(^Picture above is Jax Caster played by Nicholas Hoult^)
WARNING: This chapter contains some depressing content and also some abusive aspects.
Chapter Sixteen
The week had flown by exceedingly fast. It was already Thursday, and we had one period left in school. We all sat around outside leaning against the side of the school. Snow had started falling and it was expected to keep snowing all weekend. Brynn really enjoyed her stay here, aside from Reece.
Reece hadn't left her alone since he learned who she was. He had started coming around more and hanging out a lot more, talking flirting, the whole nine-yards. Kyan stood around with the boys smoking a cigarette. I found myself constantly looking around; if a teacher saw us we'd all get suspended. And I wasn't even smoking.
I looked at Kyan for a moment. He stood with his back against the cold bricks of the school building. He wore another Calvin Klein shirt, white with black box lettering. His jeans were dark and worn in some places, his shoes were a pair of Vans and he had on a grey hoodie a black leather jacket. His hair swept over to the side, and was in major need of a trim. His crystal blue eyes shined and popped through the haze of snowflakes.
I watched his eyes slowly glide over to me, and I looked to the ground, shoving my boot around in the snow. I could feel his smirk burn in my head. I felt a warm blast of air brush across my face and the sweet yet overpowering smell of smoke fill my nose. And when I looked up, there he was. Right in front of me. The look on his face was enough to stop my heart from beating like a freight train. It was like everything froze in the freezing wind, even my breath. His eyes were slightly hooded, as he looked down at me from beneath his bushy eyebrows. His lips were softly pursed, defining his jaw line and cheek bone even more. His cheeks were rosy and his eyes held a form of desire. Almost lust. If I hadn't known any better, I'd say he was about to kiss me.
He glides an arm around my shoulders and I can't help but flinch slightly at the physical contact. He drops his cigarette to the ground and grinds it into the snow with his boot. As the wind picked up, I got the slightest whiff of his cologne. It was something, almost citrusy, but also spicy, aromatic. It was enticing and left me wanting to smell it again.
"So," I began his voice low "I thought of an idea to make it up to you. Getting you drunk that is, a way to make it up to you."
"Oh?" I asked as I struggled to keep my body upright.
"Yeah, me and the guys chipped in to get rent out this little cabin out in the woods. It would just be the six of us over the weekend. We'll pick you up, tomorrow after school."
I opened my mouth and snapped it shut again. What was I supposed to say? He went through all this trouble, for me, and I was about to turn him down?
"Ah man, that sounds fun. I'd love to, but I'm not sure if I can. Can I get back to you?" I ask awkwardly as I step away from him, to face him head on.
He looks a bit stunned for a moment before he shakes his head "Yeah. Yeah of course, go ahead."
I smiled up at him, real big as I turned away, leaving him dazed and speechless as the snow drifted down around him. After last period Kyan took Brynn and I home. The snow hadn't let up and the ground was now covered in almost three inches of snow. I thanked him for the ride and went inside with Brynn in tow. We made our way up to my room and closed and locked my door.
"What are you gonna do?" Brynn asked as she flopped down on my bed.
I leaned in the doorway to my bathroom as I faced her "I don't know. I don't want to turn him down but I must. I can't sneak out of the house and be gone all weekend! It's impossible. But what do I tell him?"
Brynn bit her lip as she pulled her fingers through her braids, slowly undoing them and letting her hair fall in wavy grey locks around her shoulders.
She was just as dumbfounded as me. What could I possibly tell Kyan? What would be a good enough excuse to not have to go, ever? Maybe I get sick? Or maybe someone else does? A made-up tragedy? How far am I willing to lie to Kyan to keep him from finding out the truth? How many more crazy ideas like this will he come up with?
"Brynn! Naomi! Dinner!" my mom calls to us. I give Brynn one last look as I push off from the doorway as I walk over to my door. Pulling it open I walk down the stairs as I feel a weight fall on my shoulders. My head spun slightly as I stepped off the last stair. Rounding my body around the wall I make a left into the kitchen.
"Can you set the table please?" my mom asked as she pulled a pot roast out of the oven. I smiled at her and nodded my head as I walked over to near the fridge. I opened a cabinet and pulled out a stack of plates as I turned around and made my way to the dining room. The smell of the pot roast made my mouth water as I walked passed it.
