Ackley Bridge

8

It was the end of the day, and I left school, meeting cory on my way out like usual. As we had planned in the library, we walked back to his house, whilst I caught him up on the gossip between me and alya.
"She's a right bitch" Cory agreed with me.
"She thinks she's better than everyone else" I ranted.
"So does Riz, but he's pretty sound" Cory told me.
"Seems better than that cow of a sister he's got" I snapped, making Cory chuckle a bit.

We stepped into there cramped house and we instantly saw Kevin sitting in there living room, slumped and drunk. "Hi cory and, jas?" He slurred. "Jess" i told him, with my fake smiles. I really didn't like Kevin as I knew he did sometimes get violent however cory denied that it was anything serious. "Ah yes. Want a beer?" He asked, considerably nicely. "Nah were alright cheers." Cory answered. "Where's jordan" kevin asked, instantly acting more aggressive. "Dunno why" Cory asked. "I told him to come straight home, no mucking about. As the little shit can't be trusted." Kevin slurred aggressively. "Oh, he won't be long" Cory said bluntly. Cory smiled at me and went upstairs where i followed him. Kevin murmured something under his breath, but Cory shut his bedroom door so I couldn't hear anything.

"Don't get in any more fights with Alya, her dad might expell you" Cory told me, looking at me.
"I won't, don't worry" I Said cheerily, smiling at him as we both sat on his bed.
"Do you want to come to my football match tomorrow, I'm the captain" Cory asked me softly.
"Course I will, you look fit when your playing"
"I look fit doing anything" Cory joked with me.
"I know you do, your a sort" i said, kissing his lips inbetween each word.

Cory pulled me onto his lap, where I wrapped my legs round his back and held his neck softly, as we kissed. He had his hands on my bum and he kissed me back softly.
"You need some chewing gum" Cory laughed, whilst kissing.
"I can see why they call you mr charming" I joked back, whilst kissing him.
After a while we stopped kissing and chilled. I lay on his bed and scrolled through Instagram whilst he played on his PS4 on the mic with his mates. It had been a couple of hours since we had got back from school and I was having the best time with Cory. "I'm just going to go get a drink" I whispered to Cory because I didn't want to interrupt his game. Cory nodded and smiled at me, before I went downstairs to the kitchen. As I turned on the tap and let it run so It would be nice fresh water, there was a knock on the door. I turned the tap of and looked down the corridor and watched kevin storm up and open the door, to see jordan looking even scruffier than usual standing at the doorstep.

Kevin pulled Jordan into the house viscously and closed the door. "Do you not listen to a word I say?! I told you to come home straightaway! And what do you do, you come home hours later." Kevin yelled at the little Jordan who was standing by the wall. "Sorry" jordan said bluntly. Kevin gritted his teeth and punched Jordan in the face making him groan once and put his hands over his eye. Kevin then punched Jordan in the stomach, making Jordan winded and cough. He clutched his stomach and looked down at the ground.

"Kevin stop!" I yelled, after seeing enough of jordan get hurt. I ran into the corridor and stood next to jordan, looking at kevin.
"Who are you to tell me what I can and can't do, ey?" Kevin sneered at me aggressively.
"Your hurting him!" I yelled back at kevin.
"You can leave my fucking house!" Kevin yelled back at me.
"No!" I said firmly.

Kevin instantly shoved me into the wall and slapped my cheek hard. My eyes filled with tears from the sting and Kevin was glaring at me so scarily. He raised his fist and punched me in the eye, as it straightaway started swelling. Cory ran down the stairs after hearing the commotion. "Dad? Jess?" He said looking at us. "Jess what did he do?" Cory asked me about his dad. "N-n-nothing" i Said to Cory, scared of his dad. "Jess what's wrong?!" Cory asked worryingly as tears had started running down my face.

