Bruised and Beat Up

“Wake up, baby doll! You’ve been your room for two days!”
I barely heard the voice on the other side of the door.
I groaned, and let the voice pull me out of the black wonderland I was stuck in. I slowly sat up.
“What?” I called back.
“Raavi, you have to go to school today! You missed yesterday, honey.”
“Okay. I’m getting ready.”
“That’s my girl.” She laughed and I heard her walk off.
Her girl. What the hell ever. I groaned again, as I stood up off of the bed. I inspected my arms to see the damage that was done. I didn’t have too many bruises, but enough to have me to wear another long sleeve shirt. I decided on a pair of jeans, a tank top and an old hoodie. I slowly got ready, and tucked my phone into my pocket. I walked down the stairs, where my mom was waiting.
“Hey.” I mumbled.
“Honey, what happened to you? You look awful.” She pouted.
I forced a smile.
“I fell, mom. I’m such a klutz.”
“Honey, you need to be more careful.” She laughed and then planted a kiss on my forehead.
“I will try, mom.”
“Okay. I have to be a work all day today, so I won’t be home tonight.”
I nodded, thanking the Lord.
“Okay, mom. Look, I got to go to school, so I’ll see you tomorrow?”
“See you tomorrow, baby.” She smiled kissing my cheek that she slapped and I walked outside. I saw no point in taking the bus this morning, so I just walked.
I live about fifteen minutes from the school by foot, so it wasn’t that bad.
“Raavi!”
I groaned and turned around to see a shinny, black convertible driving slowly beside of me with Brydan in it.
“Hey…” I trailed off but a small, real smile graced my lips.
“Need a ride?”
I thought about saying no.
“Actually, that would be great…”
“Hop in.” He smiled.
I was confused by this boy. Shouldn’t he hate me for leaving.
“Thanks, Brydan. This means the world to me.”
“I wasn’t going to let you walk.” Brydan laughed.
“If I was you, I would have.”
“Why?” He asked, but never took his eyes off of the road.
“Because… I left you…without warning.”
He shrugged and flipped his straightened brown hair out of his face.
“I wasn’t exactly expecting you to be there when I woke up. I was actually shocked to find you there when I did.”
“Really?” I asked.
“Really.” He laughed. “I know you just a little bit by now, Raavi. We’ve been in the same class for a few weeks. If one thing I know about you is that you run away a lot.”
I laughed.
“I tend to do that when I freak out.”
“And why were you freaked?”
“Well… I hope you don’t take this the wrong way…but I-uh… I sort of don’t…do relationships.”
“I figured that much.” He sighed. “Why not?” Brydan asked when he looked at me with his green eyes.
“Because it’s a waste of time. People get bored of being with the same person after a while. Love just…it doesn’t exist. I’m sorry.”
“You actually believe that love doesn’t exist? Why?”
“My parents.”
“What about them?”
“I was born from a one night stand.” I told him truthfully. “And my sister’s dad left my mom a month after they had my little sister.”
“You have a little sister?” He asked me, furrowing his brows as he pulled into an empty parking space.
“Had, past tense.” I mumbled before getting out of the car.
This time, Brydan didn’t follow me.

*

“Miss. Hensley, can I see you for a minute?” Mr. Yates asked in the middle of the class.
I stopped working on my math homework and I walked up to his desk.
“What for?”
“You seem a bit off today. Are you okay?”
I shook my head.
“I’m just tired.”
“You look like you have bags under your eyes and your skin is paler than usual.”
Thanks for pointing out that I overdosed on pain pills.
“I’m…I’m fine, alright?”
“Okay.” He lifted in his hands in defense. “You can go back to your desk.”
I nodded and returned, praying that the bell would ring already.
As soon as it did, I ran toward the door. I walked out and into the girl’s bathroom. I locked myself into the stall until most of the girls cleared out. I walked out, and placed myself in front of the mirror. For someone who had blacked out twice, I looked like I hadn’t gotten any rest.
“They’re all going to notice what a disgusting person you are.” I told my reflection. “No wonder why my mom hates you. I hate you!” I shook with anger and begun to cry again. I fell to the floor beside the sink, and cradled my knees to my chest as I sobbed. The fifteen minute late bell rang, and it took everything I had to pick myself up and dusk myself off. I walked out of the girl’s bathroom, looking down at my feet and walking toward the art room. I walked in and sat down in front of my canvas, avoiding my peers eyes and more importantly, avoiding Brydan’s.
“Are you okay, Raavi?” He asked me as I started to paint bright, nearly neon, color’s to the future side of my painting.
“No.” I simply answered. “Please don’t ask any more questions, Brydan.” I turned and looked at him.
“Raavi…”
“Please…” I whispered and begged.
He nodded and went back to painting.
I don’t know why, but it hurt me so much when he had agreed, and avoided me for the rest of the day.