Five Boys, One Girl

Chapter 8 - He's back

When the boys drop me off I smile at them gratefully.

‘Thanks.’ They all say goodbye while Will gets out the car to allow me to exit. He walks me to the door and I turn my head to look at him.

‘Thank you, I’ll see you tomorrow.’ He nods and turns back to the car.

‘See ya.’ 

By the time 5:30 rolls around the house is spotless, and my dad’s dinner is cooking. It will be ready for just gone 6:00. I do a few more bits and bobs and do my Calculus homework. I am just putting my dad’s food on a plate when the door opens. I hear heavy footsteps coming down the hall and then my dad appears in the doorway. I turn to him.

‘Hello, dad.’ He grunts and sits down at the table as I place steak and chips, his favourite meal, on the table. I grab a beer from the fridge and open it before placing it down beside his plate. He ignores me and so I hurt around the kitchen, cleaning away everything I used to cook. I hear his chair scrape back and then the plate is placed next to me.

‘I’ve had a hard week, I’m going to bed. Don’t make any noise.’

‘Yes dad.’ I say quickly. I think I have got away with no beating tonight when I drop a plate. Shit, I pause. Maybe he didn’t hear it. I hear a door slam upstairs and I take deep breaths as footsteps thunder down the stairs. My dad appears in the doorway, his face red.

‘Didn’t I say no noise?’ He shouts and I bend my head meekly,

‘Yes sir, I’m sorry.’ He grunts and I think he is about to leave when he takes a few steps towards me. A fist plunges into my gut and I gasp and hunch over. He grabs my hair and tilts my head back; his face is inches from mine.

‘Don’t make a noise.’ I nod my hand as he lays punch after punch at my torso. He lets go of my hair and I fall with a grunt to the floor. He kicks me in the ribs and I can’t help it, a muffled sob escapes my mouth and he sneers at me.

‘I knew a bitch like you couldn’t keep quiet.’ He picks me up and bangs my head against the counter, and then I descend into the open and welcoming arms of the murky dark.

I wake in the morning on something soft and it takes me a moment to remember last night. I passed out on the floor. I glance around and notice I am lying on the sofa, how did I get here? I have my answer a second later when Rosie walks into the lounge with a glass of water and tablets. She doesn’t say anything but hands me the medicine and glass.

‘Thank you.’ I say and she nods,

‘I came when you didn’t text me.’ I smile shakily but Rosie doesn’t respond.

‘Wait, my dad will flip if he sees you here.’ Rosie shakes her head, I was climbing in the window last night when I saw your dad leave. He hasn’t been back since but he left a note on the table. He is going to a function tonight so will be back tomorrow.’ I sigh and nod my head, the action causing my head to pound. I slowly sit up and Rosie sits next to me.

‘After all the jokes yesterday, you don’t understand the fear I felt when you didn’t text and then you weren’t in your room.’

‘I know, I’m sorry.’ She shakes her head,

‘It’s not your fault is it.’ This time there is a small smile on her face and I can’t help but break when I see the tear roll down her face. We hold onto each other and sob, her for me, and me because I have nothing and none of my family care.

The doorbell rings and we look at each other on confusion. I glance at the time,

‘The boys, they are picking me up for school.’ I stand up but get a head rush and when I inhale deeply by ribs start to ache. I sit back down and Rosie shakes her head,

‘You aren’t going and I’m going to stay here, wait a second and let me go get rid of them.’ I nod, helpless to do anything else.

Will POV

All of us have gone up to the door but when I ring the bell there is no movement and I frown in confusion. I suddenly hear movement and the door is pulled open, but not by Allie. Instead Rosie stands there. I stare in surprise at Allie’s best friend who opens the door slightly but then blocks the rest of the doorway. I look at her face and I frown when I see the redness of her eyes and the couple of tears that still drip down her face.

‘Rosie, what happened?’ Hunter asks from beside me and her gaze flicks to him.

‘Look, Allie and I aren’t coming to school today. We had…. an issue. So can you collect any work and stuff.’

‘What happened?’ I repeat the question and she sighs before making eye contact. The sadness in her eyes is my undoing because only one thing could make her that upset and be the reason why she is at Allie’s house.

‘Where is she? What happened to Allie?’ I ask, trying to remain polite. Rosie opens her mouth but then closes it when a voice comes from inside the house. Reluctantly Rosie pulls open the door to reveal Allie leaning against the wall, she is pale and her eyes are also red. Both of her arms are wrapped around her ribs and she is breathing heavily.

‘I’m okay. Please just go. I’ll explain at some point.’

‘Allie –’ I start but she holds up a hand,

‘Please Will, boys.’

‘Okay, we’ll go. But we are coming around later.’ I think she smiles slightly but I can’t be sure.

‘Okay, bye.’ I say and she nods. Rosie starts to close the door but just before it catches shut I think I hear a dull thud from inside before the door is slammed shut.

The boys and I have been quiet all day. I know we are all worried about Allie, without realising it , she has made us all love her. I know the others love her as a brother but I don’t. I like her, a lot, but something tells me I need to approach her carefully. Chance had to come to school to speak with the Principal in the afternoon so he is driving the car back when Hunter suddenly stops him.

‘Wait, we just need to drop into Allie’s house.’ Chance sighs and mutters something but follows our directions. I notice the car that was there this morning is gone, presumably it belongs to Rosie. We knock on the door and a minute later there is shuffling and Allie opens the door. She gives us a small smile and steps aside to let us in. We wait fro her to close the door and then she leads us down a hallway. We step into a lounge and we sit down on the sofas and armchairs in the room. There is an awkward silence and Chance pulls out his phone while the rest of us wait for someone to talk until finally Hayden speaks,

‘So, what happened this morning?

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