Within The Bonds

6: Who Hurt You?

"I asked you a question irmãzinha," his voice still void of any emotions.

The nickname brings me some comfort. I start thinking of an excuse but fail to come up with a logical one fast enough.

"I... um injured myself while practicing some days back, " I say cursing myself for shuttering.

"Astoria Lisa Santos do not lie to me," he says in an intimidating voice.

"I... um... I just... " I hang my head down in shame of being caught.

I feel fingers under my chin lifting it up to be face to face with my most intimidating brother. His eyes soften when he looks at mine.

"Tell me irmãzinha, who hurt you," he asks, this time much gentler.

"I... um... " I am unable to form proper sentences due to the fear of the consequences.

I shift my eyes down now staring at my shoes like they're the most interesting things in the world. He just sighs and moves back in his chair.

"I will have to change my decision on you trying out for the school team, unless you want to tell me the truth," he says back to his emotionless voice.

I tense even more hearing that. I was on the verge of tears, unable to hold the strong girl act up for too long.

"Please Xavier don-don't st- stop m-me fro-from try-trying out," I say my voice breaking.

Just than the doors open and Noah comes in, he looks at my broken state and gives Xavier a worried glance. Xavier than proceeds to tell him about how hissed in pain when my shoulder lightly hit the back of the chair and how I lied and was hiding something from them.

Noah than looks at me with a disproving look at the mention of me lying and then turns towards me and crouches in front of me holding my chin lightly in his hand.

"How did you hurt your shoulder irmãzinha, and don't bother lying, " he says gently but with a stern edge at the last words.

"I.. can-can't, " Is all that I could reply with, not wanting to breakdown in front of them.

"Why?" He asks his voice still soft giving me some comfort

"I don't wan-want to.. look we-weak, " I say with a trembling voice, not liking how vulnerable I sounded at all, but could not help it.

"You're not weak irmãzinha, not one bit. Don't you ever think otherwise," this time it's Xavier to speak with a stern emphasis on ever.

"I totally agree with Xavier irmãzinha, now tell us who hurt you," he asks this time with a stern voice.

I nod slightly, then take few deep breaths trying to calm my trembling voice and racing heart, to my surprise they both wait very patiently, not once trying to rush me, and I'm more than grateful for that.

Finally feeling that I can speak without shuttering I took one last breath

"One of the jocks at my old school pushed me against the lockers," I say trying my best not to shutter

"Why?"

They both ask in union trying to hid their anger, but I can see right through their emotionless façade. Not really wanting to reply to the question, but also wanting to be able to try out for the team, I took another deep breath before answering.

"Because I refuse to go out with him," I mumble embarrassed, but loud enough for them hear.

That just added fuel to their fire. It was their turn to take deep breaths this time to calm themselves down. I just sat there awkwardly not comfortably to discuss these kinds of things with my newly found older brothers yet.

"Did you inform anyone about this?" Xavier asked once he was calm enough

I shook my head negatively.

"Why? Irmãzinha these kinds of things should be brought to the notice of your guardian immediately," he questions in a soft yet stern tone

"It was the day mum died." Is all I reply with in a soft trembling voice.

A flash of realisation goes thought their eyes and they soften.

"Why didn't you go to the school nurse?" Noah asks.

"It was after the last bell, the nurse's office closes by then," I reply, which isn't fully a lie because the nurse did close her office every day before the last bell.

"That's fine, but next time if anything were to happen, you must bring it to the notice of one of your brothers," Xavier says. 

"As for your shoulder I'll will call doc first thing tomorrow to come check it," Noah says.

"No!" I nothing but yelled—as those left his mouth—in terror.

Author's Note :

Hope you enjoyed this chapter

Thanks for reading

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~Kia