Beauty & Her Bruises

Chapter Seventeen

As soon as I woke up, I knew that it was going to be impossibly to avoid stares today at school. My eyes felt like they were basically sewn shut from the swelling. When I managed to get my body up from the pain and drag myself towards the bathroom, I saw what I looked like in the mirror. My face was all swollen with bruises all around me. I managed to pull out the leftover makeup I had but knew that it wouldn't cover all of what I had. I tried to decide what my worst parts of my face were but knew I would only be able to cover my forehead and cheeks. I did that but it looked weird since I had a fat lip, crooked nose, and two black eyes. One of them was swollen and I couldn't see out of it no matter what I tried.

Unfortunately, I did have to go to school though. Ashton was going to come over today. I don't know how I was going to sneak him in and sneak him out but that was something I could find out when I got home. I don't even know if father will be home when we get home. Even if I don't want to go to school, I wouldn't risk my life here. If father saw what he had done to me, he would be even angrier and just hit me more. Besides Ashton was counting on me to come to school, I couldn't possibly let him down. It's not just his opinion though; I just didn't like disappointing people.

I walked towards my door and walked carefully and slowly down the stairs. This was the worst beating I have ever gotten. He's been progressively getting worse with what's he's been doing to me. Honesty, I don't know if I'll make it to the next day anymore. I wouldn't be surprised if he killed me in one of my beatings.

I carefully stepped around some broken bottle glass downstairs. I looked in the living room and saw a drunken person on the floor. I could see that he had a beer bottle in his hand but I've never seen him fall on the floor and pass out. He always passed out in his room or on the recliner couch. Solemnly, I went over to him and went to see if he was alive. I mistakenly nudged his arm with my foot and watched as he opened his eyes. I've never seen him with completely bloodshot eyes so I knew that I should've hid. It was too late to run though because he already had his fingers wrapped around my tiny ankle. That didn't make me stop from fighting though. He held onto the grip and I twisted my ankle trying to leave. I fell on the floor and felt the ricochet from my bruises. I would've cried but I don't show weakness to father.

I looked up cowardly at him as he began to make his way off the floor. He was stumbling around as he got up and was grumbling. I couldn't understand what he was saying and she barely knew if he was talking in English or if it was a different language. He raised his fist at me but when he began bringing it down, his whole body started falling too. It kind of happened in slow motion for me. His body didn't crash down immediately, instead it kind of went from side to side and then crashed down slowly. I definitely had time to move if I wasn't hurt but since I wasn't feeling the best, I barely moved an inch.

I screamed in shock when he landed on me.

He's fat.

Normally, I would be too scared to make any noise come from the back of my throat but I knew he was too passed out to wake up again. I tried to relax my body for a moment before I started crying. I brought my hands up to my face and then wailed. It wasn't a loud normal wail, but it was loud for me. I never cried out loud so it was weird for me to do it. Immediately I tried to stop because I felt like I was going to be punished, but I couldn't with him crushing my body.

I couldn't breathe.

I attempted to relax for another moment and then with all of my might, I used my legs and arms to try to roll him off. It worked somewhat. He was barely off but enough for me to slide out from under him. As I moved, I winced when I felt the glass shards from the bottle that was in his hand before I woke him. I would be late to school now but I knew that I couldn't rush at all today.

Getting away from the glass, I managed to pick my body back up and trudged to the kitchen. I was never going to check on him again. Next time I'll let him die. At least he won't be tortured when his happens. He'll die from alcohol poisoning, no doubt.

I tugged on the refrigerator but knew that it was locked again. One day, he'll forget to lock it and I could finally eat. Instead, I let my stomach growl and trudged towards the door again. Before I left the kitchen though, I pick any possible pieces of glass from my skin. I winced while pulling them out and smiled since I was wearing a black sweatshirt. Nobody would see the blood that was caused from the gashes on my arms.

I threw the shards of glass on the floor since I knew I wouldn't come back in here for a while. I usually never came in here unless he was passed out. Although he often was, I usually forgot because I wanted to leave the house as soon as I was able to. As I passed the living room again, I looked at the lump and heard an audible snore.

I sneered but closed the door very softly. I walked down the path of my house and started making my way towards the school. I had to go extra slow today but I had a lot to think about.

Would father have killed me if I didn't admit to not doing what I said I did? I have no doubt that he would but some part of me said he wouldn't. He would get tired of hitting a passed out doll and would just wait until I woke up again.

Did Liam see all of that attack last night? For some reason against all of what I wanted to say, I say that he did see everything. Of course, I didn't want to believe it because despite what he's going through, I'm sure he wouldn't want me to suffer. But he saw me... He saw me with the bloody nose...

And he just denied me.

He shut the blinds and didn't look back.

That's what hurt the most.

I was used to all of the beatings, even though this one was one of the toughest I have ever encountered. And yes, Liam has been icing me out lately but I would've never thought he would turn his back this much on me. He always told me he would be there to protect me. And now that I want his protection, he won't give it to me.

He doesn't seem like a friend anymore

He's worse than Serenity.

At least she wants to know if I'm alright. If any of my bruises are healing and if anybody has hurt me. Of course, I always lie but it's nice to have someone constantly checking in on you.

As a matter of fact, I don't know why I don't just confess anything to principal. I would be moved into foster care and he would be put into jail. There was nothing wrong with the situation. He wouldn't be able to do anything to me while he was behind bars. He wouldn't even know where I was located.

Although I'm sure he could find the information.

I'm not worth that much of his time though.

I'll be free and he won't bother me again.

As I neared the school, I watched the cars roll past me. The school day was threatening to me being later than I meant to be when I heard the first period bell, but I couldn't help but smile.

Even though it hurt to smile, I did it.

Even though my face was swollen, I still smiled.

Even though Liam was no longer a friend, I still smiled.

Even though I was constantly abused, I still smiled.

Even though I wasn't the most popular girl at school, I still smiled.

Even though I've lost my job, I still smiled.

Even though I'm barely living, I smiled.

Even though I've never told anyone, I smiled.

Today would be the day that I told someone about my home situation.

Today would be the day I was taken away from my home forever.

Today would be the day that father would be put in jail.

Today would be the day I became free