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Tw: abuse, racism, Pervy teacher.
I just want to put out there, I don't condone to any of the horrible and bad behaviour in this chapter. I love you all <3
"How many times have I told you to stop thieving your brothers candy!"
"I'm sorry father!" Seven year old Evan sobbed, as he was crouched down onto the floor, holding his stinging cheek, as the tears spilled out his eyes, "I was hungry."
"You've been eating like a fucking pig all day! Look at the size of you!" His father shouts back.
He holds Evan from his hair, pulling him up, "get up!"
"Mother!" He shouts, sobbing uncontrollably as he feels the harsh tug from his scalp, as his father attempted to drag him along by his hair.
"Ryan, stop it! You're hurting him!" Evan's mother tries to pull Evan's father away from him.
His father then pushes her back, "you're the reason he's such a spoilt child! That candy was not for him!"
"There's loads of candy in the drawers, just please-! Let go of him!" She brings herself forward once again, trying to make him let go of Evan's hair.
In an instant, a cold shiver ran down her spine as her surroundings seemed to close in on her.
The once-familiar air felt thick and suffocating, as if an invisible force had tightened its grip around her throat.
Panic surged through her veins like an electric shock, her heart pounding erratically in response to the sudden threat.
With every labored breath, a sense of helplessness grew, the world around her blurring as the intensity of the moment consumed her focus.
Her instincts screamed for release, a desperate need to break free from the invisible bonds that held her captive.
"Shut. Up" he spat in her face, and threw her down to the floor.
"Mommy!" Evan shouts loudly.
His was raw, carrying the weight of anguish and confusion, as tears streamed down rosy cheeks.
Each cry seemed to come from the depths of a young heart grappling with the complexities of pain.
The voice wavered between sharp, desperate peaks and shaky, hiccuping valleys, painting a vivid picture of a soul in distress.
"Get up Evan! Now!" His father pulls him up on to his two feet again, before dragging him into the closet.
As he opens the closet doors, he pushes Evan into it, letting him fall onto the hard floor.
"You will sleep here tonight and think about what you've done. Let this be a lesson, that you do not steal from your brothers. Ever again."
His father slams the door in Evan's face.
"Please, don't leave me!" Evan cries, "I'm sorry!"
The child's sobs echoed like a mournful melody, a symphony of heartbreak and vulnerability. His small body trembled with each heave of his chest, the weight of his emotions pouring out in a torrent of tears.
-
The night had become dark.
Quiet.
Evan laid on the hard, cold ground, sniffling to himself, as his thumb had become wrinkly and soft, as he stayed sucking onto it, helping him to calm down his sobs.
Being able to hear his father chuckle loudly as he watched telly, clearly drunk and unphased that he left him to lay down in that tiny closet.
"You know I'm sorry baby. I just don't like you getting involved when I'm disciplining my children" his father speaks.
"Our children, Ryan. And in no way is that discipline. This is abuse! He's locked up in a closet, all on his own" His mother responds.
"Do not be ridiculous love, this is not abuse. I am simply teaching him how to grow up" His father responds.
"I'm calling the police" His mother stood up, reaching for the phone before his father pushed her back.
"Now darling, I have just made amends with you. Do you really want to make this difficult again?" His father asks.
"Then let him out the closet. Please" His mother practically begged him with her eyes.
But being the cold hearted man that he was, instead of taking him out, he smashed his cup straight at the cupboard door, causing Evan to flinch.
"This is my house and I will not tolerate you telling me what to do. Do I make myself clear?" His voice was tuned to a lower tone, but yet, it was loud enough for Evan to hear.
The air feels close, almost suffocating, and the silence is all-encompassing, broken only by the sound of your own uneven breaths.
The walls seem to press inwards, the space shrinking with every passing moment. Time itself takes on a distorted quality, stretching and elongating, making each second feel like an eternity.
The absence of light amplifies the feeling of detachment from the world outside, and the emptiness within seems to mirror the emptiness of the surroundings.
It was a tragic thing for a seven year old boy to go through.
-
A couple of months later.
