I Was Abducted

Chapter 10 Nadia

" How was school Nad?" Dad asks from across the table from me.

"Uh yeah it was okay," I whisper and shoveling my microwaveable dinner in my mouth.

Dad's blue eyes switch to mine and he sighs. "What happened Nad?"

I wipe my sweaty palms across my thighs. "Nothing, I don't know what you're talking about," I lie. I can't tell him about my little accident at the assembly because he will call up mom and they will fight. Mom doesn't care if I can't cheer without harming myself she will make me do it anyway.

"Are you sure?" He questions again, but this time he's stern.

"Yes, I'm done eating," I whisper and stand up so fast my chair pushes back. I quickly throw away my plastic fork and dinner.

I scampered up the stairs and to my room, leaving dad appalled. My mind is spinning. I don't know what to do. I can't tell mom without a fight or, worse a slap across the face.

I pad across the ugly cream-colored carpet to my sliding door closet. I grab out an oversized hoodie and strip from my clothes. I pull the oversized hoodie over my head. It stops on my mid-thigh.

I lay down in the twin bed that I've had since I was little. Dad doesn't have a lot of money so, I take what  I can get.

Today has been hell. I pull my comforter over my head, caving me in darkness. I curl up into a little ball and let the tears flow.

I don't know what's wrong with me. I literally cry over everything. Anything hurts my feelings easily. Everything overwhelms me and I can't take any stress. I'm just too fragile.

I wipe the salty teardrops off frantically. I'd die if anyone saw me like this. I mean my dad and friends have seen me cry, but nothing like this breakdown.
~
"Quit fucking crying!" Aurelio yells on top of me. My fingernails embedded in his arms don't cause any damage to him.

"Please stop," I croak. My eyes are clogged with tears so, his face is blurry.

"Shut up!" He yells and I yelp in pain. My legs are pinned under his weight and I know nobody can hear me.

"Aurelio please," I cry, but he only goes harder. I try to squirm out of his grip but fail.

"Shut the fuck up!" He shouts in my face, holding my wrists tighter and tighter until my hands start turning purple.
~
I throw my body forward and my throat is dry. My eyes are wet from tears and I can feel my heart beating out of my chest.

I suck in a huge breath of air to calm myself down. I must have fallen asleep underneath my blanket because my cheeks are beet red.

It's past 3:00 A.M. I wipe my sweaty face with the sleeves of my hoodie and close my eyes tight. I can feel my heart slowing and sleep consuming me.
~
I wake up again, but this time from my blaring alarm. I jump out of bed and into the shower. The warm water wakes me even more.

After my shower, I blow dry my hair and leave it wavy. It's barely the third day of school and I already can't give the effort to look my best.

I pull up a dark jean skirt with buttons going up the middle and tuck in my black long sleeve shirt. I pair it with my black flats. I stare at myself in the mirror for a little and notice my dark under eyes. I look tired as hell.

Downstairs I can hear dad rummaging through the kitchen. "Good morning dad," I say and pick out some Captain Crunch from the pantry and milk from the fridge.

"Good morning honey, here," he says handing me a bowl and spoon. I smile at him, showing my white teeth.

"Last night around 10 P.M. Jame O'Donald, a 12-year-old boy was abducted as he walked home from a friend's house. Witnesses say they heard a commotion outside their home and called the cops..." A blonde woman, holding a microphone, says on the TV.

I snap my head away from the screen and back onto my bowl of cereal that I'm munching on. Poor kid. He's so young. "I hope they find that kid," I tell dad sighing.

"Yeah, the cops need to search everywhere," dad sighs eating his own bowl of cereal.
~
I stare at water droplets as they drop onto the car's window. I'm always early when I go to school because I can't stand being late. But my eyes do ache from the lack of sleep.

"Have a good day Nad. Your moms picking you up today," Dad says kissing the top of my head.

I huff and roll my eyes. "Why can't I just stay with you instead of bouncing between houses?" I ask looking at dad's blue-green eyes. He runs his hand through his brown hair that's greying due to stress.

"Because that would be unfair to you mother," he says sighing.

"It wouldn't make a difference to her," I argue back and dad shifts uncomfortably in his seat.

"I couldn't pay for everything," He says itching his arm nervously.

"You don't need to, I can get a job." I insist hopeful.

"Have a nice day Nadia," Dad says again giving me a weak smile. And I knew what that meant. No...

I give dad a fake smile, grab my backpack, and swing the car door open for me to leave. I reach my head back in. "I love you, Dad," I say reassuring him that I'm okay.

"I love you too Nad." And with that, I shut the car door and begin to walk towards the door with a couple of students filing in.

A few raindrops splash onto my cheeks. I hold my palm out to catch a few. They puddle onto my hand and then I shake them off.