Pure #Wattys2016

- Eleven -

The weekend passed agonizingly slow, my father had been pleased when he came to the basement the day after he beat me with his belt. He released me, ordered me to make him breakfast and then to get out of his way. I complied, obviously and then retreated to my room. I looked in the mirror and seen the dullness in my eyes, the finality that my father had proven without a doubt that he had really hated me, that he didn't care about me at all, and that no matter what happened nothing was going to bring back the once loving and doting father I had remembered. When Monday came around, I did my normal routine, except I put a lot, a lot of foundation on to cover the severity of the new briuse, then made the monster breakfast, and went to school with my head down. The only thing that didn't go according to plan was the fact that I ran into Isaiah and Jeremiah.

"Hey Elehna!" I suddenly heard, my body stiffening. I turned toward's the voice prepared for something to either be thrown at me, or to be pushed, but was both relieved and tense when I realized it was Jeremiah who called out to me, as him and Isaiah made their way over. "How you been?"

I just shrugged my shoulders, instantly regretting it when pain shot through my body. "Fine." I forced a small smile to my face.

I could tell that neither of them believed me, and that they wanted to say something, but they didn't. "Hey we were wanting to know if you wanted to hang out with us after school?" Isaiah said, overly happy.

I stared at him like he was mental, and shook my head. "I can't. I have to be home after school.." I turned back to my locker not wanting to see their face's. I just somehow knew they'd be disappointed, but really it wasn't my problem.

"Come on Elehna. Please..." Isaiah said, pouting. I could hear kids talking in hushed voices around us and I slammed my locker closed. I couldn't have anymore. I couldn't let this continue. I couldn't survive my father's beatings anymore. I wasn't that strong. I wasn't. I felt the tears fall, and ducked my head down, trying to hide them.

"H-hey what's wrong?" Jeremiah whispered, moving closer to me. Normally, I'd back away, but oddly I stood still. "Are you okay?" I could feel Isaiah's presence on the other side of me, it was almost as if they were shielding me from the other student's eyes.

I couldn't speak, once I began to cry I just couldn't seem to stop. I tried, but the tears only seemed to fall harder so I settled for shaking my head. "Come on, we'll get out of here." Isaiah said, slowly pulling me by my arm, but then I realized what he said and jerked my hand away remembering what happened because I ditched school.

"I-I can't. I can't miss school. I can't. I need to make sure my grades stay up and- and my father would kill me if I ditched, again...." I stuttered, sniffing though he didn't know it, I was being dead serious about my father killing me.. I seen as Jeremiah, and Isaiah shared a look as if they were having a silent conversation before Isaiah took hold of my hand again, and smiled.

"I promise, we'll get your work and your father will never know that you ditched." Isaiah assured. I just stared, confused. How could he say that so surely? He must have seen the doubt on my face because he explained. "My uncle is the Principle."

My eyes widened, Mr. Hodgins was their uncle? Woah. I would have never guessed, but then now that I think about it I guess they did have similarities. "O-okay.."

"We'll go to my house, I know that Zachariah has been wanting to see you. But, he was scared he'd messed up the last time.... He feels bad.."

I frowned, I knew I had been to mean, and slapping him had been a bit over the top.. I nodded, "okay." I wanted to see Zachariah and knowing that I was going to do just that, I felt a sudden happy/nervousness that I've never felt before, but I was also scared. I knew today was the day I would end up telling them what exactly was going on, because I just couldn't be strong anymore.