I lay in Jakes bed looking at the new bruises he gave me. It's been going on for a month. Don thinks it's been getting better but she doesn't know I've been faking it. I stare at his ceiling as he walks in with after his shower.
"You can use the shower if you want." He says changing.
"It hurts to get up." I tell him. Maybe he will realize how horrible he is.
"If your a lesbian than you should really man up." He says zipping up his jeans, "I'm going to a party. Leave before I get back or I'll fuck you like the whore you are." He says walking out of his room.
An hour passes and I still feel sore. I've tried rolling over to at least put something on rather than just lying there in my underwear. But I don't have the strength. I look at my phone and know that if I don't start making progress soon it will only get way worse. But there's nothing I can really do. Whenever I try to move my legs shake and I feel the need to throw up. I finally give in and call Don.
Don: "hey what's up?"
Me: "Don... I lied. I'm really really sorry. It hasn't gotten better it's gotten way way worse. I can't get up, I'm at his house, if I don't get up before he's back-"
Don: "shhhh it's okay, just send me his address and I'll be there."
I send her the address and wait for her to get here.
After awhile I hear footsteps and hear Don call out my name.
"Here!" I yell out. Don walks in and freezes at the door. Here eyes trace over every mark on my body. It's taken a lot of make up to hide the choke marks. Don walks over to me and brushes my sweaty hair out of my face.
"You let him do this to you... I let him do this to you..." she says and her eyes begin to water. She grabs my cloths and helps me dress before carrying me to her car. She lays me down in the back and starts to drive off. I can't help but drift off, I'm so exhausted.
I wake up in Dons bed alone. There is Advil on her bedside table and a water with a note telling me to take them. I take two and chug the water before lying back down. Don walks into the room and looks at me concerned.
"I just called the principal. I told him about what Jake did. The photo will be deleted and he might actually be charged with Rape." She explains to me.
"Ugh no one can stop him from sending out that picture." I say.
"I'm afraid of that too Sammy but the torment you will face from homophobes couldn't be nearly as bad as rape." She says.
"It wasn't about that," I say, "everyone in the school already has there suspicions about you and I know how much you hate being noticed." I explain. Don just looks at me. She walks over and sits on the bed.
"Sammy I can handle myself. You have no idea what I've been through. I should have realized how bad it was I just know how personal coming out is." She says putting her face in her hands. I sit up as best as I can and pull her down next to me. She sighs and gives in. She lifts my shirt to get a better look at the bruises.
"I can't believe I wasn't there to help you." She says. She traces over my stomach and with every bruise she touches I hitch my breath.
"You have such a nice figure." She breaks the silence. I laugh while the blush creeps across my face. She lays down next to me and I rest my head on her chest.
After awhile me and Don moved to her indoor pool. I have left over bathing suits from times I've come over. I sit in the hot tub and let the pain wash away as Don tries to fix an old clock on a towel outside of the hot tub.
"You should come in." I tell her.
"I don't like wearing bathing suits." Don says. Besides the time I caught her changing for a split second she never shows off her body. I wish I had more than that small glimpse.
"Than just find some old shorts and an undershirt." I groan. The clock suddenly starts ticking and she smiles. She takes it into a different room. After awhile she comes back with shorts and a tank top. She gets in at the opposite side of the tub and I roll me eyes. I glide over to where she is and she rubs her arms nervously. I lean against her knowing that if I fall asleep she would never let me sink. She puts her arms around me and it seems like just staring out the window and thinking.
After maybe an hour of relaxing there we decide to go dry off. We go to her room and as always she decides to change in the bathroom connected to her room. I change into some of her sweatpants and one of her old baggy tee shirts.
After about twenty minutes Don is still not out of the bathroom. You'd think she would just skip time to change and reappear once she's done. I get up and knock on the door.
"Don are you okay?" I ask. No answer.
"I'm going to come in." I say. No answer again.
I walk in and Don is staring at the mirror with her side facing it. She has what looks like burn marks in the shape of a clock taking up most of her lower back.
"Don?" I call out for her. She whips around just noticing.
"Get out!" She screams and pulls a towel over her. I quickly leave the bathroom and she slams the door behind me. I just sit on her bed and wait.
After a while she steps out of the bathroom with a hoodie on. I just stare at her confused.
"I know... it's disgusting." She says looking at the floor.
