"She loves too much, and you could see it in her eyes: where she kept all the hearts she put ahead of her own"
-Ariana Dancu
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A HEADACHE GROUNDS on my temples. It pounds, the pain is sharp and heavy across my face where the marks from last night formed. The fact that the sun is streaming through my window, hitting my eyes, doesn't help either.
I look at the clock on my nightstand.
6:40 am.
I curse in my mind, thinking about going through another day. But what worries me the most isn't what happens during school, but in my own house at night.
Sammy is still asleep, his chest calmly rising and falling as he breathes deeply.
My feet touch the cool ground and I carefully move off the bed so I don't end up waking him, at least not yet.
I go straight to the bathroom, avoiding my reflection in the mirror. My puffy eyes and bright red left cheek were something I didn't want to see. They were reminders of my father's acts.
But I can't help looking at my thigh as I walked in the shower. It's now purple with a little bit of blue tint at the edges. The bruise hurts, making me hold my breath whenever I move quickly or accidentally brush it against something.
The scalding water runs down my neck, slightly relieving the headache I have as I relax. But it still pounds against my head as a constant reminder of all the worry and pain.
A while later, after taking a long shower, I choose a dark red v-neck sweater and some light blue ripped jeans. I compliment my simple look with a pair of light brown ankle boots, my mom's heart necklace, and little gold earrings. And my long dark brown hair is piled into a messy bun on the top of my head.
I don't bother to apply mascara to the long eyelashes surrounding my dark brown eyes or even lipstick on my heart-shaped lips. All I do is apply some blush to my right cheek so no one notices what really happened on the left one.
7:00 am. Time to wake up Sammy.
I sit next to him on the bed and run my fingers through his chestnut curls, his green eyes that resemble so much my dad blinking open as he yawns. My little brother smiles, making me smile too.
"Morning, Sammy," I say, kissing his nose. He giggles and rubs his eyes.
"Morning, Lili," my brother whispers before quickly standing up and running to his bedroom to get ready.
I chuckle as he roars down the hall, pretending to be a lion because of his pajamas.
I would do anything to protect my brother.
Anything.
As I slowly go downstairs, the maple syrup smell starts to get stronger. Almost halfway down the stairs, I see my dad cooking pancakes in the frying pan, humming what mom used to sing to us during breakfast. It makes me roll my eyes.
Every time Tom did something bad to us at night, he would wake up early and make us pancakes. He either doesn't remember what happened the day before or pretends not to. He tries to act like the perfect father, but I don't buy his bullshit. I understand he's been in so much pain since my mom's death, but so are all of us, and it doesn't justify what he does.
He's a monster.
My father knows I don't believe anything he says, but he is smart enough to make Sammy believe he is still a good dad and that he just changes from one day to the other. My little brother is still a child so he thinks that our father will be there for us, every single damn time.
"Hey sweetie, do you want some pancakes?" Tom asks as he offers me a breakfast plate, a soft and caring smile forming on his face. Expression lines appear on his forehead, serving as an indication of how much he has suffered and changed since my mom's death last year. He never told me what really happened inside that hospital after the accident but I can tell it still affects him deeply.
Being forty years old is considered young, yet my father appears to be so much older.
If anyone looked at his face right now, they would probably think he's an excellent parent. The one who cooks a delicious breakfast every morning. The one who actually goes to their little kid's presentation.
"No, thanks," I mumble before opening the fridge to grab the orange juice I have every morning.
Sammy arrives quickly, running beside me to hug our dad and tell him good morning. All I can do is sigh and then breathe, slowly in and out.
I'm losing it every day. And I can't pretend anymore. I can't just sit still every damn morning and watch as Tom puts on an act.
"You don't remember, do you?" I ask him while sitting next to my little brother at the marble countertop.
"Remember what?" He asks as he hands us plates piled high with pancakes and maple syrup on top, his smile growing wider every second.
How could he fake it so well?
"Nothing," I say as Samuel looks at me from the corner of his eye and silently pleads for me not to say anything. He always tells me that dad has changed and he shouldn't be reminded of his past mistakes. I wish.
7:30 am.
"Time to go, Sammy," I say, ruffling his hair. My brother quickly says bye to our father and grabbing his snack for break time - which I had to prepare last night when our dad was nowhere to be seen - before running out of the house and directly to my car.
I don't even bother to look back at him while leaving but I can feel Tom's gaze burning on my back.
"Bye gummy bear, love you!" I wave to my little brother while dropping him off at his school that is actually close to mine.
He narrows his eyes and continues to walk, without even saying bye to me.
Rude.
My brother doesn't look like a normal seven-year-old, he looks even more fragile to me. I want to protect him from everything and everyone. I need to. It's what big siblings are supposed to do.
And I will find a way.
Just when I'm about to leave, my little brother comes running to me and hugs my legs, a huge smile on his face.
He squeezes my thigh right on my new bruise. Air catches in the back of my throat but I don't give any sign of pain. I just breathe in and out before looking down at him.
"Love you too, Lili," I giggle slightly when he says that. Sammy is just too cute when he wants to be. "Thanks for protecting me." I can't help but give him a weak smile, tears daring to fall off my eyes.
I kiss his forehead and he finally runs to class.
I get in my car quickly and turn the engine on, wasting no time in leaving. During the short way to school, I try to think of an idea to protect Sammy and, if possible, myself along with him.
Going to the police is definitely not an option. I would risk getting split apart from my little brother when moving to foster care. With my aunt would happen the same because she already made sure I wasn't dear to her.
So, all I can think of is asking someone else for help. My best friends aren't an option since they already have a lot to worry about.
