The Phlebotomy Professor (Teacher x Student || Intersex)

26.

Unedited.

Tw: Mentions of SH.

Novalie:

"Baby, please open the door.." Sage called from outside of my bedroom door for the tenth time. I continued to ignore her, my tears streaming down my face uncontrollably. I couldn't believe Claire said that to me. It felt worse than any pain I've ever felt in the world.

Even worse than the day mom left us for dead.

I've been busting my ass day and night to take care of her. I made sure we had food and a roof over our head no matter the circumstance. Just for her to say that I'm not her mom?

I suddenly grew angry, stuffing my face into the pillow and screaming until my throat was raw. Sage fell silent and I just continued to scream, punching the mattress wishing it was my mother's face for ruining my youth.

The door swung open and I looked up, flipping my hair out of my face as I glared up at both Sage and Claire. My breathing was heavy as we all stared at each other.

"Get out."

"Novie I'm so sorry. I didn't mean it." Claire sobbed but I shook my head as I glared up at her with a look that made her eyes widen.

"I don't think you understand the depths I go through to take care of you. I promised I would never be the type to rub it in your face. But those words you just said? Broke me. It broke me, Claire-Leann. You are fifteen years old. You know what comes out of your mouth. So you meant it. You may not think so, but something deep inside meant it. I know you miss your real mother, but reality is she's not coming back. She never will. I stepped up to take care of you-"

"Novalie, enough-"

"No! She needs to hear this! She needs to get a goddamn reality check the same way she just gave me one, Sage! You've known me for almost two months and physically saw the degradation and exhaustion. And she has the nerve! I give you everything that you want! Not what you need. Want! When I didn't have to. But I did, why? Because I didn't want you to have the childhood that I had. You think our mom was some fucking Angel?! That's what your mind convinced you.

Do you know how much throw up I had to clean up almost every night? The amount of times I had to make sure I didn't have HIV from all the needles that were laying around the house even before you were born?! The many times I had to clean up blood from her oozing wounds?! Huh?!" I wailed as I looked between them. Sage had tears streaming down her face as she shook her head while Claire just sobbed while staring at me with her hands covering her mouth.

"No! You don't! Because I spent my entire life..not just eight years.. my entire fucking life making sure you didn't have to see any of it. Do you know at seven years old I got caught shop lifting formula cans for you?! Because mom was too doped up to feed you?! They only let me go because no one ever showed up to get me. I can go on all fucking night. But I'm not your mother, right?! I don't ever want to hear those fùcking words come out of your mouth again. Ever."

They both stared at me in absolute shock and hurt as I panted, the tears still streaming uncontrollably down my face. Sage looked absolutely petrified and I know it's because she's never heard or seen this side of me before.

Then again no one has. I was always so busy putting up a strong front.

"Novie, I-I don't even know what to say..I'm so sorry, please forgive me. I really didn't mean it. I was just mad because you caught me doing something I wasn't supposed to and I didn't want you to be sad or mad at me. Please..I love you and I'm so grateful for everything that you do for me, even the things I don't know about. I'm so sorry." Claire sobbed as she walked over and wrapped herself around me. I didn't hug her back, feeling drained as I stared down at the floor as my tears started to dry. I listened to the young girl sob into my shoulder and I swallowed hard as I slowly wrapped my arms around her.

"I just...you can't say certain things out of anger. You really can't."

"I know, I'm sorry. I'm sorry."

Sage stayed quiet as her eyes met mine. She looked sad and it caused me to feel bad. I didn't want to explode the way that I did, but some things are unavoidable when certain buttons are pressed.

"Let me see your arm."

She pulled back before swallowing hard as she sat down next to me on the bed. She slowly lifted her her sweater, the silver scars on her arm plastered against her skin. I looked up at her with furrowed brows as the tears welled in my eyes.

"W-why?"

"I don't know..I don't know I just..I'm having a hard time at school but I didn't want to tell you and today was really bad, Novie." Claire sobbed and I pulled her into my chest before looking at Sage who slowly walked over and sat down next to Claire, wrapping her arms around both of us.

"Tell us what happened, Claire." Sage breathed. Claire sniffed and pulled back before looking down at her hands.

"So..um..I quit the cheer squad because I'm the only dark skinned girl. They've been putting me in the back during practice all the time and today I finally asked why and..they said it's because they don't want someone as burnt as me being in the front. Everyone was laughing even this boy that I liked that's on the basketball team. But not anymore now that I know he's just as much of a jerk as everyone else." She sobbed and I grew angry as I looked at Sage who had a terrible frown on her face.

"Look at me. Look at me." I breathed as I pulled Claire's face up by her chin. I analyzed her face, her sad eyes melting into mine.

"You are beautiful just the way that you are. It doesn't matter what anyone thinks. You have the skin type of the most powerful people on this earth. They're just jealous, and they'll continue to be. Don't you ever keep anything like that from me again. And don't ever think that resorting to hurting yourself is the answer because it isn't. Trust me."

See you next weekend.