Despite The Flaws

SEVEN- When The Party Is Over

TW: Talks about abuse

When Maddow had gotten into bed, Hazel began to read to him from "Beauty and The Beast." They'd been working their way through what it seemed like a lasting chapter, but Maddow was exhausted from pre-K and drifted off before his grandmother could finish the longish chapter.

Hazel closed the book and sat it to the side on the soft green carpet, and turned out the light and turned the nightlight on. Maddow's eyes fluttered and he spoke softly. "Granny?"

"Yes sweetie?" She asked. Her tone was kind and loving. She placed Maddow's doll next to him and smiled.

"Is Mommy coming home soon?" Maddow asked and snugged up with his doll.

"Soon, Madd. I love you, get some rest"

"Tell her to come in and kiss me?"

"I will. Goodnight," Hazel knew his mother wouldn't come home...yet. She would had to give Maddow a second kiss.

+++
Morning. 9am
Maddow slumber was rudely awoken by his father's voice. His loud screaming and slight screaming from his granny. He couldn't understand what they were bickering at. He automatically brought his hands to his ears and closed his eyes.

"Bad dreams, bad dreams go away," he murmured under his breath. He uncovered his ears and walked out to help his granny. He just had to see what' was going on. The screaming and crying situation. He glanced down to see his grandmother laying on the kitchen floor with one hand covering her not so good eye.

"Oh Maddow," she said trying to brave. "You don't need to see me like this. Granny will be alright."

He rushed to her side and laid on the floor next to her. "Did Daddy do this?" He spoke softly and pointed to her eye.

She nodded. "Yes sweetie. He likes to take his anger out on the ones who he calls family. He has his good days and loves you. Please remember this; you are an angel and will always be loved. Don't let him make you so small."

Maddow placed a kiss on her forehead and stood by her side from that moment forward.

Maddow sat up close in English; black ballpoint pen in his left hand and worksheet notebook in the other. He used to sat behind Jaxon and next to Carter. Not today. He needed a change in route and focus his eyes on the protector above, shining notes that was needed to be wrote on paper to study for the finals.

When the teacher began his lesson, Maddow knew he was going to ask a few students to answer some questions. He could tell by the look in the teacher's eyes that what he wanted. He just knew and he for one didn't want to stand up in a class cluster with twenty students staring straight at him, all eyes on him. The teacher came up towards him and bent down whispering how he wanted to see him after class.

After the bell rang, the teacher gave him a worry look. "Are you alright? You usually sit near Carter and and behind Jaxon. There was no psychical fight, right?"

Maddow shook his head. "No sir. Just needed a change in route."

In the doorway stood Carter with hurt in his piercing green eyes. One hand leaning against the door and the other held his belongings. "Maddow you need to come see this!"

Maddow followed him into the hall and witnessed what he had to see. In the hallway stood around hundreds students, eyes watching him and then the copies of pictures hung on each locker. He glanced at the pictures. The pictures were him; some on Freak in a red sharpie across the picture and some had Obsessor. The picture was of him at a small Halloween party: dressed up in an everyday outfit with a skirt and a doll in his hand. This nonsense picture announced who they'd always think about him and brings out the bullies in others.