When I walked into the cafeteria during lunch I was met with the loud sound of conversations. A few of the tables were empty, but the majority of them were filled. I walk with my head down, quietly zooming about the get another bottle of water and some chips.
After pushing the dollar bill into the vending machine, waiting for the chips to fall down to the slot opening, my posture stiffens because now I feel eyes on me. Glancing back my eyes land on the all too familiar pair of cold blue ones. He has a smirk on his face as some girl sitting down on his lap leans over him and whispers something in his ear but his eyes are throwing daggers at me. I look back at the vending machine and see the chips in the slot. My hands grab them and my feet expertly dash behind the path of people trailing the lunch line, hoping Ethan loses track of me.
Once I've made it to the exit, I turn back looking at the table to see he's no longer sitting there. No.
My hands frantically shove the chips and water into my bag while my feet rush to get to somewhere safe. The only sound going through my ears are the sound of my shoes hitting the floor. All too soon I get the feeling that eyes are on me again. The chills crawling across my skin from the feeling create goosebumps on my arm. A low chuckle floats through the stuffy air in the hallway but I mentally pray that Im just imagining it. No, no, no. The four periods that had gone by without me seeing him were heavenly. After the situation that happened first period, It brought my spirit up the smallest bit to not have to see him. I couldn't break this record yet.
The door labelled 'Girl's Bathroom' caught the corner of my eye. Rushing forward to the bathroom, just as I place my hand on the handle my body is suddenly pushed up against the door. His fingers dig into my sides and I sense the scowl forming on his face. I don't dare look up at his face though. My body twists and turns, struggling to get out of his grip. My foot slams down on his and for a second he lets go but a second is all I need to push him back and slip into the small bathroom. I slam the door back but his weight pushes against it.
"Grace." His voice growls out.
I throw my body against the door trying to shut it and he does the same trying to widen it. It was a no brainer that Ethan's stronger than me. My body flies back onto the tiled floor. I crawl behind the stalls as fast as I can trying to get out of his sight. The door slams shut and I hear the loud footsteps walking up in my direction.
When I look up, there's Ethan. His mouth is shaped into a scowl and anger is prominent in his eyes. He lunges at me. As my body pushes back, my head accidentally hits the wall. I lift up my arms, cradling my head when Ethan grabs my legs and pulls me forward towards him.
"S-Stop!" I shout, flailing my arms around. Not a second later Ethan grabs my chin, pulling my face towards his.
"You don't tell me what to do." He spits.
"You're not suppose to be in here."
"A little door with the words "Girl's Bathroom' is suppose to make sure I stay out?" He barks out.
His hand lets go of my chin and instead places one on my neck and uses the other to keep my arms above my head.
"Who let you out huh?" I turn my face to side.
"I know you're not smart enough to find your own way out." His hands gripping my neck harder.
"I-You, You didn't-" I choke out.
"I didn't what?"
When my response can't make its way up my throat, Ethan lets go of my throat and arms and pushes me straight into the wall of one of the stalls. Pain erupts from every part of my body. All the beating from yesterday, and the days before yesterday come back at full blast. I feel a sharp pain in my right side as slap being delivered to my cheek stings my face. I can just feel the bruises and welts forming on my body.
He grabs me right by the strings of my hoodie, my body flying forward from his strength.
"Listen whore," He slaps me in the same spot "When I ask you something, I expect to hear a response."
He continues to throw harsh words at me but I've stopped paying attention. The only thought running through my mind was how I would conceal it all. The slap marks would be visible for sure, I didn't even bring any cover up to hide it. There's a reason why Ethan takes the sweet time out of his day to come and take all of his anger out on me. He likes to know that Im afraid of him. In fact, he loves knowing that. He loves knowing that out of everyone that's calling me a slut, he can do more than that. Its like some twisted game for him.
No one else knows about the beatings. If I was to tell anyone, well then it would really only get worse because who would really believe the supposed slut over Mr.Popularity? Nobody.
If Ethan is anything besides a monster, he's a good liar. I stay lost in my thoughts up until he slams his hand down on my mouth and pushes me into one of the stalls. Muffled protests come out of my mouth when closes the stall door and locks it.
My body tenses when I'm suddenly lifted higher and my feet don't touch the floor. He leans forward so that were eye to eye.
"If you don't shut the fuck up-" His angry whispering is cut off by the sound of the bathroom door creaking open.
The sounds of shoe heels clicking against the tile floor happen too rapidly for it to be just one person. When the all too familiar voices come into play I hang my head. Wow. God really must hate me right?
"So he basically just ignored you?"
Jamie.
"Yes! I can't believe it! Is he only attracted to pathetic weirdos?!"
A small snicker blurts out of Ethan's mouth and he looks down at me. I avert my eyes down at my feet still hanging above the ground.
