Bruises- Modern Zelink- discontinued :(

Lies

Z: what happened?
Z: are you okay?
Z: did he hurt you?
Z: answer me
Z: c'mon, I'm worried about you
L: calm down, I'm fine
L: no need to worry
Z: there's plenty reason to worry
Z: I heard you yelling from my house
L: what?
L: that wq asnt me
Z: judging by that typo I'm guessing it was definitely you
L: no
Z: you're pretty good at lying
Z: unless its through text
L: Haha did u seriously write thru out
L: nerd
Z: quit changing the fricking subject
Z: I want to know if you're okay
Z: and tell the truth!
L: fine
L: I guess it was me
L: I didn't realize I was so loud
L: it was just a belt
Z: just?
Z: jeez
L: what?
Z: nothing
Z: why did he do it
L: he said I wasn't done with my homework
L: even tho I was done
L: I guess I just finished faster than usual or something
Z: so why'd you stop playing
Z: it couldn't have been that
Z: I heard you a couple minutes after you stopped playing
L: I dunno, I just kept spacing out
L: I couldn't focus
L: I dunno
Z: that reminds me
Z: you bruise so easily
Z: what's up with that
L: how does that have anything to do with not focusing
Z: I dunno
Z: anything else
L: yeah
L: i stood up and felt lightheaded
L: that's all
Z: hmm
Z: wait a sec, I want to look something up
L: why
...
Z: okay
Z: what do you eat
L: that's a weird question
Z: just answer it
L: um, idk
L: stuff
L: whatever I can get my hands on
L: there's not much food in this house
Z: no cereal?
L: no, not a lot
L: just some super sugary shit that I don't like
L: it's for my sister
Z: hm okay
Z: iron deficiency
L: what?
Z: that's why you bruise so easily
Z: and why you got lightheaded when you stood up
Z: I can't be sure though
Z: I'm not a doctor
...
L: okay, I guess
L: not that relevant
Z: just eat some frickin cereal
Z: I know that definitely has iron in it
Z: you'll have to look up other things
Z: like I said, I'm not a doctor
L: alright
L: I guess I'll do it
Z: thanks
L: uh, your welcome, I guess
Z: quit guessing about everything
L: sorry

<<×>>

He was scared. He was too used to stuff like this. Sean could beat him up for no reason and he'd just brush it off. His own father did that almost daily. If only there was a way to keep his mind off of those things other than his stupid game. He loved that game, but he hated it so much it was unbearable. It made him want to toss his computer out the window.

It caused him pain when his father saw it. His father always assumed the worst when he saw that fucking game. That game hurt. His father hurt him.

He felt guilty for things he didn't do and couldn't control. If someone was hurt because they jumped off a swing, he felt guilty. If someone got upset because they couldn't figure out a math problem, he felt guilty. It was like he was conditioned to think that way, like everything was his fault. And he was. He was taught that from a young age.

So why did it hurt him so much to be punished? He should have been used to it. It happened so often.

And she kept asking him, are you okay, are you okay. Obviously not. But he tried to tell her that he was fine. But she always saw through the lies.

Why did it have to be like this? Why couldn't he have been born into a nicer family, one with a father that didn't hurt their kids for no reason. And it was only him. His sister was spared. Probably because she looked like his father. His mother was only partly spared. It wasn't a good relationship. That's why he was so willing to get beat. He didn't want his mother to get hurt, too.

He didn't want Zelda to try and help him too much, because if she did, then she would unknowingly be hurting his mother, and he didn't want that.

There was another knock on his door, and be quickly grabbed a paper from his backpack and frantically started writing on it.

"C'mon Linky, let me in."
He breathed a sigh of relief. It was just his sister.
"Come on in."
The door opened to reveal Aryll standing in the doorway. She quickly came in and shut the door behind her.
"What did he do this time and why?"
"Belt." He pointed at a belt on his bed.
"He thought I hadn't done my homework yet, even though I did. Someone from school was helping, and that's why I finished so quickly."
"Fuck him. What are you doing now, then?"
"This?"

He picked up the paper and looked at it. It appeared to be an old unfinished homework sheet. It was too old to turn in, though.
"Old homework, I guess. I just wanna make seem like I'm doing work."
"Oh. Who was that at the door?"
"Same person that helped me with my homework."
"Ooh, a girl? Cuz it was a girl at the door."
"Stop it. She helped me over text."
"Ooh, so you have her phone number?"
"For your information, she gave it to me. I never asked. I don't even like her that much."
"Lies!"
"Aryll, stop."

Link pushed her out of the room and sat back down at his desk. He sighed and went back to doodling on the crumpled up worksheet.