Bruised not Broken

Chapter 1// just like death

I tip toed into the house. Making sure not to wake up Hunter. I did not want to face him and his brutality right now. I made my way upstairs and locked my room door.

I had installed the lock myself, I had too. My room was my only safe place. The only place I could go to escape when Hunter was drunk or angry.

I looked in the mirror and realized I looked like a wreck. The bags under my eyes were evident from my lack of sleep and my hair was greasy and thin. My skin was pale and my anorexic body made me look weak and small.

I hated my appearance and I made the best efforts to look pretty everyday but they miserably failed...all because of Hunter. He abused me every day and his monstrous personality was hard to live with. He would beat me up and didn't bother to make lunch, dinner or any meal at all. He pulled out my hair and the bald spots made my hair look thin.

I removed my jacket and looked at the bruises that covered my arms. There were a few fading ones from long ago and some very recent ones that were purple and blue from when he came home drunk yesterday. I lifted my shirt over my head and looked at the gashes that ran across my back and one huge bruise that was on my stomach when hunter punched me yesterday.

I sat on the floor in front of my mirror and stared at my reflection. Tears began to fall on my cheeks and I started to sob softly. I cried often when I was locked in my room, I never dared to cry in front of Hunter, how much ever he hurt me. He fed of vulnerability and he loved to see me helpless.

RINGGGGGG. My phone rang and brought my out pf my trance. I looked at the caller ID and was relieved to see Sam, my best friends name on the screen. I caught my breath and answered the phone. I tried my best not to show that I was crying, I didn't want her to find out anything, no one knew what happens to me at home and I dare not say a word to anyone either. I could not go the police either... Hunter is an ex-police officer. He quit his job when he married my mom. He has friends in every police station in town and that did not help my case in any way.

"Hey Sam! How's life ?!" I said as I answered the phone.

"It's amazing!! What about you?" she asked sounding extra chirpy

"it's decent enough. Where are you?"

"At Luke's house. Got to go bye!" and with that she hung up.

Luke was her boyfriend. They had been going out for about 5 months and I was happy that Sam had left her flirtatious ways and final settled with one guy.

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I looked at the clock as I finished studying for my Chemistry test. I was a straight A student. Well, there was no shocker in that because I study majority of the day. What else can I do when I am locked up in my room. I have like 2 friends. I try to keep myself busy a lot. I do this by studying and basketball practice. I even applied for student council.

I was extremely sleepy and all I wanted to do was cuddle in the safety of my blankets and drift off to sleep. But my grumbling stomach wanted otherwise. I decided to eat noodles before going to bed.

Yes. That's right. A cup of noodles was my dinner. I had a kettle in my room and my secret stash of food. These were my necessities if I wanted to survive since Hunter didn't bother buying food for me and I did not want to meet him in the kitchen while I was making my own food. So fast food and random snacks were now my daily meals.

I ate my noodles and decided to go to sleep.

I laid in bed and stared at the ceiling think of all the things I had done to deserve this life. I missed my mother. If she was here she would comfort me and tell me it was all going to be okay. She was my ray of hope. But when she died two years ago, I lost everything. Hunter blamed her death on me and I kind of blamed it on myself too. Ever since then Hunter has come home either drunk or angry and on some fortunate days he hasn't come home at all.

As the tornado of thoughts whirled in my head I finally drifted off to sleep.