I almost made it through the doorway into the dining room when Paul rounded the corner. I took an immediate step back and steadied the plates I held in my hands. He looked at me with a hard glaze in his eyes, that made me feel smaller and smaller the longer he looked at me.
I smiled weakly "I'm sorry." I whimpered as I made my way passed him. I barely stepped passed the threshold before he spoke.
"Wait." He said sternly sending shivers down my spine "Come here." I gulped down the rising lump in my throat as I slowly turned back to him. His read hair looked like fire on his head as he loomed over me.
He looked at me for only a moment, before his hand gripped my forearm a she pulled me harshly into him. My body slammed hard into his, as I tried to once again, steady the plates I now held in one hand. He held my right wrist in his left hand, raised almost above my head as my body was uncomfortably close to his.
I felt his head lower and the hair tingle on the top of my head as he pressed his nose to my hair. He inhaled deeply through his nose as his grip tightened around my wrist.
"Paul?" my mother asked timidly.
"What is that?" Paul asked between his teeth. My entire body started to shake in his grip as I swallowed again.
"What is what?" I asked my voice confused and shaking.
And like that, in the blink of an eye, Paul had jerked my wrist to the left, the force and momentum causing my body to slam into the wall, and plates to come crashing down, breaking into shards on the floor. The wind was knocked out of my lungs as my back connected with the wall and my head slammed back. For a short moment, I couldn't breathe.
Paul still gripped my wrist, but now he held it over my head. His face was only inches from mine, and I could see the fire crackling in his forest green eyes.
"Do I smell smoke?" he asked his lips pulling over themselves, into a snarl like a Pitbull.
"What-?" I am cut off by his fist slamming into the wall next to my face, my entire body jolts with fear.
"Have you been smoking?" his grip tightens once again on my wrist and I can feel my skin wrinkle "Have I raised you to be some stoner? Is this how you repay me?"
My mouth falls open as I groan in pain and agony as my mind forces words out of my mouth "No. I don't... smoke." I croak out.
He grabs my shirt in his fist and slams me against the wall once more "Oh?" he asks "Well I suppose you don't lie either, huh? You're just a perfect little angel." He growls as spittle hits my face. His breath reeks of alcohol. He releases my shirt as his fist raises to my head and grips around a chunk of my hair. He pulls hard, lifting his fist in the air, I try to stand up on my toes, to lessen the pain shooting through my head. I felt like a puppet and Paul was the Puppet Master.
He whirled me around and all but tossed me onto the ground next to the table behind him. He came at me hard and fast as he took a running start before sending one of his boots into my ribs. My body bounced into the air and rolled a little further away as I coughed and gasped for air.
"After everything I've done for you and your mother. After I work my butt off to pay for your education and to pay the bills and groceries! This is how you repay me!" He yells his voice carrying throughout the house.
He storms over and lifts me off the ground, only to back hand me across the face and let me fall to the ground again. He kicks me one more time in the ribs.
"You keep slacking off in school and smoking. You keep this crap up, and I'm going to make you wish you'd never even been born." He whispers gripping my jaw, as blood gushed out of my lip. He raised his hand again, and squeezed my eyes shut preparing myself for the blow.
A ringing echoes through the house. The blow never comes and I feel him let go of my jaw as he curses under his breath. I wheeze as I slowly open my eyes, raising my arm to my face as I wipe my mouth with the back of my hand. Paul stands over the coffee table in the living room as he picks up the phone.
"What?" he asks harshly into the microphone. A voice sounds over the speaker, speaking words that can't quite be heard. Paul sighs as he rubs his face.
"Why does it have to be me?"
The high pitch squeak sounds over the speaker once again, words in a jumbled and muffled mess. He turns back and look sat me his eyes hard and his jaw set.
"Does it had to be this week?" he closes his eyes as the person answers him, his grip on the phone tightening "Fine!" he barks as he throws the phone down on the ground.
"You got lucky you little brat." He says pointing a stubby finger at me "I'm leaving town for a business trip tomorrow."
He storms passed me and disappears into the bedroom he shares with my mom and slams the door shut. I lay my head back on the cold hard wood floor as I breathe. My lip was busted, my head hurt, and my ribs were bruised. It was going to be a rough night.