Kayla Stone is the only meaningful name that I think of. What a great idea...
If you need anything, don't hesitate to tell me.
The bad boy's sister's words echo in the back of mind and I wonder if she really meant what she told me in the bathroom that day. Her brother could teach me how to fight or maybe give me an idea of how to deal with my abusive dad, but I can't tell him.
I want to get out of that house with Samuel, but I need to put my brother first. Saving him is more important.
I don't know how or even when I will talk to the "bad boy," but it's an idea that keeps humming in the back of my mind.
Soon, I spot Bella in the school's entry. Today she's wearing a short, pink suede skirt with a black, long-sleeve crop top and coal velvet peep-toes that match her personality. I just wonder how she doesn't get cold.
I get out of my car and my best friend practically kills me when she notices me. She chokes me by hugging my body tightly, probably excited for tomorrow's party that I'm totally not going to, or at least as of right now.
"So, do you want to know the rumor of the day?!" Bella practically yells, making a few of our classmates look at us strangely when we walk through the school doors. I could almost die of embarrassment.
"Isn't the news about the party enough?" I ask her when we reach her locker, which is a lot closer to the school's entrance than mine. She immediately sighs, disapproving of my fake excitement, and opens the door to get her books.
"Anyways, there will be a football game on Wednesday against our rivals, Sierra Academy." My eyes widen as soon as Bella finishes the sentence. It isn't just because we are the only two private schools in Albany that make us adversaries.
The two most powerful gangs' vice leaders are in them. Damien Stone in our school and Jace King in the other. Declared enemies, that's what they are. Death threats between them are considered normal.
The Shadows are lead by the Stones and they have been active for as long as I can remember. They have experience and usually don't take anything lying down. Their primary activity is drug selling with users and buyers among the juniors and seniors at this school.
The Cobras, on the other hand, are a newer gang that has been messing around with Damien's father's members. Jace King is their vice-leader, and rumors have been circling that he is violent and extremely cynical about the gang's actions.
Their dispute over the control of supplying illegal substances has been intense and usually, we can see them fighting each other. Territories are something they care about and contest. But I guess I'm just quite the observer.
"No way, Ella! Wednesday's football game will be a hell of a match," she says with a huge smile on her face. The gangs always take part in fighting afterward, but I can still tell how excited she is about the game.
"Let me guess, you want to go, don't you?" I ask, rolling my eyes as I race after Bella on the way to my locker.
"How do you know me so well?" My best friend responds, laughing as she answers my question with another one. I can only smile at how connected we are. Our friendship is definitely one of a kind.
"I guess it's because I've known you since we were first graders." I shrug, an honest smile forming on my lips. She returns my smile with another one, but not before blowing a kiss to the Football captain that passes right next to us.
Bella Adams never changes.
After getting my books and closing my locker, I spot Eric coming down the hallway.
He has both of his hands inside his dark jeans pockets that match a black simple t-shirt and a caramel denim jacket. He walks with his head down, seemingly ashamed of something. His downcast face instantly makes me worried. Eric is not carrying his usual bright smile. Some of our classmates look at him and laugh, and that makes him hide even more.
All I want is to shut their mouths up.
I immediately look at Bella, who seems to think the exact same thing as I do. Before I know it, we are going after our best friend that had just entered the boy's bathroom in the other hallway.
My thigh aches the whole way, making me curse in my mind again, but I can't stop. I need to make sure Eric is alright. Please, don't let it be what happened last week too.
As soon as we open the door, we see Eric crying. His salty tears streaming down his pale skin while he is seated on the cold floor with his back to the wall and one of his hands trying to hide a face that is already wet. The other one is holding his cell phone, which is trembling as he reads what it is written on his newest Instagram post.
"Hey, hey, hey. Don't look at that, Eric." I run to his side.
He looks at me with his red puffy eyes and before I get to sit next to him, he starts to sob once again. Bella sits on the floor on his other side.
He gives us a weak smile but I know he is just faking it. Personal experience.
I quickly pull the phone out of his hand while Bella rests her head on his shoulder and rubs his arm to calm him down.
The first thing I see as I look at the photo Eric has posted four days ago is the word die in huge capital letters in the comments section.
Poor Eric.
I click on the comments to read the other ones and things only get worse. Possibly, all the bad and awful words people can use are written in his post. Homophobic sentences dominate the screen, which is just unacceptable. We are living in the 21st century for God's sake.
How are people that heartless towards someone so kind?
"You know you aren't what is written there, Eric," Bella says as his hiccups get more intense. Luckily, the tears have already stopped falling.
All he can do is nod and it breaks my heart seeing him like that. We stay in a hug for only minutes, but it felt like hours. He finally calms down, breathing in and out.
The bell rings; however, we still don't move, not even a little bit. Eric is more important.
He has been a target of bullying for almost two months now just because he is gay and proud of it. Some stupid jocks think they are better than everyone else but it's actually the opposite. Bella and I already encouraged Eric to go talk to the principal or maybe a counselor but he says it won't help a thing. Our school turns its back and doesn't bother to deal with bullies and the parent's complaints.
I can't protect my brother. I can't protect Eric.
Who will be next?
And why do I have the wish to save everyone but myself?
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{A/N: Hello Hello! How did you enjoy this chapter? We got to see a little bit more of Adelina's school life. My heart broke a little while writing Eric's crying scene.
We need to understand people are different and that is a good thing. Diversity is good and healthy for our world.
If you have enjoyed this chapter, please make sure of fulfilling the little star below, lol. All comments and feedback are appreciated. Love you all.}