Outside

19

"You dirty stop outs" Larry's voice echoes through the building as Van and I make our way into the living room, only to be met with a bunch of lads, a sight which we both certainly did not expect. Van had mentioned that most of them were out and he was sure it was only Larry and Benji at his place, not the whole lot of them.

When we stop at the door all eyes are on us, the four of them staring right at Van and I, all with different looks on their faces- but with a hint of curiosity as to why Van didn't return last night. Van leads me further into the room, ignoring the lads' stares and sitting the two of us down on the sofa where Larry is sat scowling at us..

And that's when he realises what I'd been trying to hide, notices the marks I failed to cover up as well as I'd have liked to, the marks I forgot about until his eyes met with my neck and widened in disbelief, "Lyla you naughty girl, look at that Ben!" He laughs, pointing towards me but looking towards Benji, who's grinning as wide as the rest of them.

Van shakes his head, giggling a little too at his best mate's childish teasing, "shut it Lau" he says, giving him a playful death stare, but still with a serious tone in his voice, warning Larry.

I can't help but feel a little self conscious about the obvious bruise-like marks on my skin after Larry pointed it out, I tried my best to cover them up but it clearly didn't work as well as I'd hoped, and it only made me more worried to go back home and face my parents. I can't let them see these marks.
I didn't mind Larry seeing them, I bet Van's brought home tons of girls with them evident on their bodies, so I'm not exactly arsed about him, it's my parents I'm most worried about.
The strict rule they have over me in our household- the rule that states no boys until they approve. A stupid rule that they set in place for their thirteen year old daughter who went out partying with the bad kids and ended up losing her innocence at the young, stupid age of fourteen. See that's why I'm absolutely shitting bricks at the thought of them seeing. Because I'm about to relive that day all over again.

I know it's pathetic, I'm almost twenty and yet I still get worried about what my parents are going to say about me going out with Van. I still get worried when I stay out later than eleven. I still get worried that they'll kick me out one day because of how 'grown up' I'm beginning to act now that I have proper mates who actually invite me out to drink and have fun for once in my life. I'm scared, if I'm being honest, I'm scared that one day they'll decide I haven't lived up to their dream daughter, and they'll throw me out because of who I've become. Because I'm not perfect in their eyes, I never will be and that's the issue.

"Y'alright Lyla? Look like you're about to pass out there darlin" Benji asks, looking at me with a soft, concerned expression to match his worried voice. I don't reply, I just look past him as if he's invisible and wonder what in the world I'm gonna do.

"C'mon, I'll get you a hoodie or somethin' to cover 'em yeah?" Van says, holding his hand out for me to take and I nod, holding onto him as he leads me back into his bedroom, sitting my down out the bed whilst he rummages through his wardrobe for something that'll cover what my parents will scream at me for having. When he's found what he was looking for, he turns back to me with a concerned look on his face. "Lyla, what's wrong love?" He asks me, kneeling down to my height and forcing me to look him in the eyes, which I struggle to do sometimes.

"Van my parents are gonna go mad, they'll kill me if they see-" I begin to answer him, tell him what's on my mind, but he stops me by squeezing my hand and interrupting with his own soft, reassuring voice.

"Let them see, it's nothing to be ashamed of, I'm sure your mum got 'em when she was your age, same with your dad" he assures me, dropping a hoodie onto my lap and taking both my hands in his, holding them gently as if they're worth millions, "but if you don't want them to see, then I suggest putting this on, it's big enough to cover you up"