"Maybe he just didn't hear you Aubs."
"Are you kidding me? After having to repeat myself twice? No Jamie, he heard me."
I hear her sniffle as Jamie starts to run water from the sink.
"Jamie I like him." Aubrey confesses.
"You're telling me this as if I didn't already know."
"Yeah well.."
Looking up see Ethan reaction he doesn't look affected at all. His eyes are staring at the space above my head. His hands slightly let go of me but his hand is still placed over my mouth.
Suddenly the bell rings and Jamie lets out a huff.
"You have a class with him this period right? Just try harder this time."
"Easier said than done Jamie." Aubrey breathes out.
"You and I both know you have no problem talking Aubs. You already got whats her name out of the way. Just go for what you want." Jamie peps.
Aubrey laughs and the sound of their heels clicking return.
"Okay but seriously, I'm going to be late for History." Jamie says walking out of the bathroom.
"Ugh Im going to be late for Spanish." Aubrey groans following her out.
The sound of the door shutting echoes through the room. My body squirms out of his grasp and surprisingly he lets me go just like that. I slide the lock back and push the door open. Looking up and into the reflection of the mirror not only do I notice the huge red marks all over my cheeks and lips but also the weird way Ethan happens to be staring at me.
I chose to ignore it until he walks up behind me and pulls my shoulder back.
"She actually thought of you as competition." He sneers.
"P-please stop... I h-have to go." I mumble.
"Sluts don't count you know.They never do." He says squeezing harder.
"Let g-go of -."
His hand tears away from my shoulder and pushes me against the sink. My stomach hits the front and pain surges through my body. I slump down onto the floor before he pulls me up and starts shouting in my face.
"I told you, you don't tell me what to do!"
My lift my hand up covering my face. I feel all the tears falling down my cheeks and I pull my knees up into my chest. My body shakes and rocks back and forth all at once. When I drop my hands and look up Ethan stands up and glares at me. Without another word he looks at himself in the mirror, fixes his hair and t-shirt and leaves. I watch the whole time, listening intently as the door slams shut and his footsteps echo walking down the hallway.
Slowly, gripping the side of the sink I pull myself up. My arms lean up against the two sides and I look up at myself once again. Now not only are the red bruises getting more visible but so are my tear stained cheeks. I turn on the sink, pull a few paper towels from the dispenser and begin to dab at my skin.
I hiss when my hand accidentally presses down too hard on the slap mark. When Ive cleaned up my cheeks I dab the wetness paper underneath my eyes. A small pounding starts to form in my head as I do so.
The first time it got really physical was back in freshman year. I don't remember what I did or said exactly but apparently I had to do something to make him get so furious he pushed me down the back hallway's staircase. Before he pushed me he told me I was some worthless bitch who didn't deserve anyone. I sprained my left ankle and bruised knee so bad it started to bleed. When my dad had to come pick me up from school he didn't even try to listen, he was just mad at me. I got it really bad that night and when I went to bed my ankle wasn't sprained anymore. It was broken.
The hand cleaning up my face starts to tremble. No Grace stop. Get it together.
Finishing up my eyes no longer look as red and teary as before and my cheeks don't sting as much. I position my hair so that it you can't see the bruises as much and throw my hoodie over my head for extra measure. I throw the papers in the trash and walk around the stalls looking for my bag. My eyes scan the floor in attempt of finding it. I bend down, my back aching from all the body shoving and slamming up against walls and doors, looking underneath the small spaces to find my bag kicked all the way down the row of stalls.
I walk back around, open the stall, grab my bag and leave the bathroom.
Nearing the corner of my class door I nervously pull on the ends of my hoodie sleeves and bite down on my bottom lip. Turning the door and walking into the classroom it quiet downs but not completely. A few people look away from the board to look at me while a few other pay me no mind.
"Is there a reason as to why you're coming in late to my class?" Ms.Thomas complains, obviously upset that I interrupted her lesson.
I cough and clear my throat standing there awkwardly.
"Well is no reason, reason enough for a detention Grace?" Ms.Thomas says crossing her arms.
"It won't happen again, I was just using the ba-"
Ms.Thomas hold up her hand pausing me and instead of giving me detention tells me to sit down. I let out a relieved sigh walking to the left side of the room and sitting down in my regular seat. I put my bag around my chair after pulling out my binder and pen and sit with my head on top of my hands trying to focus on the lesson.
"Oh and Grace," Ms.Thomas says from the front of the room causing a few people to turn around and look in my direction "Take off the hood."
Click on 'external link' below if you would like to see what Ethan looks like. I'm aware this chapter was boring as hell, more interesting things will come. Keep in mind that this story is going to be slow paced because I'm trying to develop things that go on carefully.