we don't belong here • lrh

Chapter twenty one | a lesson never forgotten pt. 1

Chapter twenty one | a lesson never forgotten pt. 1

They all came back. All of my memories. All of the memories that my father, quite literally, beat out of my brain. They all flashed across my closed eyelids when I was asleep. It was a peculiar feeling and I knew I couldn't tell Luke. Not yet at least.

0-0-0-0-0

It was a new day. Luke and I were seated on the couch with some crappy movie playing on the even crappier television. Our hands were discreetly together so that the doctors and patients wouldn't get the wrong idea for the fact that both Luke and I could be sent to solitary confinement just for holding hands.

The rules of this place are simple; no affairs with staff or other patients, no bulling, and no fighting. The most taboo rule, we were breaking and I found joy in it. Breaking the rule was exciting and I wanted to break it even more if it meant being with someone that was worth everything and more.

"You know... we could get caught," Luke murmured into my ear when Officer Styles was helping another patient in the far corner of the parlor. "But you like the risk, don't you Valentine?"

I bite my lip, again glancing over to the guards. Officer Hood was looking but i wasn't worried about him. He was breaking the rules too. Styles was still not looking toward the two of us, so I turned to Luke who had the biggest smirk plastered across his face. His curly, long hair was tucked behind his ears and his lips were glistening with a fresh coat of saliva. His perfect nose directly in front of mine and his eyes a shade darker.

"Wait a minute or two and then come to the abandoned room," I told Luke and stood up. I walked away from the couch and went through the double doors that led to the corridor.

When I reached the door, I entered the room quickly and quietly. The room smelled a bit funny.

The couch was still in the same place and was still covered with the white sheet like it was yesterday. I plopped down on the piece of furniture and waited for the blonde giraffe to enter the room.

To be completely honest, I had no idea what was going to happen, but I was more than ready for it. I wanted Luke to do unspeakable things to me that I had never thought before now.

I've never even had a boyfriend before. Luke was always there to prevent me from even thinking about it. I always had him and I felt like I didn't need anybody else if I had Luke. He was my shield that I used going through high school. That was until he graduated and went to college.

It wasn't that far away but it was enough were he could only come home for the weekends. I was dying inside. Mostly because I couldn't see my best friend everyday, and I couldn't make new ones. It was extremely hard only seeing Luke two days every week, but I pushed through it. That was until my father got physical.

That one Thursday before Luke would come home to visit and do his laundry is when the disaster happened. My father was angry and drunk. It sounds like every cliche disaster that has happened to patients in this place but it's true. He was furious for the smallest thing that I did.

I was doing my homework because I had school the next day and I didn't hear the shouting of my name. I had my music playing in my ears which I knew I shouldn't have. I remember it clearly now.

I was almost done with my Algebra II homework when the man came barreling in the room, a black leather belt in his right hand and a bottle of beer in his left. I flinched when I saw him, anger in his eyes as he sat the bottle down on my math homework. I didn't dare move it, too afraid of what was to come.

I looked up at him and saw his brown eyes piercing my grey ones. With his anger, they almost looked black. He tightened his hold on the belt and yelled at me.

"Stand up, you little bitch!"

I did what he said obediently and stood in front of him. With my height, I reached just above his chest. My heart was racing as the man in front of me raised the belt above his head, bringing it down hard across my abdomen. I screamed and tried to run away from my father but it was too late. He grabbed my arm so i couldn't do much of anything. The leather came in contact with my leg and I fell to the ground. The belt whipped again, and again, and again.

I couldn't feel anything after the first twenty. When the man was finally done with the belt, he spit on me, "That better teach you to listen when you're called!"

I didn't answer back and he left without another word, but not before he grabbed his drink that left a wet ring on my paper. He shut the door and stumbled down the stairs while I was left on the floor crying in a ball.

I didn't come out for school the next day and I stayed in my room even when Luke knocked on my window. He knocked and knocked but I stayed in my bed under the covers. I didn't know what I looked like and I didn't want to find out. But mostly I didn't want Luke to see me.

I stayed under the covers the next day too. I wasn't sure what was wrong with me. I couldn't move and I couldn't eat. All I could do was lay down and stare at the walls.

I heard a jingle of the window but didn't move. I heard it open and close softly and saw a shadow appear that made me flinch in my skin.

"Valentine," it was Luke. And suddenly I was back in the abandoned room again. No bed, no cover, nothing but boxes, a couch, and the same shadow from the memory.

to be continued...