them on my teeth like walrus tusks. "Ian!" I said getting his attention. He looked at me and laughed. "Hold on, I want a picture!" He said pulling his phone out. He took the picture and the waitress came back. She gave us our drinks and we ordered. I just got a spaghetti. It was a huge plate though! I didn't finish it all, Ian didn't finish all of his either. We got to-go boxes and took them with us. We got back to the school ten minutes before the bell. We went to his classroom and I got my bag and he put the food in his mini fridge. "Thanks," I said. He smiled. "Of course!" He smiled. I smiled back and the bell rang so I left. Off to dance!