THE BRIGHTSIDE

18 ( EDITED)

2:32 PM

Esmari woke up from her dream that she couldn't stop thinking about, as she tried getting up she hissed  from her wounds that sa'teia created.

looking at the sky, esmari thought it was the afternoon as she doesn't have an device or clock to check the time.

esmari eyes were slowly closing, she couldn't sleep all night after grabbing a sharp peice of glass from the shattered glass plate.

her eyes were still red after crying all night, she would go through this mostly every night mainly because of wha she goes through at home.

sa'teia had some sort of hate towards esmari, although her plan was to take esmari away for her to stay with javon

she was angry at the fact that esmari was sa'niyah's child, she was angry at her younger sister secretly sleeping around with her boyfriend, which is why she puts all her anger on esmari.

little did she know javon forced himself into sa'niyah, without her consent.

Esmari got up and walked to the bathroom to take a shower and wash her face, she turn the hot tap on as she liked her showers hot however, her wounds began to feel sore.

after she was done she wrapped herself around a towel, she then brushed her teeth, looking at self in the mirror m, she saw a few bruises on her face.

she sighed while blinking her eyes a few times to stop herself from crying, she walked out her room and went inside sa'teia and dad's room to look for foundation to cover her face.

she found sa'teia's makeup items on her vanity and used her foundation, it was a few shade lighter then her natural skin tone but it was better than nothing.

she applied the foundation onto the sponge, then dabbed aunder her eye, and neck to cover the stratch marks.

after she was done, she left the room and went back to her room to change as she was planning to go out, when both her parents are not home, so she uses the time to walk outside, which calms her.

she grabs her favourite book, wears her crocs and leaves, she goes to the park that was a bit far but takes the bus to save time.

that was the only park she goes to, and only public area she does go to, esmari had a feeling like she somewhat knew the place and felt connected with it.

few moments later she arrives and walks pass the basketball courts that was very close to the park. she sat down on the bench and reads her book.

after reading a few chapters she felt a basketball leaning against her leg. she then looks up to see a tall  lightskin guy with his hair tied up in a bun and was shirtless.

"mind passing the ball?" he spoke deeply yet lowly while pointing at the ball that was next to esmari.

she looked down picking up the ball, and bounced it back to him, they both made eye contact before esmari looked back on her book.

as esmari heard his footsteps, she slowly looked back up seeing him run back to the basketball courts. esmari couldn't keep her eyes off him, she watched him played for a while, she thought he looked good when he plays.

moments later as they all finished playing, she looked back on her book and continued reading, she than heard footsteps coming her way, but she still had her eyes on her book.

"yo aint da shawty from da markets?" she heard one of the voices but still had her head down.

"watchu reading" he mumbled snatching esmari's book from her hand. She looked at them and notice it was the boys from the shops and she groans. "give it back" she stood up and tried taking her book but he pushed her arm away.

"where you manners?"

"I'm not saying please, you snatched it away from me and it's mine" esmari spoke feeling irritated and most of them laughed, except for one who picked up the ball from her.

"bro we gotta go jus leave ha alone" he spoke pushing him back and grabbing the book and giving it back to esmari.

the other guy sucked his teeth and they all walked away.

esmari stood in the middle of the path while holding her tears, she was tired and drained of this one particular boy picking on her everytime.

-

5:04 PM

esmari open the door with her keys and was frighten seeing sa'teia sitting in the living room and heard someone in the kitchen guesssing it was her dad.

"good afternoon" she mumbled walking pass her.

"come here"

"is that my makeup your wearing?"

"..yes ma'am, I had to cover my bruises"

"don't ever got through my stuff you understand?" sa'teia said stirnly as she grabs her wrist firmly, making esmari whince at the pain as they were freshly cuts on her wrist.

sa'teia quickly let go of her as she heard javon's footsteps. "wassup mari " javon said to esmari and she smiled walking to him and hugged him.

"dinner almost ready ight?"
he looked at her and walked back to the kitchen. "I can come and help" esmari said walking to the kitchen, she wanted to stay away from sa'teia.

"grab the tomato paste from the fridge"

"okay!" she happily walked to the fridge doing what she was told.

"watchu do today?"

"I went to the park and read my book"

"did teia take you?"

"no.. I went there by myself"

"ight... what happen to yo face?"

"uhhh- I tripped and hit the pole while I was at the park"

"you not lying to me right?"

"no I'm not I really did hit my face on the pole, it doesn't hurt tho so I'm fine" esmari spoke avoiding eye contact, she knew that if she told her dad what happen sa'teia would hunt her down. javon eyed her and looked back on the pot while stirring the stew.

"dad.."

"yeah?"

"um- nevermind, I fogort what I was going to say" esmari looked at him then back down while fiddling her fingers, javon looked at her and chuckled.

she wanted to ask him question for a while, but thought her dad would never give her the answer, which is why she thought of finding the answers herself.

short chapter🙃

TBC

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sorry for spelling mistakes!!!