Blood, Knuckles and Pavement

School. What a fucking joke. And my dad wanted me to go to some stupid fucking breakfast with him this morning, I can barely find enough time to put my fucking pants on some days. I would rather be fighting right now.

"Darius" I hear Dodo call. That kid is... I wouldn't describe him as being hit one to many times but the kid has been hit one to many times. You'll see what I mean. Dodo is tall, lanky and blonde. He has severe acne scars but severe blue eyes. He's a good kid, but a little off. People that fight him give him slack, the only reason he respects me is because I didn't. I took three of his teeth.

"Dodo, what are you up to man?" I asked, 'bro' hugging him, awkwardly. He is like a foot taller than me.

"Not much, didn't expect to see you here..." He replied, suspiciously eyeing me.

"I can't come to harass some dumb ass teachers once in a while?" I joked. The truth is that my father told me if I didn't go to school he was going to be very disappointed in me, he would be even more disappointed if I didn't graduate. Usually I would tell him to go fuck himself and walk away, but this time. This time it struck me, not graduate? It is my Senior year. I can still get on track, i've only been skipping for a year. I guess I got to nail down and work. No matter how much I don't want to.

"Right, haha" He replied, nodding. he didn't even think twice about it. I turned to walk down the hall but collided with something. No not something, someone. My defenses kicked in, I noticed everything from the second of impact. Fighters tend to do that, notice little things like winces. This girl winced, and not any kind of wince, she winced in pain. I eyed her, she looked meek. The kind of girl that had the perfect parents, the perfect grades... she wore a cardigan for fuck sake. But she winced in pain.

"Sorry" She muttered. Still looking down.

"Did I hurt you?" I asked. I know for a fact I didn't hit her hard at all. Her head shot up, her eyes defensive.

"No. Why would you say that? You only bumped into me" She asked, something was off. Did she even go to this school? I've never seen her before.

"Sorry, I thought.... never mind" I told her. She just shook her head and walked away. But I was watching her walk. I could tell she was in pain. The kind of pain a fighter would have..... she covers it up so well. But I haven't ever seen her on the fight scene.... in fact, i've never seen her in my life.

"That was odd..." Dodo commented.

"Have you ever seen her before?" I asked. He looked behind him like he was looking for her, he turned back to me, his bottom lip popped out, he shrugged and gave me the 'I don't know' look. Hmmmm. Who is this girl?

~Abby~

What does he mean did he hurt me? Could he tell I was in pain? Will he say anything? All of these questions were rolling around in my mind by the time I got into math. I sat in the back corner and listened to the teacher tell me things I already knew. I was so far zoned I didn't even hear him calling my name.

"Abby" He yelled, exasperated.

"Sorry" I said, snapping out of my trance.

"Are you taking notes?" Mr. Davis asked. You know what? I already know this stuff, why not piss him off a bit.

"No." I told him blatantly. He was waiting for a lie. I could tell, it took him back by my honesty.

"And why not Abigail?" He asked, getting flustered.

"I already know this shit. You can't teach me anything I already know" I told him. Giving him my best smug smile afterwards.

"This shit is what i'm teaching and if I can't teach you anything why are you in my class?" He asked, red faced.

"I'm in your class so I have somewhere I can sleep, you voice is like a dull lullaby, it makes me fall asleep pretty fast." I winked. I could tell his button was getting pushed.

"My voice puts you to sleep?!?" He spit.

"Your face pains me too." I smiled. He looked appalled for a moment, then all of the sudden, his button broke. He stormed up the isle. If it was my father storming up the isle I would be on my face already, but this man can't touch me.

"Get out of my class now Ms. Adams, and I strongly encourage you switching out of my class. And what I mean by strongly encourage is, you are not welcome back." He said, trying to be calm.

"See how many fucks I give?" I asked him, smiling. I held my hands up in a wide gesture. I like to call it my Jesus gesture. It made me wince a bit but.. it was worth it. I raised both my eyebrows, winked and grabbed my stuff, heading towards the door. I caught the eyes of one student individual. The guy I bumped into before class. He wore a small smile. He probably caught my wince, but OH WELL. I rolled my eyes and headed towards the library. Oh I'm gonna get a beating tonight.

~Darius~

This girl. Mr. Davis was droning on about how nice of a girl she usually is, he didn't understand what had gotten into her. He's gonna have to call her father soon and talk to him about his daughter's behavior in his classroom. And her Profanity, Oh god it went on the entire period. I almost went ballistic, the only thing that kept me sane was thinking about her. She winced again. When she held up her arms. It was awesome, I have to meet this girl in the cardigan. Abby, that's what he called her. Abby. The bell rang and I went through the rest of the day in a haze. Just thinking about her.

~Abby~

The end of the day. Time to face the music. God knows Mr. Davis already called my father. I felt a pair of eyes on me while I was walking out to the parking lot. I knew who's they were. They were that kid's. The one from math, from the hallway. I headed towards my beautiful red Lotis Elis convertible. I know that everyone wonders who drives it, because believe me, It stands out, they just never notice me hopping into it. I looked through my windshield and spotted the kid, standing at a silver Audi S5 Coup. He mouthed wow, I gave him my best nonchalant smile, throwing my car in drive and getting the hell out of there. You are probably wondering 'how the hell did she know what kind of car he has from just looking at it?' and I would reply 'because, when my father beats the shit out of me, I have to take my rage out on something. My beautiful car has to be repaired by someone..... and after that I just learned how to fix cars... all kinds. I'm a multi personality kinda chick. I pulled up at my house. His car isn't home yet. Shit i'm gonna be blocked in when he does get home. I head inside, straight to my room. He's not going to be very hungry when he gets home. I sit on my bed, watching the clock. He has a half an hour until he usually get's home. About ten minutes before he is supposed to return I run downstairs and make him a sandwich. I don't want an extra beating. I put the sandwich on the counter, a beer next to it, his car is in the driveway. I run upstairs. I know it won't help, but it will delay the pain. He slams the door. He knows, and he's pissed.

