The Bruises She Hides

Chapter 8

Dani's POV

I wake up feeling sore. My head is throbbing from being with Edgar last night. I tried to push him of me but instead he grabbed me by the hair and slammed me against the wall. At least that bruise can be covered with hair unlike the other ones.

Since Fin is working today and I would never get into a car alone and willingly with Edgar it looks like I'll have to walk to school.

Hearing Alan's soft snores coming from downstairs calms me as I silently make my way out of the house. I do my best to ignore the throbbing of my overly sore body and try to focus on the fresh air around me. Try being the key word here.

Just as I'm about to enter the school gates I see Fin's jeep pull in so I wait for him at the gates. "Hey Fin," I say and am greeted with a cold stare. I internally flinch thinking about all the cold stares I have received in my life. "Is everything okay?" I ask softly.

Fin scoffs "is everything okay, is everything bloody okay. Now tell me Dani what were you doing last night?" The words come out of his mouth so venomously, it scares me.

"I was studying with Edgar," not to forget I was also being you know raped and abused but you don't need to know that.

"Really, studying?" he says putting quotation marks around the word studying. "What were we supposed to be doing," he questions and that's when it hits me. I forgot. How could I forget? I knew I blacked out after Edgar was finished but I completely forgot about the promise I made Fin.

"I'm sor.." I try to apologize but Fin cuts me off almost instantly

"No you're not Edgar seemed to be enjoying himself last night didn't he?" he questions shooting me one last angry glare before storming off.

What was that about?

After chemistry Izzy pulls me aside and into one of the empty classrooms. "What's up with you and Fin? He's been pissed off at you all day." questions Izzy. Her blue eyes serious.

"I forgot I invited him over last night and pretty much clocked out at like 5. Fin thinks I forgot he was coming over, which I did but I didn't mean to and he didn't even listen to me long enough to hear me say sorry," I complain. Me and Fin rarely fight and when we do it's usually over stupid stuff I've never seen him this angry.

"He wouldn't be that mad over you just forgetting? Did something else happen?" I shake my head thinking about what could have pissed off Fin that much but nothing comes to mind.

"Maybe he's angry I got tutored by Edgar last night but forgot about him," I offer but know that the reason had to be much worse for Fin to give me the cold shoulder.

"Well whatever it is you two need to work it out, I hate seeing you two fight especially ruins my chances of winning my bet with Morgan,"

"What bet?" I ask interested. Usually Izzy and Morgan can't stand each other.

"You'll see now let's go or we'll miss lunch," She says taking my arm and pulling me out of the classroom.

Right now I'm in history class bored out of my mind. Fin's still ignoring me and I haven't got a clue why. I'm about to doze off when I hear "Dani Warren please make you way to the front office, Dani Warren," I gulp thinking about who it could be. If its my bastard of dad, then I'm screwed, it can't be Edgar because he is in this class with me. I steal one last glance and Fin who instantly looks away before packing up my books and leaving.

The office lady points outside and says "there's a young man outside who is waiting for you," Young man?

I walk outside and freeze when I see who's standing there. There he is dressed in faded jeans and a plain white t-shirt. His brown eyes still wide behind his thick framed glasses. His once long curly hair all gone and in it's a place a military buzz cut. I tear rolls down my face as he makes his way over to me. "Come on lil sis long time no see and I don't even get a hug," For the first time in what feels like years I willingly hug someone. By hug I mean ambush and almost suffocate but hug. "Alex," I murmur into my brothers shoulder my face wet with tears. "H-how are y-you...w-when did y-you...w-where did you?" I'm at a loss for words but my brother just shushes me gently.