"So boys, how was school?" His father joins the table, Evan sitting in his seat with his two older brothers sat further away.
"It was good" One of Evan's brother spoke, "I've been given a science project to do."
"Oh and father, do you remember Miss Smith? Turns out someone found her nude pictures and posted them online for everyone to see" his eldest brother spoke.
"What, are they big?" His father asks.
"Huge" his eldest brother replies before him and his father both laugh together.
Evan sat quietly, eating away the peas that were barely cooked properly, on his plate.
"What about you son?" His father turns to Evan, "anything exciting happen at school."
Evan shook his head no, keeping his eyes down on his food.
"Probably should enter him in a competition for his weight" his eldest brother laughed, "look at the size of him."
"Boys" his father looked at them sternly, "that's enough."
-
Evan was stood in the bathroom, kneeled down, his arms resting against the edge of the toilet seat, as he puked out his dinner.
He sat back, wiping his mouth, with a sour feeling stuck in his throat.
Tears practically threatening to leave his eyes, when he felt an immense amount of pain.
Evan looked down at his stomach, watching the way it folded, as he had a little pouch.
His brothers laughter and teasing echoing through his head as he looked at his body.
Hating himself.
Wishing he was someone else.
-
As Evan got into bed, he put his tiny hands under his pillow, his fingers sliding out the note his mother had left him, before she left the house.
He'd read it to himself every night, so that he's be able to sleep, dreaming about her. And the good times he had with her, growing up.
-
Seven years later
Evan was now ten years old.
His first day of his new class, after he was gone for the holidays.
His appearance slightly changed, as he had become a lot more thinner. Scaringly thinner that a child his age should be.
"Be good kid. Don't mess up" his father gives him a pat on the back, causing him to flinch when he presses onto Evan's bruised shoulder.
-
"Good morning class" his teacher smiled, as she made her way in, "welcome to a brand new, sunny day. Are you all excited to be here?"
"Yes Miss Murphy" the children respond back.
"I want to start of by going around the classroom, so we can all introduce ourselves to our new classmates."
Miss Murphy walks towards the student sat at the front, "we will start this way, and go around."
Everyone began introducing themselves, giving their names, their favourite colour and what they want to be when they grow up.
"Hello everyone!" Evan hears a cheerful voice, turning around to look at the table behind him.
"I'm Tuktirey, but my family call me Tuk. My favourite colour is red, because I like ladybugs. And when I grow up, I want to work in a vet."
"Wow" Miss Murphy smiles, "I suppose you like animals?"
Tuk nods, "I'm not allowed a pet because my brother is allergic. But my father promised me once I'm sixteen, he'll give me a pet hamster."
"Well that's very nice of him" Miss Murphy smiles.
"I'm his favourite" Tuk gives a cheeky smile.
Miss Murphy let's out a chuckle, "well I most certainly can see that. Thank you, Tuktirey."
Evan began to feel nervous, knowing that his turn would be coming soon.
Eventually, it got to his turn, where he began looking around, his heartbeat pacing quite quickly as he could hear it beating through his ears.
"It's okay, you can take your time" Miss Murphy pats his shoulder gently, causing him to flinch.
Miss Murphy quickly moved her hand away, "did I hurt you? I'm so sorry."
He shook his head no, to her question, swallowing up his shyness and looked back up.
"I'm Evan" he introduces himself, "I want to be a policeman when I grow up."
"A policeman?" Miss Murphy kneels down beside him.
Evan nods, looking around to see everyone else looking.
"I want to help people" Evan whispers.
Miss Murphy smiles, "well, I have no doubt that you will be great at it."
Hearing a praise for the first time, after a while, Evan let out a small smile.
"And your favourite colour?" Miss Murphy asks, standing back up.
"Pink" he whispers, feeling too shy to admit it.
"He said he likes pink!" The child sat next to him shouts out, "that's a girl colour!"
The kids all start laughing at him, causing his cheeks to turn red as he looked down, embarrassed.
"Children. That's enough" Miss Murphy spoke in a sweet yet alarming voice, causing everyone to slowly get quiet.
