Parish: Killing Me Slowly

Chapter 8

Chapter Eight

"Excuse me?" I whisper, blinking. I can feel the tears. I know they're there, but I won't let them out just yet.

"Nick r-" He begins.

"I know what you said!" I yell. He looks startled and takes a step back, putting his hands up.

"Why?" I choke out. Is something really that wrong with me that Nick has to go and rape me?

"We don't really know. We haven't seen him since the party." Greg pulls me into a hug and I'm too stunned to move. I can barely even process what he's telling me. It's like there's this invisible shield around me, keeping information from me that I don't want to here. Oh, I understand completely. But... why?

The tears fall and Greg hugs me harder. "I have absolutely no idea what you're going through right now Leigh, but like always, I'm here. I promise you, I'll kill Nick for this. No one will miss him."

A bubble of laughter forms in my throat and soon enough, I'm rolling around on the ground laughing hysterically. All three of them are just staring at me. Okay, I admit it. It wasn't that funny, but I'm in shock right now. I'm too terrified to stop because then the tears will start.

I hate tears. There's absolutely no reason for them. They only ever manage to get you pity or humiliated. Greg doesn't pity me, but what if Amanda does? And what about Blade? He doesn't even know my father hits me, yet he knows about Nick. Will he pity me once I tell him? I have to tell him, don't I? Or do I just keep it a secret? It's like with Amanda and Nick...

Nick! That bastard! He knew about my father and yet he continues to inflict pain on me? Is that what I saw in his eyes that day I told him? Pity? What if he tells everyone else? What am I going to do if he does? I'll have to leave school, that's for sure, but I like my school. I really do. No one asks questions. No one wonders why I have the bruises and cuts I do. No one has ever questioned my klutz story, except for Nick and Amanda.

I'm not sure if I can trust Blade yet. Hopefully in time, he'll give me a reason to. I don't like hiding things from him, especially something this big.

When I finally stop laughing, everyone is still staring at me. "What?"

"It wasn't that funny." Greg mutters and I punch him on the shoulder.

"Ow! What was that for?"

"For being an idiot." I tell him. Short, sweet, and to the point.

"I am not an idiot." He huffs. Blade and Amanda are standing, watching the exchange between me and Greg.

"I know it wasn't funny. I'm in shock here." I take a deep breath, ready to ask my next question even though I know I don't want to know what the answer is. "So, why did he do it?"

"Why did who do what?" Blade asks. Are they all this dumb? I give him a funny look.

"Why did Nick rape me!" I yell. "What else could I be talking about?" Why I yelled at him, I've no idea. He didn't do anything. He asked a simple question. Ugh! What is the world coming to? I'm feeling sorry for yelling at someone.

"Sorry." I mutter. "It's not an easy thing to say. Saying it aloud just makes it more... real"

"It's real whether you say it aloud or not, Leigh." Amanda says.

"I know. That doesn't mean I wish it wasn't." I bury my head in my knees and feel people rush over to me. They don't hug me or say they're sorry or anything which is good. I probably would have snapped at them if they did.

Greg knows not to touch me after something traumatic happens to me. He once tried to hug me after my father sliced a pretty good-sized cut down my stomach. I think I punched him in the face and kneed him... somewhere. Good times. I didn't mean to, but I didn't regret it. I don't like being touched all that much.