Innocence

Dad was sober in the morning, mumbling random thing's. He was on the phone with a woman that he's met online, on this dating service. He was saying utterly inappropriate thing's to her. I wish he'd stop, it's disgusting to hear about it. "Good morning Aly." Dad said to me, acknowledging me for only a moment, then paying attention back to the phone. "No, Aly's my daughter." My dad looked at me for a moment, analyzing my choice of outfit for the day. "Good, you're fully dressed. Don't need anyone taking advantage of my lovely daughter." He kissed my forehead.

I glared at him, I hate pretending everything's alright.

When I didn't answer and I sat down at the kitchen table, he followed me - still on the phone with some woman. "I'm sorry about the other day, Aly. I love you, you know I do." He basically pleaded with me.

He does this all the time.

I looked away, my eyes getting teary. "I got to go to school... I'll see you later." I got up out of the chair, forgetting why I sat down and then left.

Lucy Bell and her entourage were gawking at me with imaginary daggers in their eyes as I walked into the hall. I suddenly felt insecure and clutched my bag to my chest and went to my locker. Putting my books into my locker, I'm interrupted by Ivan Daniels again.

"Hey." He said, playing with my brown hair and brushing it behind my ear. A smile on his face and his eyes teasing mine when I looked at him.

I looked away, closed my locker and walked away.

He followed me, and then took a hold of my hand. His fingers lingered up my forearm on the inside of the long sleeve, as he pulled it up he was exposing bruised and scarred skin. "You must fall a lot." The look on his face told me that he thought I lied when I said I'm clumsy yesterday.

I looked elsewhere. "I do, I'm clumsy." I pulled my sleeve back down.

Ivan shook his head. "You're too pretty for someone to be hurting you, you know?" He asked.

"I told you I'm clumsy." I stood my ground to him, wondering why he was bothering me. "Plus, what does it matter to you? You've never payed attention to me before, so could you leave me alone?" I inquired. I don't like him questioning me on everything.

I just want to be left alone.

Ivan's eyes told me that he knew something was up, but when he studied my expression on my face he obviously knew to back off. "...Fine." He turned and walked away.

I went to class, thankful that he wasn't bothering me now. When the bell rings, Mrs. Snow introduces a new student Karlie Hargrove. She's a fair skinned girl, slender, tall, natural blonde hair, bright blue eyes covered in makeup. She was real, no obvious plastic surgery thing's unlike Lucy and other than that they look a lot alike. Karlie comes over and sits in the only empty seat which is right next to me. "Hello." She smiles at me.

I pick up a slight sound of an Australian accent. I don't think of speaking, so I wave to her to let her know that I acknowledge her existence.

After class, Lucy Bell comes to great our new student. She's as "graceful" as ever, though I'd like to say she was sort of barbaric. Especially when Karlie dissed her and turned to me. I sent everyone a questioning face, then scattered away. I'm stopped by Ivan's sidekick.

Why do I seem to be the center of these people's attention?

Ivan's sidekick, is huge. Twice the size as Ivan. I could tell he was for the defense team on our football team, rather than offense. "You know, if Ivan's hand doesn't heal... We will probably lose in the playoff's. And, if that happens. I'm going to hurt you." He huffs and then walks away.

I didn't mean to break his hand, don't people see that?

I exchange my text books, for the next class; not looking forward to it. Mr. Branwell still loathes me and Lucy Bell is in my Chemistry class which does not help me in the pros of going to Mr. Branwell's class. I decide to skip and sit in the girl's bathroom until I'm sure that the teachers are all in their classrooms or in the office, when I leave the bathroom. I'm wrong. The halls are swarming with teachers, which I don't know any of them names. I sit and chill back in the bathroom for another ten minutes or so until I decide to make an exit.

They are all gone, so I make it to my locker and take out my backpack.

No one will miss me if I leave school, I have no friend's here... But, then again. Where will I go? I wouldn't dare go home to my dad. I put my backpack back into my locker and there it's decided that I will remain at school until it's over.