"Pink is a great colour" Tuk responds, "I think it is sexist to say it's a girls colour."
"What's sexist?" The girl sat next to her asks.
"When someone treats you differently because of something you like. Boys should be allowed to like pink and girls should be allowed to like blue. My mother tells me that grown men wear pink. And that it is just a colour and has no gender to it" Tuk responds.
"I see" Miss Murphy looked at her, impressed by her intelligence.
Evan looks back at Tuk.
Tuk gives him a smile and he gives her one back.
-
As it was time for the kids to play, Evan walked out, everyone already being in groups, as they ran around.
He continues to look around, before he sees Tuk in the garden, where all the plants are grown.
He decides to walk up to her, seeing that she was on her own. Wanting to thank her for earlier.
When he walks towards her, he notices that she's burying a rock.
"A rock can't grow a tree" Evan tells her.
She looks up at him and smiles, "I know that. I just like to bury them under the soil."
"Why? Evan asks.
"So they stay safe. When you want to protect something, you shield it" Tuk responds.
Something Evan had never heard before. Or experienced.
He sat down beside her, looking around for more rocks.
"Do you really want to be a police officer?" Tuk asks, "they are scary."
Evan nods, "I want to grow up and help people when they are in trouble."
"That is a nice reason" Tuk nods.
He hands her over a rock.
She looks at him, "Thank you" and then takes it out his hand.
"Thank you. For not laughing at me in class this morning" Evan tells her, "and not making fun of me."
"I don't think it is good for people to be made fun of because of a colour. I'm black, because my mother is black. Many people say horrible things, but I don't believe it is right" Tuk shook her head in disappointment.
"It isn't" Evan responds, "we are all the same."
"Your name is Evin?" Tuk asks.
"Evan" He responds.
"Ahh. Well I am Tuktirey. But you can call me Tuk" Tuk smiles back at him.
Evan nods, "Tuk."
He puts his pinky out to her, "friends?"
Tuk smiles, interlocking her finger with his, "friends."
They spent the next couple of weeks, becoming close friends.
They had spent their play hours and lunch hours together.
Even choosing each other as partners to do class work with each other.
Every thing felt perfect for Evan, when he'd go to school, being able to see Tuk.
But the problem with Evan is wherever he went, the trouble of his family followed behind.
-
Evan was walking out of school, stood beside Tuk as the two of them were walking.
His eldest brother stood outside waiting, as he had come to pick him up, before noticing he was stood beside Tuk.
"Hey Evan!" He shouts.
Evan flinches as he looks up, seeing his brother waiting.
"My brother is here" he sighs, before looking to Tuk, "bye Tuk. I'll see you tomorrow. Tuk waves back, before the two of them disperse, as she makes her way to her mother and Evan walks to her brother.
"Get in the car, we need to have a serious talk" he pushes Evan to walk faster, before pushing him into the car.
-
"You should have seen it father!" His eldest son shouts.
His father puts his hand out to him, telling him to quiet down before looking to Evan.
He takes a seat on his sofa, Evan stood up opposite him.
"Who is she?" His father asks Evan.
"Her name is Tuk.." Evan responded.
"And is she one of us?" Her father asks.
Evan nods, taking an innocent approach to the meaning, "we are all the same."
"This boy" his father sighs, holding his head in the palm of his hand.
"You are not to be friends with her anymore do you understand?" His father asks.
"But she's my friend.." Evan responds back.
"I'm not going to repeat myself Evan" his father crossed his arms, waiting for Evan to respond.
Evan then nodded his head slowly, not wanting his father to his him more than he already did.
"Good" his father responds, looking up at his eldest son, "you have to tell me who she is."
-
It was the next morning.
Evan had arrived to school, his father had just parked up with his brother sat in the back seat.
"There she is" his brother points out to Tuk, who was waiting for Evan like she promised she would.
"God" his father uttered, looking nothing but disappointed.
"Can I go now?" Evan asks in a sad voice.
"Do you remember what I told you to say to her?" His father asks.
Evan nods, a sigh falling out his mouth.
