Promise

12.

I woke up to the sound of my alarm, it was 5 AM. I groaned as i got up, everything was sore. I was stupid enough not to ice my ribs yesterdag, so not only did they hurt but they were also swollen. I was to scared to go downstairs and get ice so a cold shower would have to do for now.

I stumbled to the bathroom and undressed myself. I looked at my reflection in the mirror. I was terrified of what looked back at me. It wasn't me but at the same time it was. My ribs and hip were completely blue and swollen, i could almost see every bone in my body and there were blue handprints on my neck. My face was the only part that didn't look as scary.

I got into the shower and let the cold water hit my body. I shivered at first but after a while i got used to it. I got out of the shower, the cold water had kinda help with my swelling. I decided to wear a black turtleneck that covered all my visible bruises and too big blue mom jeans. I didn't put on any make- up because i didn't  have bruises to cover up and i didn't feel like covering up the dark circles under my eyes.

It was pretty early, i still had almost 2 hours of time to kill before i had to go to school. I grabbed my schoolbag and slowly walked downstairs, i stopped walking everytime i thought i heard my uncle. I put my bag at the door and walked towards the kitchen. My uncle was sleeping on the sofa in front of the tv again. I didn't bother to check up on him. He wasn't my uncle anymore, he was just somebody i had live with. I was quite hungry and ate until i felt like trowing up. I couldn't even remember the last time i had felt full.

I decided to just go the school a little early. I sat on my favourite spot infront of the school under the big tree. I watched the teachers walk into the building and after 30 minutes the first students walked in. I sat outside until the bell rang. Let the 7 hours of boredom begin.

I was allowed to leave my math class early because i had to go to the university. It was a 30 minute busride into the opposite direction of the hospital. The bus was quiet and empty. I liked that, i had time to think. I thought about what Luke had said. Mabye i should trust him? He would be able to get me help and make sure i would go to the right foster family. But that thought scared me, what if he didn't believe me? I mean it was all my fault after all.

I got out of the bus and looked up at the huge building that was the university. I had looked at the map of the building multiple times but didn't think that i would be that big. I took a few deep breathes and stepped inside. I walked to the help desk, but before i could the woman behind the desk my question a man stood infront of me and put his hand forward. " professor Walter Whiteley, pleasure to meet you" he said while shaking my hand.

"I thought that i would just meet you at the intrance so you wouldn't get lost trying to find my office. So follow me." He smiled at me.

I smiled confused back and followed him to his office. He didn't really look as scary his picture. He wore a white button up with a green sweater over it paired with demin jeans. It kinda surpised that somebody that old would still wear demin, but i wasn't here to judge his fashion choices.

After a few minutes we arrived in his office. But we didn't go in. Before i could ask questions he explained "I am not going to give you lessons in my office but we will  meet here before every lesson. So that's why i brought you here, to show you were it is. We will move to an empty classroom to start the lessons."

"Why not just meet at the classroom every week?" I asked while following him through the empty halls.

"Because we will most likely be in a different classroom every week. So meeting at my office before hand is easier."

"So here we are" he said after opening a door and letting me walk through it. College classrooms looked so different. Much bigger, more like a cinema. He sat on the chair behind a big desk in front of the class. He pointed to the chair next to it. "Sit down"
I did as i was told. "What do i need to expect from these lessons?" I asked him.
"Whatever you want, i could explain things to you but we can also just to a few equations together."
"Can we do some right now?" I asked quietly.
"Of course, i will give one that i am currently giving to my first years."
He stood up and started writing things on the chalkboard. I carefully watched his every move. After 5 minutes he moved away and said "All done, come have a look at it"
I stood up and looked at for a few minutes before i grapped a chalk and stared writing the answer down. It was quite a long equation so the answer was almost twice as big. After i was done i stepped back to stand next to professor Whiteley. He was quiet for awhile but then clapped his hands "Correct, not a single mistake."

He wrote down a another equation but even after 10 minutes i still couldn't figure out were to start. So he walked up behind me and grapped my hand. He lifted my hand up and moved to where i wrote down a mark on the board. "Can you solve it now?"
I looked at the board. "Yes i think i can" i replied while i felt my heart racing. He let my hand go and stepped back again. I calmed down a bit and solved the equation. We did a few more but then the hour was up and we had to say goodbye. He walked me back to the entrance, keeping his hand on my shoulder the whole time.

I was happy when i felt the cold breeze hit my face. I saw a lot people waiting at the bus stop. I didn't feel like being with people right now so i decided to walk home. I needed some time to think. I crossed the street and as soon as i couldn't see the university anymore i lit a cigarette. Professor Whiteley was a nice guy and i hated myself for thinking the worst case scenario everytime he got to close or touched me. He was just trying to teach me math, nothing else.

I felt the smoke burning my lungs as i inhaled. Mrs Middleton would kill me if she would ever catch me smoking. Her husband had died of lung cancer that was most likely caused by his smoking habits. But i wasn't afraid to die. Besides i wasn't even addicted yet, i just smoked whenever i needed to calm down or think.

After 30 minutes i was halfway home. Just 30 more minutes and i could finally sleep. I finally had time to think about my brother's birthday. I wasn't gonna do anything special, probably just buy some flowers and visit his grave. I was also planning on writing a letter, kinda like a birthday card but with more topics and emotions.

I stopped infront of my house. There were 4 unfamiliar cars parked infront of it. My uncle probably decided to have some friends over. I did not want to meet his friends, i sneaked to the back of the house and jumped into the shed into the roof. I carefully walked across it and sneaked into my room through the window. I grabbed all my blankets, pillows and plush animals and put them inside the bathroom. My bathroom had a lock, i would be safe from my unlce and his friends if slept in there for the night. My uncle wasn't even aware that i was home so he probably wouldn't even come into my room. But i wasn't taking any risks.