Hopelessly Devoted

Chapter 9- Masks

It took every ounce of willpower in my body to get out of bed the next Monday. Even though it's been two days, I still feel like shit Somehow, I'd managed to slip past my father without him noticing my messed up face, but that doesn't mean that it doesn't hurt badly. I used the excuse of studying to stay in my bed all of yesterday, but now I'd have to face school.

Flinging myself out of bed, I slowly walk into the bathroom across the hall. I resist the urge to take all the pain meds ever and just swallow the recommended two pills. I take a quick shower, letting the hot water remove all the lingering memories of that night. I haven't had the courage to look in the mirror. My fears were confirmed when I got out and looked in the mirror.

I had a black eye in my left eye, pretty standard for a fight like that. Ape-man must've been wearing a ring or something because there was a small gash along my right cheek. My bottom lip was swollen and there was bruising around my neck. Not to mention all of the invisible bruising caused to my internal organs, I'd say I looked like a hot mess.

I sigh as I lock the door behind me. Confident I'm safe, I kneel to the floor, facing the part of the wall that the door normally hides. Carefully, I peel back my carefully constructed facáde and reveal a small cubby containing my makeup.

I've said before that I come from a religious and conservative family. I could never imagine talking to my father about the bullying I know he'd see as weak, let alone telling him I sometimes wear makeup. It's not for fun, but I've got to cover up my bruises somehow. Luckily, there's an unspoken rule in our house that this upstairs bathroom is mine, meaning he rarely comes in here.

Over the years, I've gotten pretty decent at applying makeup, or my "mask" as I call it. I'm no fashionista, but I know how to make it look like I'm wearing no makeup at all. In reality, I have to wear an entire cosmetic department's worth of product to hide a lot of these marks. Some don't even truly disappear, leaving me to have to lie to my father. I swear he must think I'm the clumsiest person on the planet. After finishing my makeup, I grab my bag and an apple and trudge quickly off to school. It's times like these where I'm grateful Dad has me walk. More time in a car with him means more questions I have to answer.

I enter the building silently, bowing my head subconsciously to avoid the glares of the various other students. My bag gets all but thrown into my locker. I never like to stick around the hallways for too long. Geoff always seems to know when I'm out of the earshot of any teacher and I don't think I can take another beating so quickly after the last one.

I'm just about to shut my locker when a hand lands on my shoulder. I immediately tense up, fearing the worst.

Speak of the Devil...

"Hey, Rabbit. I didn't expect to see you, today." Sean's deep, soothing voice breaks down the barriers I had just put up. I turn around, silently taking in his beauty. It's only been two days and yet I feel like it's been forever since we last spoke.

"Well, surprise!" I smile. I put on that metaphorical mask that artists Billy Joel and The Beatles always talk about. For some reason, I have this urge to reassure him that I'm ok before he even brings up the issue.

His brow furrows in confusion as he studies my expression. His hand flies up to my chin, what I have to assume was a purely subconscious gesture, and turns my head as if he's inspecting me.

He removes his hand and smirks. "Decent makeup, I gotta give ya that. However, you missed the bruise on the back of your neck."

My eyes go wide as I instinctively grab at my neck to try to cover the offending area. "W-what?! Reall- uh, I mean... I don't... I've never... what makeup?!"

Smooth.

Sean starts laughing and, despite my distraught state, it manages to soothe me a bit. "Relax, Rabbit. I was just messing with ya! Really, you should become a makeup artist or somethin'!" 

I nervously chuckle in return. I look around the hall to see if anyone caught our interaction, but all I see are Beth and Jaqueline shooting me knowing looks as they walk past us. I'm gonna have to either thank them or kill them later, I'll decide which at some point.

"H-how," I clear my throat, trying to sound less like the scared rabbit he always thinks I am. "How did you know?"

He scoffs. "I wasn't born yesterday, Luke. With the beating you had, you'd have to have MASSIVE bruising. The fact that I don't see any damage means you had to have covered it up."

"oh..." I whisper under my breath. I'm an idiot.

Sean laughs once more and wraps an arm around my shoulder. He walks us down the hall toward the classrooms.

"Oh, silly Rabbit..." He says in a mocking tone I would hate if it came from literally anyone else. "What am I gonna do with you?"

I blush, not really knowing what to say.  

"Thanks again, by the way. For... driving me home and then walking all the way back. It was totally unnecessary."

Sean looks at me with a sincere smile. "Don't thank me for that, Luke. I'd gladly do anything for you in a heartbeat."

I swear my heart grew three sizes that day.

"After all, you're helping so much with my homework and stuff, what I did was nothing!"

Aaaaaaaand now it's small again.

I stop us outside of the door to my first period before responding, "S-still, what you did was really thoughtful so, thanks."

A mischievous smirk crawls across his face. A twinkle shines in his gorgeous blue eyes, finding happiness in an inside joke that I wish I could be a part of. 

"Don't mention it, Rabbit." He smiles. "Have a good class."

I turn to enter the classroom and see none other than Geoff. He's sitting in his seat, quiet as a lamb. What shocks me is his face. His nose is obviously broken and he has multiple bruises across his face and neck. He's sporting a huge shiner and you can just tell from the way he's sitting he's experiencing quite a bit of pain in his nether regions.

My mouth barely has the time to drop open in shock before a soft hand grips my elbow and turns me back around.

"By the way, please don't worry about the makeup," Sean still has that jokey smile on his face, but the mask doesn't reach his eyes. The mirth once found there is gone, replaced by what I can only describe as... honesty.  "Because you look perfect." 

He winks, laughing at his own joke before he disappears down the corridor. 

Leaving me, standing in the doorframe, wondering what the heck just happened.

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