I looked over and I could see tears brimming my mother's eyes. I felt my heart crack at the sight and I forced myself to give her a reassuring smile. I stood up with the help of a dining table chair, and walked over to her. I placed my hands on her shoulders and gave her a kiss on the forehead before I walked towards the stairs.
I hobbled up each step slowly before I got to my bedroom door. Creaking the door open I stepped inside my bedroom and made my way for the bathroom. I flicked the bathroom light on and light poured around me, allowing me to see my reflection in the mirror on the wall.
My chestnut hair was a mess, my lip was busted and I had blood trailing down my chin and throat. It was also smeared across my cheek. My left hand was covered in my blood and my right wrist was already starting to bruise. I had a galaxy of blues and purples blossoming on my white skin, you could see the individual marks on my skin, where his fingers had wrapped around. I lifted my shirt carefully from my stomach and up to my chest. Sure enough, the same thing on the left side of my ribs. Splotches of purple and blue bled through my skin, making my skin tender and sore.
I looked in the mirror, at my eyes reflecting. Bright green. Like green fire. I looked like I was a mess, but I also looked like something else. A survivor. I had scars, I had battle wounds. But I was still here. When I looked in the mirror I saw a fierce warrior that fought battles every day and always came through on top.
But I also saw a little girl. A little girl whom was lost, scared and alone. A little girl that had been fighting a battle for too long, and was starting to give up. A little girl that had never truly known happiness. A little girl that knew what it was like to have a hand reared back, in preparation for a beating. A little girl that knew what it was like to lose the will to live, and what it felt like to have a blade dragged across her skin.
I blinked away the tears that I hadn't noticed was threating to spill over. I blinked and stared at the bright light fixture until the tears dried up. I let my shirt drop around my waist and opened a drawer to pull out an alcohol wipe.
I braced myself as I placed the wipe to my lip, and the nerves in my face screamed out in pain. I almost joined them as I wiped the blood away and cleaned the cut on my lip. Next I applied some cream to my ribs and wrist before I changed my clothes into some sweatpants and a T-shirt. I crawled into bed and Brynn soon joined me before I fell asleep with tears staining my cheeks.
The next day had gone smoothly. Paul had left early in the morning for the Airport and Kyan had picked Brynn and I up for school. He had given me an odd look when he noticed my lip and how my breathing seemed shallow. But he never asked any questions. He kept sending me cautious glances throughout the day though.
I told him I'd be able to make it to the weekend get-away when he had asked about it. His face had lit up considerably at the good news. I had asked mom about it in the morning and she sounded fine. I think she was willing to let me do whatever I wanted after the beating I took yesterday.
Kyan had just dropped Brynn and I off at home as we all went to go pack and get things situated. I was sure to pack only long sleeves, to cover my wrist, some jeans and sweaters along with the usual underwear and socks. I packed up my makeup and hygiene products and double checked every drawer and the mental checklist in my head.
I snatched a good book along with my phone charger, laptop and charging cable and all my school books and papers. I pulled on my army green bomber jacket and my brown boots, checking my pockets for my phone, wallet and keys and stepped out of my bedroom.
Brynn was already downstairs waiting for me, when I heard brakes squealing outside. A car door slammed and I heard Jax holler "C'mon ladies! Hurry up!"
I gave Brynn a hopeful smile as we stepped outside, I gave my mom a hug and closed the door behind us. Jax' huge blue Ford Truck was parked in the driveway. We had decided to take his truck due to the snowy terrain, and seeing as there was a lot more room for six people.
Brynn and I hauled our suitcases and my duffle bag down the driveway as we met up with the guys. Tony and Reece helped us get our bags into the truck bed, as Kyan exited his house.
He walked down the path in boots and a jacket like mine. His hair again swept to the side and a duffle bag carelessly tossed over his shoulder. Jax gave him an incredulous look.
"What?" Kyan demanded as he tossed his bag on the ground.
Jax looked at the bag on the ground and then up at Kyan with a smirk plastered on his face "Dude. You pack like a girl."
Sorry the chapter was a bit eh. But it wasn't too bad. It's sort of a filler chapter leading up to the next few chapters. But what did you think? Was it good? What would you rate it between 1 and 10? Please Vote, Comment and follow!! Thank you so much!
Sincerely, Your Average Writer.