Status: very slow
Just a Story of One Little Girl
Chapter 23
I tried to go back to class, but Murkle thought it would be best if I sat there for a while until the remnants of my breakdown was gone. By the time I left, I only had three mintes before lunch started. Two of my classes had already gone by, so I made my way to the cafeteria and sat at Jason’s usual table. I’d been sitting here for a while now, but I still couldn’t claim it as my own for some reason.
Within minutes, the boys sat down all around me. Austin gave me a double chocolate cookie, but I put it to the side, thanking him. As the boys ate and joked around, I zoned out completely.
“Ok, spill. What’s wrong with you today?” Kevin broke me out of my trance my poking me lightly in the arm.
“Wha—nothing I’m just exhausted I didn’t get a good sleep last –“
“Shut up. Just tell us the fucking truth! Austin already let it slip –“
“Kevin! I’m sorry kiddo, I didn’t mean to. We were just talking about you and it kind of slipped out.”
I looked between Austin and Kevin, then at Greg. “I’m so confused right now!” Greg looked at the other boys pointedly as he said this.
I looked back at Austin. “It’s fine. I kinda knew you’d tell Kevin, and I thought you might tell Greg too, but I guess I was wrong. And you might know a little of what’s going on, Kev-Kev, but you can’t even imagine what really happens at my house.”
I looked at Greg. “My father and brother’s use me as a punching bag and verbally assault me every day of my life. Except Aiden, but he wanted me like my mom did. Then she died and it’s all my fault and my dad just has his way with me and I try not to care, but that’s a little hard to manage. But that’s why I want to leave so badly. That’s why I can’t wait to turn 18. I can handle the abuse for now, I think, but as soon as I’m of age, I’m outta here.” Greg looked like he was having trouble taking all this information in. “Please don’t make a big deal of it,” I begged him.
Greg nodded once and Jason beamed at me. I glared at my best friend, and he frowned. “What happened to you Big Mack? You gotta tell us.”
I shook my head. “I don’t have to tell you squat. You’ll just make a big deal out of it and I’ll start crying again and –“ I stopped midsentence. “I mean just don’t worry about it, it’s nothing big.”
Jason’s face turned a slight shade of pink. “Bull shit!” he yelled, emphasizing the second word. The cafeteria quieted down and lots of kids turned to stare at us.
“Jason, please –“ I started but he cut me off.
“No! You don’t get to tell me to calm down this time, Mackenzie. I’ve had it with this crap. Every damned day it’s the same!” I was sinking lower and lower in my chair. Jason looked around at everyone watching us and smirked at me quickly; the cafeteria was silent now. Jason then glared at me and finished. “You know what? You’re right, I won’t make a big deal of it. At least not right now. But the minute we get home, you better believe I’m storming into your house and making a huge deal out of it. Ok?”
I stared at him, absolutely mortified. “You wouldn’t dare!”
“Try me.”
“I’ll hit you with my cast. They hurt, you know how it feels from experience.”
“Bring. It. On. I’m putting a stop to this madness. Unless of course, you want to actually tell us what’s going on?” He smirked at me, knowing he had me.
That’s it. I was defeated. “I hate you. Fine. Today after school, meet me at the corner store and I’ll tell you what happened.”
Within minutes, the boys sat down all around me. Austin gave me a double chocolate cookie, but I put it to the side, thanking him. As the boys ate and joked around, I zoned out completely.
“Ok, spill. What’s wrong with you today?” Kevin broke me out of my trance my poking me lightly in the arm.
“Wha—nothing I’m just exhausted I didn’t get a good sleep last –“
“Shut up. Just tell us the fucking truth! Austin already let it slip –“
“Kevin! I’m sorry kiddo, I didn’t mean to. We were just talking about you and it kind of slipped out.”
I looked between Austin and Kevin, then at Greg. “I’m so confused right now!” Greg looked at the other boys pointedly as he said this.
I looked back at Austin. “It’s fine. I kinda knew you’d tell Kevin, and I thought you might tell Greg too, but I guess I was wrong. And you might know a little of what’s going on, Kev-Kev, but you can’t even imagine what really happens at my house.”
I looked at Greg. “My father and brother’s use me as a punching bag and verbally assault me every day of my life. Except Aiden, but he wanted me like my mom did. Then she died and it’s all my fault and my dad just has his way with me and I try not to care, but that’s a little hard to manage. But that’s why I want to leave so badly. That’s why I can’t wait to turn 18. I can handle the abuse for now, I think, but as soon as I’m of age, I’m outta here.” Greg looked like he was having trouble taking all this information in. “Please don’t make a big deal of it,” I begged him.
Greg nodded once and Jason beamed at me. I glared at my best friend, and he frowned. “What happened to you Big Mack? You gotta tell us.”
I shook my head. “I don’t have to tell you squat. You’ll just make a big deal out of it and I’ll start crying again and –“ I stopped midsentence. “I mean just don’t worry about it, it’s nothing big.”
Jason’s face turned a slight shade of pink. “Bull shit!” he yelled, emphasizing the second word. The cafeteria quieted down and lots of kids turned to stare at us.
“Jason, please –“ I started but he cut me off.
“No! You don’t get to tell me to calm down this time, Mackenzie. I’ve had it with this crap. Every damned day it’s the same!” I was sinking lower and lower in my chair. Jason looked around at everyone watching us and smirked at me quickly; the cafeteria was silent now. Jason then glared at me and finished. “You know what? You’re right, I won’t make a big deal of it. At least not right now. But the minute we get home, you better believe I’m storming into your house and making a huge deal out of it. Ok?”
I stared at him, absolutely mortified. “You wouldn’t dare!”
“Try me.”
“I’ll hit you with my cast. They hurt, you know how it feels from experience.”
“Bring. It. On. I’m putting a stop to this madness. Unless of course, you want to actually tell us what’s going on?” He smirked at me, knowing he had me.
That’s it. I was defeated. “I hate you. Fine. Today after school, meet me at the corner store and I’ll tell you what happened.”