Atlas Grove, once a dancer with dreams of dancing under the stars, now lives petrified in the shadows of abuse. To escape her living nightmare she must keep her head down and work hard, being her senior year this is her last chance to get out. Altho...
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It's been a week of constant crying and pain. I couldn't make it to school for a week because every time I moved an inch something yelped out in pain.
My dad had been drinking all weekend and when he has alcohol in his system it's ten times worse than usual. Every punch has double force, every kick leaves a deep bruise and every scar was me being thrown into something or something thrown at me. I'm sure I've got a few bald spots from the hair-pulling and swinging.
It's not his fault, I know he misses his daughter and I hadn't been to get the groceries again, he asked in the morning but I had been working all day and forgotten- that was on me.
I just keep hearing his shouts and my chortled screams.
I've spent the last week staring at the ceiling, wishing to be anywhere else at all, I even tortured myself more by looking at old dance shoes and pictures.
I'm even sat on the studio floor right now, I didn't want to brave the cafeteria, I just want to be alone. I love having friends but I don't want to put a dampener on their mood, they already know somethings up from the classes we've had today, it's my first day back and I'm distant- so distant.
I look in the mirror, running my hands across the floor, I've used layers and layers of makeup to try and hide the retched marks on my face and neck but looking at myself I can see how tired and drained my face looks.
My eyes dart to the barre and I mentally curse myself.
Just get up and dance!
You're the only one stopping yourself.
Let go, you can do it.
What happened shouldn't affect your talent.
I can hear my mommas voice in the back of my head, if she were here she'd be forcing me up and making me dance.
God momma I miss you, I need you. Where ever you are please help me. I don't want to live like this anymore. It hurts momma, it hurts!
Silent tears slip down my face as I bring my cheeks into my knees, how much longer can I do this?
"What are you hiding Blondie?" The husky voice at the door scares the life out of me, I look in the mirror to find Blaze hovering at the back of the studio.
"What do you mean?" I mumble wiping my face, being careful not to smudge any cover-up make up. I'm still kind of upset with Blaze, he scared me slightly in the library. I just wanted to help.
"Last week, I went to your house."
OH, CRAP.
Blaze struts across the hall and places himself down on the floor beside me, he sucks on his lower lip but I refuse to meet his eyes, ' But when I knocked on 'your door' a woman told me Atlas had never lived there, nor next door nor anywhere in the entire street actually. So what are you hiding Grove."
