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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Coming back to school after you've been off sick always feels weird right? It feels like even though I've only been gone for a week everything has changed... well... I suppose it has.
I've spent the last week settling into my new living situation and even more time pinching myself this isn't real- I still can't believe that I'm free from them and that household. I know theirs still a long way to go but I'm less afraid of it, especially with Blaze beside me. Since the night I told them about everything Blaze has spent every minute he can trying to do something to help me settle in and cheer me up. He's helping me catch up on work and he barely protested when I made him watch all the Marvel films in order and several seasons of Dance Mom, in fact, I think he now secretly likes them both. It's felt easy being around him, I thought it would be awkward... especially after the near kiss which we are expertly avoiding talking about- which I don't mind- but it's not, it feels weirdly normal and I love that they've all taken me in and treated me like I'm one of them. Gemma was over the fricking moon when she found out and I've been helping her with her ballet every day.
But now it's back to reality and that was more than evident from the looks I got when Blaze helped me out of his car this morning, the girls turned with bitchy scowls and the guy's mouths dropped slightly. I can imagine what they all think, I mean, why else would Blaze bring a girl to school in the morning? However, I think the glares he handed out as we passed our fellow students was enough to make them shed their skin. If I wasn't so red-cheeked I probably would have laughed.
But that's not the worst thing I'll have to face today... I've been avoiding my friends the whole day, trying to put off talking to them about the inevitable. They'll want answers and I don't blame them. I blocked them and completely dropped off the radar. Blaze went back to school about a week ago but Helen thought it would be best to give my body time to heal, which it has- the bruises are still there but my ribs aren't as sore- and he's been super secretive, he hasn't even told them he's spoken to me, he understands it's my story to tell and wants to give me that time.
"You okay?" I jump at the sound of Blaze's voice, pulling my head out of my locker, I nod with the biggest smile I can muster but obviously, he sees straight through it, "It'll be fine, they'll understand just remember it's when you feel ready, go at your own pace and don't let them pressure you okay?" He wraps an arm around my shoulder and pulls me in the direction of the cafeteria.
"They're not like that." I protest, I know they're not going to pressure me into anything.
"I know but they've been crazy worried about you Blondie." He says, a pang of guilt ripples through me. I know blocking them sounded crazy but it was the most logical thing for me at the time, push them as far as I can and run. He sees my contorted face and stops, swinging me round to face him by my shoulders, "Stop worrying. They're going to understand. I think they're just going to be happy to see you over everything. If you want out. Just say." He raises his eyebrows and I nod again, he's right-always fricking right.