"What?" I get up and lift her chin, "you're beautiful Don." I tell her.
"Yeah right, don't pretend you didn't see it." She says to me.
"Well, what exactly was it." I ask. Don sighs and rubs her arm nervously.
"It's a mark. Everyone in my family has it but no one can exactly pin point why. Every new hour the watch hand heals and reburns itself to math the time. It kills like a bitch." She explains. I take a moment to process before saying anything again.
"Is this why you wanted to take things slow?" I ask her. She nods guiltily. "Don, every part of you is gorgeous. No matter what marks you have on your body I still want to stare at it and take it all in everyday." I say. Don meets my eyes.
"Really?" She says quietly.
"Of course, you are beautiful." I say. Don smiles and hugs me. I don't expect it and I jerk away scared.
"Oh, I'm sorry I forgot-"
"No, no it's okay. I just... I just wanna lie down." I say and I head back over to the bed. Don lays down next to me but stays a good distance. I don't know what came over me but I just need to not be touched right now.
I walk into school looking around for Don when I get shoved down. I look up to see Rachel standing there angrily.
"You're gay!" She yells.
"Rachel?" I say confused.
"Omg I changed in front of you! You're such a creep!" She says storming away. Everyone looking at me and I flip them all off.
"Fuck off and mind you're own business." I yell. Jess spots me from afar and runs over.
"Sam I'm so sorry! Jake is such a jerk." She says. I sigh and she gives me a hug. We start walking into the school and I try to ignore the stares.
We have been sitting silently in the library for awhile in hopes that no one finds us.
"So... how are things with you and Don." She asks me.
"They are good. The whole Jake thing was a little rough but we are still strong." I say.
"Speak of the devil." Jess says looking over at Don running in the library towards me. She grabs my hands looking over me frantically.
"Are you okay? I heard you got shoved. What happened. Are you hurt?" She searches my face for answers.
"I'm fine Don." I tell her. She sighs in relief and that when I hear Jess's high pitched squealing. We both turn to her.
"You two are so cute!" She yells. I roll my eyes and Dons face turns red and she nervously laughs, "like seriously. Don cares don't much about you and it's adorable!" Jess continues. I sigh and lean back in the bean bag chair. Don pulls up a chair next to me and holds my hand and Jess babbles on about how she wished she had a boyfriend as nice and considerate as Don. The whole time Don is embarrassed and honestly it's really cute.
Me and Don decided to go behind the school for lunch instead of having to deal with anyone. Right now Don is sitting against a tree with my head in her lap. She's reading some book as I braid some grass with flowers I found. It's so peaceful outside and Don looks super cute when she puts on her reading glasses. Until a few weeks ago I had no idea she had reading glasses. I can hear the town bell ringing in the distance to signify that it's noon. Don moves uncomfortably and I remember the burns. I open my bag and find a water bottle.
"Lie down on your stomach." I direct Don.
"What?" She says.
"Just do it." I tell her. She repositions herself so she is on her stomach and I pull up her shirt. I can see the new burn forming and small blood patches opening around it. I take my water bottle and wet an old tee shirt left over in my bag. I use it to wipe the blood away. Don groans so I try to be more gentle. I pour a little water on the bruise and Don sighs in relief. After a little while her burn stops bleeding and she sits back up. She looks at me and smiles. I lean my head against her and she pulls me in her lap while resting against the tree again. Don puts down her book and takes a pocket watch out of her bag as well as some tools. I watch her go to work mesmerized. After about ten minutes Don gets the clock to tick again. She smiles and puts it back in her bag.
"You ready to go to class?" I ask while turning around in her lap so I'm facing her. She puts her hands on my hips to hold me up.
"But I don't want to go to class." She says to me. I smile and kiss her cheek before getting up. She groans and starts to get up as well.
I walk into my art class and sit down at a desk in the corner. It's early so not many people are here yet. I have this class with Rachel and Charli and I already know how Rachel feels about me. I just hope Charli doesn't get violent as well.
After a little while Charli and Rachel walk in talking. Charli looks over at me and smiles. My brows furrow as she starts to walk over. Rachel grabs her arm.
"What are you doing? She's a fag." Rachel says to Charli.
"Why does that matter." Charli says pulling her arm away from Rachel. She walks over and sits next to me. I smile and she just takes out her art supplies. Maybe this won't be so bad.