"Don't hurt me..," I pleaded, no matter how hard I tried to flatten out my voice, it sounds like a high plea. "Dad, please..."
"I'm sorry, I really am," he said untruthfully, slapping my with his leather belt. "But you have to pay the pride for your mistakes."
I curled up and caught my tears before they could spill, but they threatened. "Please! I'm sorry!" I choked, my throat was dry and it hurt. "I... I..."
"You what?" my father pressed, pausing before he slapped me across the cheek with his belt hard. "Speak."
"I just wanted to spend some spare time with my friend..," I swallowed a big lump in my throat and held my arms up in a weak defensive position. "I thought today was my free day.."
"You thought wrong." he spat, and started pounding at me with the belt till I passed out. Hell, he probably still hit me at least once more even then.
....
My conscience was given back to me by an angel. Never mind, probably Satan. I forced myself not to tear up, to curl in a little ball, to open my eyes. But my eyelids twitch once. I had no idea what time it was, so maybe if I prayed hard enough that my father was asleep, I could sneak out. Forcefully, one eye snapped open cautiously. If I was going to get to Reece's house, I'd have to do something about these marks on my face, or maybe I should leave them... I could hear my dad snoring in the other room, and before I knew it, I dashed out the door as soon as I got the chance. My (e/c) eyes watered as I zoomed through this fog of wind to Reece's house.
I bumped into someone and we both fell backward.
My eyes leaked. "I-I'm sorry! Please d-don't hurt m-me..." I stuttered. This is what happens when you get abused on a daily basis, physically; you get trust issues and it hurts.
"Don't sweat it," the strange man smiled at me to the best of his capability. He seemed different. He seemed somewhat negative but positive..? His aura was confusing.
Again, I started walked past him and rubbing my eyes gently with my shirt sleeves. It was cold, I shuddered.
"Hey...," he continued and I paused to an abrupt stop. "Are you okay?.."
"I'm fine."
"And I'm Virgil, nice to meet you 'fine.'"
I choked, and started walking away one more time, desperate to get to Reece's. "I'm (Y/N)." I corrected.
The man must've stood up without me knowing, which was normal and I shouldn't have acted so, erm, scared. He opened his mouth to say something and I have no idea what, but he closed it after.
My fist pounded on his door only one knock before Reece opened it quietly. Ah, too-cool-Reece, thank goodness he's still up.
He analyzed me. "Hey, (Y/N)," he smiled, his voice obviously lined with worry. And then I knew it wasn't too-cool-Reece; it was my Reece. "You look beaten up.. Come inside."
Reluctantly, I walked inside slowly. My mind was still functioning everything and it was giving me headaches. Not to mention the terrible beatings that I get. Daily.
Reece pulled out a chair from his kitchen table for me and I sat down and waited for him to seat himself, too. "Now," he demanded in a not very intimidating voice. "Tell me what happened."
I sighed after he said that and got straight to the point. I knew I should've cleaned myself up. "Oh, Reece," I croaked. "I keep making mistakes!"
He awaited for me to continue in sheer silence, but it didn't feel awkward, it felt somewhat calming. His eyes were like a black flame of worry.
"M-my father hit me w-with his belt," I started. "A lot, and I passed out."
His eyes widened.
"And then I ran away without covering up my marks and bruises, and I bumped into this guy, and-" I rambled, not realizing the tears streaming down my cheeks.
"Hey, Hey..," Reece soothed, standing up from his chair and swiftly hugging me. "Calm down, who did you bump into?"
"I don't know..," I sniffled. "He seemed friendly, but.. I don't know.. He asked if I was okay and he was probably going to offer me his jacket or something.."
"Well, we don't know if that's good or bad... Er," he paused. "You know what, we should get to bed and clear our heads. Okay?"
I nodded, not like I was going to disagree with anything he wanted me to do. I'm just a doormat that people walk all over. "Okay." I confirmed.
He set me up for the night on his couch and always slept close by whenever I was over. And if I had a nightmare, it's Reece to the rescue.
I never did catch that man's name...Why am I worrying about this of all things?
"Sleepy head..," someone greeted me when they woke me up. "C'mon, I'll make you breakfast, (N/N)."
My eyes slowly fluttered open and my smile widened once I realized I had snuck to Reece's house and I was still here. "Thank you." I mumbled.
"Geez, you must've got a good sleep," Reece laughed. "You've been out for a complete twelve hours!"
