Me and Oli Talking

Pain. That’s all I really ever remember when he comes home. A loud commotion of broken lamps, vases, mirrors, anything within reach that could be shattered into a million pieces really. Doors slamming, family members yelling, the sickening thud of something hitting a human body. I lay curled in a ball as a variety of colorful explosions throw themselves up behind my eyelids. My hands over my head protecting my face and head. Obscenities are shouted and my ribs and legs and arms are savagely attacked again and again. Cheap whiskey and perfume waft from my attacker. I know exactly where he’s been; what he’s been doing. All I can think about is how to make the children understand this won’t last forever; how I’ll explain the wounds to Lolita? I claw my way up onto my bed and curl into a small ball under the downy blankets.
I won’t go to school tomorrow and when Lita calls I’ll tell her I’m sick with the flu. Then maybe she won’t fell like she has to come over.

Oliver wasn’t in school today. It was rather lonely. Luckily, Lucian from our little group of freaks keeps me company the whole day. He tells me about how he’s crushing on this girl in our fifth period sociology class. Her name is Arielle and she has long, curly, naturally red hair and bright green eyes; no doubt from Irish decent. Freckles dot her nose and cheek bones. She’s a soft spoken girl, one of the rare few outside of our little group that doesn’t look at us all like creatures from another dimension.

I fiddle with the small skeleton pendent around my neck as I look at her. Lucian is a cutie; Shortish black hair and striking blue eyes, round face, and lean. He’s simply adorable. Any girl really would be lucky to have him.
I lean over and whisper in his ear, “Why not just ask her out? She’s nice enough she isn’t gonna blow you off not will she make a big scene aboot it.”
Lucian just stares at me, “You said ‘aboot.’”
I blink for a minute and then whisper, “What?”
“You’re picking up Oli’s habits!” He smiles widely, “Cuuuute!”
I shove him earning a warning look from Mrs. Morgan. Lucian settles back in his seat and I notice Arielle looking back at him, admiration in her soft emerald eyes. Smiling, I write, “Just do it!” and slid it over to Lucian right before the bell rings.

“See ya!” I yell to Lucian and Arabella. I wave and slid into my driver’s seat, immediately unlocking my phone and looking for Oliver’s number.
The phone rings one, two, three times.
I hold my breath.
Four, five, six, seven.
“Hello?” a women’s voice answers timidly.
“Hello, Mrs. Quinn? This is Lita, is Oliver home?” I try to make myself sound as friendly as possible.
“Um…” she goes quiet for a moment and then I hear some shuffling and the phone being moved, “Oliver, honey? You have a phone call.”
I can hear Oli on the other end mumble something and then the phone is on the move again, “Hello?”
In all honesty, my best friend sounds horrible. His voice is hoarse and thick as though he’s been crying or something. But that’s impossible, Oliver is the most happy person I’ve ever had the pleasure to meet. “Oli, are you okay? You weren’t at school and you sound terrible!”
He kind of sniffles before responding, “I’m fine. I’ll be at school tomorrow. It’s just a bug, I’ll be fine.”
I raise an eyebrow and suck in a deep breath, “Can I bring you anything?”
“No, no, no! I’m fine, really. I’ll see you tomorrow.” And with that he hangs up the phone. I groan and run my fingers through the brightly colored hair.