"He Hit 'er" jordan said to Cory. Kevin grabbed Jordan by his hood and pulled him into the living room violently. I instantly heard kevin yelling and thuds from the living room, but I didn't do anything this time. "Cory I'm sorry, I'm going home" I told cory quietly. I left the house without waiting for a response. I walked back to my own house without stopping or looking at anything. I got back to my big house however it was empty as my mum was still at work and my dad didn't live with us, as he had an affair.

I still hadn't told anyone about my dad having an affair, and leaving us, as I hated people knowing my most heartbreaking moments. I weren't upstairs to my room and cried. Some of it was because of the pain from my swelling black eye and some of it was because it brought back the memories and terror that I had from when my dad abused my mum. After a couple of hours and went downstairs and got a packet of frozen peas to put on my eye. My mum should have been home hours ago and I was so worried, as she did have problems with drink and had left me on my own for a whole week before. I pushed the thoughts away as I was overthinking. I got a blanket and sat on the sofa, watching brooklyn99, and waited for mum mum to return home.

2 texts messages:

Cory: Jess im so sorry, call me pls I'm worried xx

Missy: Omggg have u seen Rizs recent on insta😍😍

I woke up to the bright daylight shining in my eyes. I was wrapped in my blanket on the sofa with Brooklyn99 still playing. I must have fallen asleep when I was waiting for my mum to get home. I wanted to go and check that my mum had gotten home safe so I got up from the sofa and walked through the kitchen. A note was on the counter and I walked over and read it.

Hi darl,
I'll be gone for a week, but your responsible enough to look after yourself. Money is in the safe. Need anything - ask the neighbours.
Luv mum

As I read it my heart broke. I know some kids have it worse like the wilsons, however i was literally abandoned by my mum without a proper goodbye. I ripped up the note in frustration and went up to my room to get ready. I put on my black skirt and rolled it 3 times, so it was nice and short. I then wore my white shirt and tie and put on my coat, and shoved my blazer in my handbag. As I ran into the bathroom, late for school, I looked in the mirror and saw my bruised eye. "Oh shit" I muttered to myself. It was all bruised and looked awful. I scrambled around my makeup bag and found concealer and I covered up my eye pretty well, however you could still see that it was very red. I brushed my hair and teeth really fast and ran out of the house.

I practically sprinted to school however I had completely missed form time. "Your late jess" mrs Carter Said, as i walked into school. "Yep sorry miss" I answered her bluntly. "Can you tell me why?" Mrs Carter asked unimpressed with my response. "Leave me alone!" I spat, walking away faster. "Jess worthing, come back here this minute." Mrs Carter yelled after me. "Make me" i spat, walking to my first lesson, pe.

I went to the changing rooms and got changed along with everyone else. None of my friends were in this class as no one else took pe with me apart from a couple nerds. I got changed quickly and went out to the field to meet mr simpson who was our teacher. I saw cory on the far end of the field, doing football with mr bell however he didn't see me as it was so far away.

Mr simpson kicked a football over to me and smiled. "Football, really sir?" I moaned. "Yes, good old footie" he said cheerily. "Can't we do rounders or something" I questioned. "Nope, mr bell wants you to join in with there lesson today, you know get the school diversed and all" mr simpson told the group of us girls. We all sighed a little and walked over to the boys who were standing in a group with mr bell.

"Ah girls" mr bell said looking at us. A boy in the group whistled and got a glare from mr bell. "Right, who wants to just start with a match? Everyone remember, play nicely, it isn't the World Cup" mr bell informed eveyone and then blew his whistle.

Straight away cory came over to me. "Jess I'm so sorry" Cory told me looking straight at me. "It's not your fault cor" I said to him softly. "I know, but I feel awful, is it really painful?" He asked gently. "A bit" i Lied, as it was very painful but I didn't want to make cory feel bad. "Come on you too join in!" Mr bell yelled over to us. Cory smiled at me a bit, before running over to tackle someone. I stayed pretending to be a defender so I didn't have to do anything.