My eyes widened. "What?" I asked, obviously having my morning confusion. My hand weakly pulled the blanket from overtop of me so that I could get out and scramble to the table.
"Yeah, twelve hours surprisingly." he repeated, letting that sink into my head. "Well, I hope you're okay with a few 'well made' pancakes." Reece chuckled lowly, sliding me my dish with a wide smile and a sparkle in his eye.
"Someone seems chipper this morning." I observed and drank a bit of water from my glass.
"Why wouldn't I be? You're here right now and that's great to wake up to!" he explained while he threw a cloth from behind his back onto the counter. "And I already ate." Ah, that makes sense.
"Mm," I hummed. "Are you rushed to go anywhere?"
"I always hit up our tree at this time," he told me flatly, putting on his shades and his leather jacket. "You don't have to come if you don't want to.."
"No, I'll come."
"Awesome!" Reece chuckled, heck he almost giggled.
"You still go to that tree.." I thought aloud.
"So what? It's comforting," he pouted. "It's, uhh, it's a great place to read, if I liked reading, play on your phone or just sleep if you really wanted to. And it's great for shade." he listed off reasons why it's a great place, struggling for the right words.
"Yeah, I know," I pushed my plate away from me. "And I'm done."
"Okay, good. You finished that fast. Are you sure you're okay?"
"Just fine."
Reece was blabbering to me about his too-cool life and I was stuck here listening, giving the rare nods and agreements and disagreements. Yes, no, to get to the other side... My expression seemed perplexed now.
"Hey, are you listening?" he asked, following my stare. "Who's that?"
"It looks like that guy I rammed into yesterday." I said, stuffing my hands inside of my pockets.
Reece tilted his head a bit. "So what?"
"I don't know, it just confused me," I shook my head, puzzled. "Continue."
"Okay, so...." and Reece just kept on blabbering.
My eyes focused forward till we finally stopped at the tree and I sat down and pulled out my book.
"I didn't know you liked to read." Reece sort of asked and stated at the same time.
Time passed, maybe by a minute? And someone was beside me, I could feel their presence but their aura felt familiar.
"Kid, are you sure you're alright?"
I flinched, slamming my book shut and looking around me. Reece wasn't here, he was out in the field talking to someone. "What? Virgil? Yes, I'm fine."
"I've been through a lot of 'I'm fine's to know that you are lying." he mused, giving me a little frown.
Now that I got a better look, he almost seemed as if he was a teenager and I'm for sure that he was. This Virgil guy had a black sort of purple hoodie on and he overall looked like he was just sketchy. It was probably the black makeup under his eyes. I lifted up my book to try and defend myself and hit him, but of course I couldn't do that. I don't want to be like my father.
He lifted his hands up in defence. "Whoa, calm down, I'm not going to hurt you," he chuckled. Something about his voice had an edge. But it was calming. "You ran into me, remember?"
"Y-yeah..."
"Why were you even outside?"
"Why would I tell you that?" I asked.
He nodded to himself, thinking of how to reply maybe. "I'm just saying, you seemed a bit, uhm, hurt?"
"What's it to you?" I could tell my eyes were glassy.
Virgil's eyes widened and he rested a hand on my shoulder somewhat protectively. "Kid, child, whatever you want me to call you," he tried to lighten the mood. "I'll give it to you straight, I have the nickname anxiety, my real name is Virgil, you bumped into me close to midnight while I was getting a coffee with Patton and now I'm here explaining this." he spoke softly, yet quickly. I felt bad for him, but he was still a stranger, so...
"Who's Patton?" I asked.
"A complication."
"Why did you need coffee when it was almost midnight, anyways?" my reaction was puzzled.
His face hardened. "I help edit videos with my.. Brothers." he stumbled through his sentence.
"On YouTube?"
"The series is called Sanders Sides."
"Wait, Thomas Sanders..?" that rings a bell, my face lightened and I smiled at him.
"Okay, so how does he sound familiar and you...," he struggled for his words again. "I look just like him."
"If I've heard of him it doesn't mean I've seen him, Anxiety." I said flatly.
He stared at me for a solid two seconds, trying to comprehend my expression or read my thoughts. It was chilling. "Where is your friend?" a flash of was it jealousy flickered across his face, but it was barely visible.
"Mm, he's coming back right now." I explained while looking over in Reece's general direction.
Ohhh, boy, I'd like to see what happens here.