Dawson POV:
As soon as we arrived home, I quickly scrambled out of the car slamming the car door in the process. "Dawson Jace don't slam doors, do you hear me?" I flip Davian off as I sprint up to my room and lock the door. I take my bag to the little nook in my room that overlooks our massive property, sitting down I grab my headphones and homework and turn on my angry playlist. Homework for today was to fill out a questionnaire about what you hope you get placed as, and fill put your school's application. The Academies were ranked on three tiers, top, mid and bottom. On the application you applied to six, you were only allowed to apply to two top tier schools, and you had to apply to at least one bottom tier school.
I started out thinking about what I hoped to get tested as. I honestly didn't even know what I could be, most of my family were dominants, and a couple were neutrals so thinking genetically I felt like I had the best chance at being neutral, as there was no way I could be dominant. Just thinking about having to boss people around and care for someone and provide for them just felt like too much to even think about.
Aspen said he wouldn't be surprised if I got some type of submissive, which is crazy! The chances of that would be extremely low as my bloodline didn't even have any submissives in it. I also don't like the thought of having to bend to someone's every word, that just sounded too controlling. So, on the paper I wrote down that I hoped I would get Neutral, as well as how genetically it made the most sense.
Onto the college applications! This one was easy to fill out as Aspen and I had been talking to each other about where we would go to school together. Our final school choices came down to 1. Silver Oak Academy (top tier), Apatore Elite (top tier), Paramount Academy (mid-tier), Pine River Academy (mid-tier), Grand Ridge (mid-tier), and Jefferson Immersion (bottom tier).
Looking up at the clock the time reads 4:57 pm, I decide that I should probably head down to the office so that I'm not late for the family meeting. Taking my homework in my hand; knowing my parents would like to see it actually complete, I head down the halls until I make my way down to our basement. I take a couple more turns and end up at the office, seeing that I'm the sixth person to arrive, my parents on one couch with Davian on the next, beside him empty, as Kallias had yet to appear. The next couch seated Azara and Kye both on time and honestly, they both were probably the first to arrive. They hated tardiness. The twin's couch was empty, but I was not surprised they were always late, but the person who was always the latest happened to share a couch with me; Atlas.
Walking into the room silently, I hand my completed work to my parents and make my way to my designated seat. Everyone silently waits for the others to arrive, my parents looking over the work I handed them. I felt eyes burning into my side, but I didn't dare to look knowing Kye was going to keep asking me through his eyes if I was alright and what had happened. You see family meetings like this were only called when it applied to me, which was so stupid why did they all get to agree on my punishments but there was never a gathering held for them when they broke the rules.
After ten minutes of waiting the last person, ahem Atlas, walked in. As soon as he took his seat all eyes turned to me. I hated the burning and questioning stares I was getting. "Today we are gathered here because our dear little brother decided to not listen to the rules set in place by our parents." Davian started theatrically. I rolled my eyes at him, sticking my tongue out when no one was looking.
"Could you elaborate Davian please." My head snapped as I heard my father speak. My Father was a man of few words, he hardly ever spoke always letting my mother do all the talking but you could see him watch from the outside his eyes always calculating. Everyone was startled, but Davian continued.
"Today, after dropping Dawson off at school this morning, I got a call from the office saying that Dawson was once again not at school today and that any further absences would lead to a visit from child protective services. Imagine my surprise when I know I took him to school this morning and I know you all have taken him there over the weeks, just to find out he never even made it to class. I decided that I was going to down to the school and look for him, just to find him high as a kite at the river behind the school after being told that smoking wouldn't be tolerated from here on out." Davian concluded.
"Is this true Dawson?" My father turns towards me, I take a deep breath preparing myself to answer.
"Yes, it is but so what? Why am I the only one that gets in trouble when you all know full well that all you guys were smoking, skipping and having sex at my age." I replied. I see my mother give me a horrified look.
"Dawson Jace Lillo, don't tell me you've had sex!" I gulped; I didn't mean to let that slip; now I was in some deep shit. This time Azra spoke as my father tried to get my mom to level her head. As dominants they vowed that they would never punish any out of their anger.
"Dawson, you know full well that none of us had sex before being categorized. I am disappointed in you, what if you got someone knocked up? There are reasons these rules are in place, we care about you, they are to keep you safe."
"Well then how come none of you had to follow them, this is so fucked up on so many levels. I don't know why you care, it's not like any of you used to, all you guys' care about is keeping the Lillo name clean. You only started to pay attention when my name started to go around in the rumors your friends spread about. All you want to do is control me and my actions, so the family name won't be ruined." I shout at them; I look over at Kye seeing hurt flash through his eyes. Okay well I didn't mean it about him, he was one of the only people who cared about how I felt. I look at him guiltily and try to apologize through my eyes.
"That's enough Dawson, we do care about you whether you think so or not. As parents, your father and I have learned through trial and error how to raise a child, and these are the rules that we have come up with. We are your parents and what we say goes, now enough arguing and let us decide what will best help you learn how to obey the rules." My mother states as she turns and talks to everyone acting like I wasn't even there.
Tears welled up in my eyes, but I refused to let them fall around the likes of these people. I felt so trapped in my body, I couldn't express myself, my voice wasn't heard. All these feelings welled up inside me I started to dig my fingers into my legs waiting for the pain to come. I snap my head up, nails still dug into my leg as my father speak my fate.
"You will receive ten slaps with a ruler on your palms and you are grounded for a month." My father grabs a ruler as I release my nails from my leg, missing the stinging burning sensation they provided. I stand up putting my palms face up, I know the drill wasn't the first time I had received this punishment. "This is for your own good Dawson"
Slap I cringe at the first stroke, but I know better than to move
Slap Slap Slap I bite my tongue to keep from giving them the satisfaction of hearing my pain
Slap Halfway through you can do it Dawson!
Slap Slap Slap I hiss at the eighth one, the burning feel it sent through my sensitive palms
Slap
Slap
"Do you have anything to say for yourself?" My mother asked
"You all can go fuck yourselves." I snapped back trying to hide the pain in my voice.
"Well, if you keep up that attitude you can miss dinner tonight." She replies
"Good, wasn't planning on eating tonight anyway." I see Kye's eyes light up in concern, I quickly rush out of the room, going back towards my own. I could hear different people demanding I come back. "Go fuck yourself." I yell back slamming my door and locking it.
--Trigger Warning!-----
So many things rushed through out me and I just couldn't understand how I felt. I wanted to cry but nothing was coming out, I just wanted to feel pain. I rushed to my desk drawer and took out the blade I kept there. I sat over in my nook taking my pants off to reveal already bleeding thighs, taking the blade I ran it across my thighs again and again. It felt like the blade was the brush, my blood the paint and my thighs the canvas. Every time the blade ran across my skin, I felt this euphoric pain. Cutting made me feel something that I never knew existed, that I never thought I needed. Everything blurred together, I didn't even know how much time had passed, I hauled myself to the shower. Hissing as the boiling water hit my body as I stepped in. I slid down the cool wall crying to myself.
Someone please save me.
----End Trigger----