In The Last Days

The Pain.

She hissed as the hot water ran down the length of her back. The bruises looked red and angry but like every other bruise she'd sustained, she told herself she'd heal.

The blotches also continued down her arms and legs.

She wrapped her arms around herself, feeling small. Her chest heaved slightly faster and tiny sobs started erupting from her mouth.

Why? Why her?

Last night, she'd been afraid to come home and she'd been right to be afraid.

"Marcus." The name tasted like bile in her mouth.

Monster, she thought.

All she could hear was his demeaning laughter as she fell headfirst down the huge flight of stairs.

She winced as she remembered how her body was being scraped by wood as she fell.

How could one person be so vile and wicked? What did she ever do to him?
She'd begged him endlessly but it'd fallen on deaf ears.

"Rose, breakfast's ready!" Her mother called from downstairs.

Her mother didn't know any better and it sucked.

He was her mother's boyfriend and she wasn't aware of what he was making her go through in her own home.

Rose washed her face and quickly wrapped a towel around herself.

She stepped out of the shower.
"Coming mum!" She shouted back. If she didn't respond she'd come up and she didn't want her to for obvious reasons.

She wore her clothes wincing as she did so and put on the little make-up she owned to hide the bruises.

With months of practice, she'd become good enough to hide them well, but she couldn't hide the cut on her still slightly bust brow.

She wore her converse, got her bag, and began walking down the stairs. Every step she took made her sore bones ache.

She glanced by her side of the wall and what she saw brought tears to her eyes. She quickly looked away from the picture and kept walking.

Her father had died two years ago, and she wasn't over it and didn't think she'd ever get over it.

She wasn't afraid to walk down the stairs that morning because the monster was gone.

She sighed in complete relief when she didn't see his car in the driveway, which was odd, but she wasn't complaining.

"Honey, what happened to your brow?" Her mother asked while she rounded up her cooking.

"I wasn't watching where I was going." Rose quickly said. Her mum only nodded and continued with the food. Typically.

"How was school?" The food was spaghetti and meatballs. She wasn't hungry but she ate it anyway.

"Fine." This was how it always worked. Her mother would always ask about what happened yesterday in school the next day since she was never really home when she gets back.

Rose always wondered why she chose to only work at night but she knew it had something to do with Dad dying.

Marcus would stay with her during the day until she left in the evening for work.

She was tired of it.

"It's not like you care anyway." Rose finally responded. Her mother sighed.

"Honey-" She didn't stop.

"Don't, and why is he still here?" Rose dropped her fork and it clanked with the silverware.

She was talking about Marcus. Her mother never notices her bruises and when she did she'd always lie about it and her mum would always eat the lie right up.

She never asks any more questions.

"I don't want him here." Her voice cracked at the end and the façade she was holding up was slowly breaking.

"Well, he isn't leaving." She caught the tear that wanted to fall before her mother saw.

"Why?" She asked in a pained whisper.

"Ever since your dad died, I had no one." Her mother said absentmindedly as she cleared the pantry.

What about me?! Rose wanted to scream.

"He stays, he's here to fill the gap." Her mother said absent-mindedly.

Rose gasped, shocked. Her mother's eyes widened as well realizing what she'd say.

"Rose, I didn't mean-" Rose cuts her off.

"He'll never, be my dad." She chocked.

She got off the chair and ran out, crying.

          ~~~*~~~~*••••••••*~~~~*~~~

Class was long like every other day. The first period was Geography. The teacher was going on and on about latitudes and longitudes.

Honestly, she had no problem with geography. 'A's always.

"The world is spherical in shape not round, obviously and.... " Mr. Pipe continued.

The class went by in a blur and it was over before she knew. Soon she was back in the hallways. She walked down the hall to her locker.

Biology was next and you didn't want to get on Mrs. Stone's bad side. Everyone knew how time conscious she was.

You could get detention for being a second late. It happened to her once. True story.

Rose reached her locker looking left and right for a certain redhead. After yesternight's encounter, no one had to tell her before she knew she needed to stay under the radar from now on.

Terrified of being caught, she quickly got her books out and closed her locker.

She let out a scream. Her eyes widened in horror.

"Hello, baby doll." Joe greeted smirking, leaning against the locker.

When did he get here?

His dark green eyes bore holes in her already pounding scull.

She wasn't ready for this, especially after what happened that morning with her mum.

And she remembered what happened the last time they met. She clutched her book tighter to herself.

"L-look I'm sorry about yesterday. I didn't mean to run." She said fidgeting from one foot to the other.

He let out a sound, nodding in thought.

"But you did."

He moved closer. Her heart was about to fly out of her chest in fright, his dark eyes did nothing to alleviate her fears whatsoever.

She could feel her heart pounding and her legs shaking.

"I'm sorry." She stammered out. He chuckled. His goons were around him now and chuckled along.

"I will make you sorry." Her blood ran cold at those words. He leaned closer and made sure she was the only one who heard.

"You think you were smart to run away? You could have gotten us in big trouble, Rosie, you're the one in trouble now."

He leaned back and smirked, the fear was as clear as day and he relished it. She took a shaky step back and tripped.

He laughed along with the small crowd that had gathered. She quickly packed her things and ran for the hills.

"Be careful babydoll, I've got my eye on you." He said. She gulped.

How I get out of this?

"It is on!" Joe screamed as she ran.

Read on :)

Taiwolilly.