We All Have Our Scars

Chapter 3 - Don't lie

~~Lyle's P.O.V.~~

It was taking Mew forever. I started to worry that she was barfing up last weeks lunch. Pizza. I wonder if it tastes as good coming back up...probably not.

I was about to get the teachers attention when I saw her walk in. She was staring at the ground for some reason. I hope everything was okay, because it didn't seem like anything was okay.

"Mew? Are you okay?" I asked, sounding more protective than I really wanted to.

"Yeah." She mumbled as she sat down, then tensed when the door opened and Francis walked in.

When did he leave? I was already starting to get suspicions. "Mew. Look at me."

She lifted her head and I saw that she had a black eye and a bloody lip. "It's nothing." She uttered under her breath.

"Mewlyn, who did this? Don't lie, was it Hailey? Francis?" I was starting to get pissed off, I could not stand them. I swear, if they hurt her-deep breath Lyle, deep breath. I needed to calm down, I was a bit overprotective of her.

~~Mew's P.O.V.~~

I didn't want to tell him about Francis and Hailey beating me up, him getting in the middle of it was the last thing I wanted to happen. I don't really care that Keegan knows, because he dropped out and he's turning 20 soon, so there's nothing he could do.

"Mewlyn." I heard Lyle say, more of a demand. "What the hell happened?? Here, I'll just check you to make sure nothing else got hurt." He reached for my arm.

I jerked my arms back, "N-no! I'm fine, Lyle." I accidentally stuttered, that wasn't normal.

He became even more serious. Oh god. He's gonna know. He's gonna know. I started getting really nervous, but lucky for me; I was good at hiding emotions.

"Fine? Mew, you've been beat up. Why won't you let me see your arms?" He became more serious. "Mewlyn Jones." He spoke in a slightly hushed whisper. "What. Is. Going. On?"

〜〜〜

I ran home to avoid anyone, I barely avoided Lyle. I had to lie and say that I was getting cold, so I didn't want him to roll up my sleeves. Surprisingly enough; he bought it. He just thinks I have a stomach virus. I guess that means I'll get to stay home from school, but I'll have to deal with him coming over to check on me...I'll just wear a sweater and complain that I'm cold. It is cold outside, that should give me something to go to if he asks why.

"Mew! Wait!" Lyle called out to me from behind.

God, no. I slowed down and let home catch up, "Yeah?"

"I wanna walk with you, I need to talk to Keegan anyways." He slowed to a walking pace.

"Okay, he might be asleep." I stayed with his pace.

"Why has he been sleeping in so much?"

I shrugged, I couldn't tell him about Keegan drinking. I mean, he didn't heavily drink. He didn't want to do nothing majorly stupid, but it was enough to get him drunk and a hangover in the morning. "Probably just tired, I'm sure he stays up late. Having dropped out and everything."

"Yeah, why did he drop out anyways?"

Because he's stressed out and getting drunk all the time. "I don't know, he may have wanted to be more of a parent role. I'm not sure."

"Alright." He laughed quietly, "That doesn't sound like him, but okay."

〜〜～

~~Keegan's P.O.V.~~

I woke up hearing Mew come home from school, my hangover wasn't as bad as it was when I first woke up. I guess I should make an appearance. I looked around. Shit. There were a few beer bottles, in which I had, on the ground. I should probably clean first. I pulled myself up, having rolled out of bed onto my bean bags. My back ached, I guess bean bags aren't the best bed. I cleaned up and put the bottles in a trash bag, then threw a pile of clothes onto the small refrigerator I have in my room. It was full of beer and a few sodas, just in case Lyle decided he wanted a soda from it. That is, if he ever found out about it. You can never be so sure, so I'm just preparing.

"Keegan?" I heard Lyle say, then knock on the door. "I'm coming in, so prepare yourself if you have a lady in there."

I sat on my bed, "Ha. Ha. Ha. You're sooooo funny."

He laughed and sat beside me, "Dude, I think Mew's getting sick."

"Am not!" Mew called from her room, she could hear practically everything with those fox senses of hers.

Lyle just rolled his eyes, "She was cold this morning, and wouldn't let me roll up her sleeves to make sure she was okay."

"She's always cold, and why wouldn't she be okay?"

"She got beat up by Francis and Hailey."

I sighed, I want Mew to defend herself. But she's all caught up in thinking she deserves it. I'd help, but therapy just makes it worse and she won't tell me anything. To be honest, she is kinda the reason I started drinking. Sorta. When my parents, her step-parents, were killed, that's when I took up drinking. Only after I got a job at a bar and Harley's liquor store. I guess it was kind of influenced.

"Awehhhh!" I heard Lyle squeal like a little girl. I noticed a fennec fox, better known as Mew, had ran in to distract him. He doesn't know anything about her 'special abilities'. And that's how it's going to stay; until they get married, that is.

"Oh hey, Misty." I greeted Mew with her fake name. She barked and hopped onto the bed.

Lyle petted her, making her purr. "She's so cute...does Mew know about her?"

"Obviously, she does live here. Doesn't she?"

He paused then laughed quietly, "Touché."

"That wasn't the best time to use that term, Lyle." I laughed.

"Oh well." He laughed, "It makes me sound sophisticated."

"Don't you have homework to do? Considering you're the nerd of the school."

"Yeah, but a muscular nerd." He flexed. I have to admit, he did have some awesome muscles. Not as awesome as mine though.

"That's nothing." I flexed.

~~Mew's P.O.V.~~

I had run into the room to change the subject, I didn't like them talking about it. Lyle always swooned over me in fox form. But he knew me as Misty. Not Mew. Which kinds sucked, but I knew it was for the best. The eventually got into one of their little fake fights. Being the stupid dog I was playing, I started barking. Over and over, eventually it got boring so I ran off and back into my room. I shifted to human form and closed the door. Finally the day was slowing down. I sat on my bed, thinking of what had happened earlier. Francis and Hailey wouldn't have bothered me that much, if they hadn't started calling me these names that, I don't know why, bugged me. It consisted of the words, "Emo, slut, whore, bitch, or brat." Although the last one didn't bother me much, the rest kinda did. I had always been confident with my body, wearing shorts and tank tops. I helped Hailey to stop being insecure. Then the rumors went around and she turned against me, using my confidence against me. Eventually I started getting picked on about my thunder thighs, I couldn't help it though. It mainly consisted of muscles, if I let them fall loose, then they'd be fat. I'd work out, muscle again. It would become a cycle. I just feel hopeless.