The Hidden Truth

Ch.10 Cuddle Bugs

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Once we are all situated on my bed and they're looking at me waiting for me to start whatever I brought them in here for, I start. At the beginning.

"So, as you know my parents are divorced. They got divorced when I was 6. It wasn't for any reason other than the fact that my mom wasn't happy. She didn't love him anymore. In fact she wasn't sure if she really loved him in the first place. My father got sole custody because the court thought he had a more suitable income and home for raising a child. My mother fought many times to get me back. Sadly it didn't work. I had to live with my father. He moved us around so many times for many different reasons sometimes it was because he got a new job or because I was making too many friends." As I say that last part they look even more confused.

I continue, "He blamed me for their divorce. He said that having a child probably put too much pressure on their relationship. As of right now I haven't talked to my mother in 10 years because he wouldn't give me her phone number and I tried to find her number in phone books or any other way and, I can't. I don't even know where she's living." I take a deep breath to prepare myself for this next part.

"When I was about 11, my dad started to hit me. He's not really a drunk or alcoholic at all. He would just hit me." I look at them and their expressions have changed to sadness and Sage's is a mix of sadness and anger.

"He continued to hit me, beat me even. And Marie, the reason why we haven't hung out much after school is because the one day I did, he nearly beat me to death. That's when I really spiraled. When I started self-harming. One time I even tried to kill myself. It didn't work though." Sage and Marie hug me and hold me for a minute.

"There's more," I say sadly. They release me from the hug. I take another deep breath, "The time I hung out with you guys and we went to the diner, when I went home he smashed a beer bottle over my head, took a piece of the shattered glass, and dug it into my cheek. Then he left me there. On the floor, unconscious." I say tearing up. My brain threatening to flashback to that moment.

"Hey, I'm here, don't go back there. You're here in the present. Don't go back there." Sage says as he places his hand on my cheek. I lean my face into his hand. I cry anyways.

"What lead to me calling Sage that night, when he found me on the road and I almost died, was my father had two of his friends over. They were all drinking. My father was mad at me and made the cut that's in my arm. Then he said to his friends 'do whatever you want to her' before he left to get more beer." I shudder and let more tears fall as I say the last part and Sage grabs my hand and holds onto it.

"One of his friends went into the kitchen and the other started walking towards me. He had my fathers knife in his hand. I tried to run but he caught me. He knocked me to the ground. I was lying on my back and he was kneeling over me with the knife to my throat. He started to unbuckle his belt," I stop. I can't say the rest.

"It's okay if you want to stop." Sage says and Marie nods as he wipes more tears off my cheeks. I shake my head.

"I've already gotten this far." I say. "H-he tried to r-rape me, so I tried to hit him and t-that's w-when he c-cut my leg. H-he then held onto my hands a-and continued to u-undo his pants."

"Oh no, Eden!" Marie screams. I look at her and give her a sad smile. Sage tenses and pulls me closer and hugs me.

"I-I couldn't let i-it happen so I brought my knee up as hard as I could and hit him where the sun doesn't shine. H-he rolled off of me so I made a run for it. I limped all the way to where Sage found me." I finish as tears run rapidly down my face. Sage hugs me tighter and Marie wraps her arms around me.