"Right, off you go then" He lets Evan walk out the car door, closing the door behind him.
They watch him as he walks towards Tuk.
"What do you think he's saying?" His brother asks his father.
"If she doesn't cry and run inside, then there's definitely going to be another beating for him today.
They watch the conversation unfold, without hearing anything.
Tuk then looks at him in disgust, a wind of emotions surged within her chest.
The air seemed to grow heavy with the weight of his words, a mixture of disbelief and sorrow intertwining in her eyes.
The lines of her face tightened, reflecting the pain of a heart wounded by the sting of betrayal.
They watch as she walks away, crying.
"Atta boy!" His father cheers, him and the eldest son both laughing together.
Evan watched her walk away, knowing that she was crying.
Being able to tell that she was feeling hurt.
A knot of guilt tightened in the pit of his stomach, heavy and unrelenting.
The weight of his actions bore down on him, visible in the shadows that danced across his eyes.
The lines of his face were etched with a mixture of remorse and sorrow, as he confronted the consequences of his choices.
-
As the school day was over, Evan walked out the Principal's office.
At this time, everyone, including staff members had left to go home.
However, Evan had papers he had to collect, as he missed two exams.
The principal held a meeting, hoping to speak to his father but after an hour of waiting, there was no sign of him.
So Evan took the documents needed to be signed, and walked out, making his way downstairs, ready to walk out.
"Tiana" he hears Mr.Piscatella's voice as he was about to walk past a classroom.
His eyebrows furrowed in confusion as he turned to look at his watch, to check the time. Detentions after school usually last half an hour and yet, she has been there for an hour.
His suspicions were right all along.
He leaned in closer, to get a better hearing.
"Sir, I didn't ask for you to swap my papers so I get good marks on my exams. I don't wish to return any favour" he hears Tiana.
"But I did it out of the kindness of my heart. Surely I deserve something back from you" Mr.Piscatella responded.
"I don't want to" Tiana slightly raises her voice.
He hears Mr.Piscatella then slam his hands onto the table, causing him to flinch.
"You are one of my favourite students. Do you really want to make this difficult?" He asks her.
"I'm leaving" she stood up, ready to walk away before he pushes her down onto the table.
"This is my classroom, I will not tolerate you making the rules. Do I make myself clear?" Mr.Piscatella responds.
"Y-yes sir" she stuttered back.
He could hear the fear in her voice, causing him to peak over, to see what what's happening.
It had gotten quiet, as Mr.Piscatella was hovering over her, looking as though he was almost ready to give her a kiss.
That is when Evan realised he had to do something.
He walks forward, giving a knock on the classroom door.
Mr.Piscatella quickly moves away, looking towards the door.
"Evan? What are you doing here?" Mr.Piscatella asks.
"I was at the principals office. She um- she asked to see you" Evan's eyes glanced back from Tiana to Mr.Piscatella.
He could see the look on her face.
A slight tremble in her lip betrayed the unease that had settled in her chest. Her shoulders hunched forward, as if trying to shield herself from the glances that Evan gave her.
Guilt and fear mingled in the way she shifted her weight from foot to foot, her clenched hands betraying the turmoil within.
"Are you sure?" Mr.Piscatella asks.
"Yes" Evan nods, "you. Specifically."
Mr.Piscatella sighs, looking back at Tiana, "you do not move until I get back, you hear me?"
"Yes sir" she whispered, looking down.
Mr.Piscatella walks out, making his way up to the principal's office.
As he walks out, Tiana looks up at Evan.
Evan turns around and then back to Tiana, "go."
"What?" Tiana looked at him confused.
"This will only get worse so go. Run out" Evan responds.
"O-okay" she stuttered, picking her bag and making her way out.
"Quickly. Before he gets back" Evan tells her.
Tiana runs out, Evan running out behind.
-
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In my last chapter, Neytiri says to Aneysa about her loved ones feeling scared to leave her alone.
That's why she asks Neteyam, "you thought I wanted to kill myself?" Because that's the reason why he was scared to leave her alone.
Just thought I'd clear that up for all you loveliessss xx