I'm not okay

Book 2 chapter 25

Alessia's POV.

"The day after I was planning to avoid her but sh-she- ....I had to go to the bathroom during class so I told miss. Smith and she said I could go but someone needed to help me get there since-..since I just had surgery for if I were to fa-fall... Anna said she would go. She grabbed my wrist-" I start as I trace of the finger nails in my arm.

"It's okay baby- just take some deep breaths" Leo calls out softly from across the diner table.

"- she asked me if I-..if I told anyone...I told her that I didn't and she said I had to give her the money again. I said no- that it was mine.. "

"What did she say?" Ace asks

"Please give every detail- everything she said, it's important" Cye says softly.

I nod my head and start talking again as I wipe some tears off of my face, "she asked me who I thought I was and I s-said the same thing back to her. I told her that I don't owe her anything. I never had and I never will. After that I walked away. But she ran after me and pulled my hair as she kicked me..-" I start wiping the tears aggressively off of my face so Ace just gently takes my hands into his.

"Just breathe and continue Al"

"D-do I have to?" I whimper out.

"Yeah I'm sorry Al but it's important"

I take another few deep breaths, "I-..I asked her what she was doing" I tell them as flashes from that event start to appear in my head like a movie replaying itself.

"S-she told me I was going to give her my money. I- I told her that I wasn't and I asked her how many times I was going to have to tell her that again. She punched me a-again-" I whimper, "so I-..I punched her back out of instinct I swear. I really didn't mean to hurt her. I know it's bad- it's really bad but I.. it was an accident. I regretted it the second I d-" my breathing starts to pick up.

"Stop-" Nono cuts me off, "we know- we believe you. We know why you punched her." He says softly while kissing the top of my head.

"Can you continue or do you need a break?" Cye asks me softly.

"Rather now- I don't ever want to thin-think about it again" I tell him as more tears leave my eyes.

"I-..I told her sorry and that I didn't mean to hurt her. After that she just hu-hurt me for a long time.. and I didn't stop her. Some time passed and when she stops she told me that I was go-going to give her my money and I a-agreed. She helped me get up before...she suddenly hit herself in the nose...she laid down and started screaming and crying. She told the teachers that I hurt her when they came out of their classrooms because of her crying.-" I sob whimpering.

"- the principal called Dominic and he didn't try to hear me out... this week in school- while I wasn't allowed to see my classmates and friends. A-Anna did come- daily...she h-hurt me and took my money for food" I finish as some more weight from on my chest disappears but the sadness all comes crashing down on me.

"Why didn't you tell us?" Leo asks sadly, "we could've helped you"

"A-at first it was b-because I just really wanted to go to school since I hated being in E-Enzo's house and not having Dominic a-around anymore and I knew that i-if I told you..you'd have taken me o-out if school again and I didn't want that. But then she did it again so I-..I wanted to tell you I swear b-but Dominic he- he stopped me from talk-talking to you and I just.." I stop as I start full on sobbing.

"Shh it's okay munchkin, you'll be okay. It's over now- it's over." Nono softly smiles- trying to comfort me as I break down in his arms.

A few minutes go by where Nono keeps holding me tightly as I cry my heart out.

"I'm sorry" I whimper out as the tears start to slowly come to a stop.

"It's alright munchkin- you're alright. Let's eat something yeah?" Nono reassures me.

"O-okay" I sniff

Slowly but surely everyone starts eating like my meltdown didn't just happen.

— — — —

Ace and Silas are currently putting the dishes in the dishwasher while I'm throwing the garbage away.

Nono is cleaning the table with a cloth while Leo and Ash make their way to the living room.

When we're all done we start to make our way to the living room as well when Nono suddenly stops me.

"Munchkin, I need to check out your injuries" Nono tells me softly making me stop in my tracks.

"D-..do you have to ?" I ask him.

"Yeah- I need to make sure nothing too serious is going on with your injuries" he says softly.

"I-..okay"

Slowly we make our way to the kitchen once more where he instructs me to sit down on the counter.

I do as he says before I take of my hoodie leaving me in my T-shirt showing my arm covered bruises.