Upon waking up in the basement, which resembles a gym with exercise equipment that once belonged to my father, a man who loved to stay fit and healthy. I find myself in agonizing pain as I try to sit up. I grip the decline bench for support, but my sore leg makes movement even more challenging.
"Shit," I groan, taking a sharp breath. I try to move my body, but it only worsens everything.
"Fuck," I mutter under my breath, clutching my shirt that's hovering over my aching ribs. "They better not be broken. Damn, this hurts."
You know what? I'm just going to lie here. Releasing my grip on the bench, I let myself fall back.
"Shit, now, I think I made it worse," I hiss as I land on the floor. Gritting my teeth, I try to manage the pain and hold back any cries.
Tears escape my eyes as I close them, attempting to push the pain away and regain my composure.
The door opens, and I see a head peek in. My eyes shift to see who it is, my Mother, to see her looking worried and panicked.
"Oh, my goodness, darling!" she exclaims, rushing over to me.
"What happened to you? Justin said you got attacked by your peers?" she asks, her face filled with concern.
I groan as I try to sit up, and she reaches over to help stabilize me. My eyes search for hers, but my blurry vision makes it hard to tell if she's crying or not. However, her voice starts to break as she speaks.
"Darling, why didn't you tell me that you were getting bulled all this time?" she asks, biting her tongue to prevent herself from lashing out in anger.
I keep my head hung low, avoiding her gaze as I struggle to stand up.
"Darling, who are these people beating you up?" she inquires, attempting to support me, but I move away, not wanting her help. The anger at her because of her belief in Justin's innocence feels humiliating. I don't understand how she could not have connected any dots yet.
I continue to ignore her as I struggle to make my way out of the room, but she reaches out and grabs my hand
"Darling, why aren't you answering me?" she says, her voice laced with concern.
"I'm tired," I reply, wanting to get away from her. The pain is unbearable, and I try to suppress my whimpering.
"Are you hungry? You didn't eat with us," she says, helping me through the door.
The fear of Justin possibly listening in makes me cautious of my conversation with my Mother. I turn to her, trying to minimize the conversation with her, I say, "I'm fine."
"Are you sure, darling?" she asks, her concern still lingering.
I nod as I direct us toward my room, desperate to be alone and away from this nightmare.
~~~
The following day, I make my way to school with long sleeves and a cap to conceal my face. With my head lowered, I navigate the hallways as my gaze sweeps across the hallway, observing students mingling with their friends. I plan on slipping Lisa's shirt back to her locker without her knowing.
As I approach her locker, I find her standing there amidst her group of friends. Seriously, of all time? Right, how could I forget? She's popular due to her beauty and her sexual orientation as a lesbian. She carries herself with an air of confidence, almost as if she's the epitome of a "golden lesbian."
Suddenly, Josie's voice calls out from a distance, diverting my attention. I turn towards her, and she walks over looking perplexed.
"Why are you all bundled up like that?" she inquires, stepping closer and attempting to peer at my face. I avert my gaze and tug my cap down, muttering, "I forgot to do my laundry."
"But it's hot outside, isn't it?" she remarks, glancing at my attire. "I keep spare clothes in my locker; you're welcome to borrow something."
"I'm fine, " I assure her, changing my direction as I containing toward class.
Josie keeps up with my pace, her curiosity evident. "Skye, you look suspicious. What's going on?"
"Nothing," I sigh, my head still hung low.
"Are you hiding because of what happened in the gym yesterday?" she probes, once again trying to catch a glimpse of my face. "Do you have a bruise on your nose?"
"Yes," I admit. It's partly true - I do have a bruise from the basketball. But truthfully, I also have a black eye from that monster.
"I get it now," she acknowledges before adding, "Did you see Lisa today?"
I nod, deciding to delay returning Lisa's shirt until I find another opportunity. I need to make sure to return it because I don't need another person up on my ass if I never return it.
"She's incredibly attractive," Josie gushes beside me, delving into a discussion about Lisa. "Genetics really favored her. Oh, I wonder how good-looking her parents must be."
Josie's constant chatter about Lisa becomes irritating, especially when the topic doesn't interest me. My pace slows as a pang of chest pain returns. I suppress a hissing sound by biting my lower lip.
"By the way, there's a basketball game this week," she mentions, playfully nudging my side. However, her nudge catches me off guard, causing me to lose my balance and tumble to the ground. She stares at me in shock, apologizing, "I am so sorry."
I let out a low groan, clutching my side in pain and gritting my teeth as tears well up in my eyes. Josie leans over, offering to help me up since we're still in the bustling hallway.
Then, her expression changes abruptly; her eyes widen as she meets my gaze.
"What's wrong?" I inquire, meeting her gaze, only to realize she's looking intently at my face. In a hurry, I pull my cap further down, but she intervenes gently lifting my cap to see my face.
"Skye, what happened?" Her face fills with genuine concern, mixed with worry and a hint of fear. "Who did this to you?"
The bell rings, signaling that we have five minutes before class starts. The hallway starts filling with the rush of students heading to their classrooms. However, some linger around us, curious about the situation.
Josie shields me from their stares, her attention solely on me. She commands, "Mind your own business and get to class."
The sound of shuffling feet reaches my ears as I keep my head bowed, my lips tightly pressed together as tears continue to brim in my eyes. Please, please, let's not make this a big deal. Josie, please, just let it go. I don't want anyone, especially not you, to find out.
I sniffle softly, attempting to regain control over my emotions, when suddenly, a gentle hand cradles my face, urging me to look up.
Josie regards me with genuine concern, her voice soothing, "Hey, it's alright."
I bite down my lower lip, attempting to stifle any whimper that might escape due to the pain, and I give a slight nod in response.
"Let's find somewhere quiet, okay?" she suggested gently, her hand still tenderly holding my face.
"But...what about class?" I manage to mumble, my uncertainty evident. Josie shakes her head, assuring me, "Right now, this is more important than class."
"I...I'll manage," I stutter, clutching onto myself. "Can we just go on and pretend like none of this happened?"
Josie stares at me in disbelief, a slight frown creasing her brow. "Skye, in what universe could I possibly act as if nothing happened?"
"In this universe, please," I say to her, pleading at this point. The fear is that if this escalates or more people find out, everything could crumble. I don't want to be a disappointment, nor do I want to shatter my Mother's happiness with Justin, even if it means suppressing my own pain.
"No, Skye," she asserts firmly, giving a gentle tug to help me regain my footing. I hold onto her for support, struggling to keep myself upright.
My eyes remain brimming with tears, and I let out a soft whimper, pleading, "But this is normal. Let's just keep going with the day as if it's any other day, please."