"ABIGAIL. YOU HAVE LESS THAN THREE SECONDS TO GET YOUR STUPID WHITE ASS DOWN HERE." He yells. I hope he doesn't break anything. I rush downstairs. His face is red and he's holding a belt.

"Father, please." I reason, eyeing the belt. His face contorts cruelly.

"Do not speak." He threatened, bringing the belt against me. "Take off your cardigan. Now." He said, eerily calm. In tears I took it off. As soon as it hit the floor the belt was stinging across my skin. I choked back a scream. Three, four, five whips. He's gonna kill me. He moved away from the door, the door he left open. I had bruises and welts, broken skin forming.... I had to get out. What was I thinking? I jumped up and headed towards the door, a lash hitting me in the back. I let out a gargled sound of pain and headed anywhere but where I was. The tears flowed freely. He has never used an object against me, only his hands. He meant to kill me. I ran as far as my legs would carry me, I felt them giving out and ducked inside of an ally. There was a fight going on at the end of the ally, but that just means no one will notice me. My breathing was jagged. I have not cried over a beating in years. I heard someone yell 'winner' I should move soon. I looked up to see a familiar face. I definitely had to get up right now. I started to move, everyone was clearing out.

"Teeth, you didn't even fight tonight, let me take you home" I heard a man say. I was still trying to get up, and failing.

"Naw, thanks Curb but, I wanna walk." The kid from the hall replied. Teeth. What an odd name. I finally made it up and was supporting myself with the wall when I heard it. Breaking my heart into pieces.

"Are you ok?" His voice called out. Shit.... shit shit shit. He can't see my face.

"Yea, yea i'm fine." I replied, I kept moving inch by inch slowly rounding the corner, the wall the only thing keeping me from collapsing.

"No you aren't." The voice chastised. Getting closer. The footsteps moving faster. Shit!

"I'm fine. Thank you" I told him, just then I tasted a metallic taste in my mouth I turned my head, throwing up blood.

"That does not look good at all." He replied, right behind me. He moved beside me, putting his arm around my waist to support me. He lifted part of my hair. I heard him take a sharp breath.

"I'm fine" I said, trying to smile.

"Abby?" He asked, his voice soft.

"I said I was fine." I whispered. Knowing that my life has just changed.

"What happened?" He whispered in disbelief. Reaching up to my face, he wiped a tear away, making me wince. The only reason I knew I was gonna die if I didn't get out is because he hit my face.

"I fell" I lamely replied. I could almost feel the rage coming off of him.

"You fell? Fell into what a turbine?" He all but yelled. I winced at the loud noise. I felt his body soften at my wince.

"If that's what you want to think then yes." I said, trying to move again. He held me back.

"What happened Abby?" He asked me softly.

"I can't tell you." I replied. The tears had stopped a while ago, but were threatening to come back.

"Why? Why can't you tell me? Where else are you hurt? We need to get you to a hospital." He told me all at once. He was panicking and he wasn't even the one bleeding.

"No. I should get home. I'm fine.. just a little blood." I replied trying to move again.

"A little blood? A little goddamn blood? You look worse than anyone that leaves this ally, and there have been guys that had to be carried out, so don't you dare say you are fine. Where else are you hurt?" He asked me sternly.

"My back. But it doesn't matter." I said, realizing to late that he would see all of my past bruises. I'm surprised he can't see the ones on my arms. I guess it's pretty dark... I just need to get away. I'll sleep at a bus station or something.

"It does matter." He told me, looking me into the eyes. "Come with me." He urged, pulling me away from the wall. I had no other choice but to go with him. He took me to a door, he punched in a key code and whisked me inside. There was a boxing ring, training equipment and a chair. He set me on the chair and went to turn on the main lights. Here we go. The lights became glaring, I got used to them after a few moments. It was just a large warehouse that has been adapted into a training ring. He turned around and I could see his face, all I had on was a tank top and jeans. You could see scars and bruises all over my arms. But that's even close to what my midsection looked like. He was frozen, just looking at me. I couldn't look him in the eye. He slowly walked over to me, walking around the chair.

"It's not that bad." I tried. He shushed me loudly.

"Not that bad huh? I'm surprised you are alive. Look at your body." He replied. I shook my head. "Let's see your back. I can tell it's bleeding." He said, starting to lift up my shirt.

"No.. um it's fine." I argued, starting to get off of the chair.

"Sit down. It's gonna happen with or without your cooperation." He threatened. I took a deep breath and nodded. He peeled the tank top off and gasped. I could tell he didn't have anything to say. The bloody tank top in his hands.

"See... i'm ok." I smiled, tears in my eyes.

"Who did this to you?" He whispered. Tears in the guy's eyes. I've never seen a man cry. Let me rephrase that, I have never seen a man cry over me. He dropped the tank top and came over to me. He touched a bruise on my back. I couldn't help the wince.

"Please, drop it." I asked, attempting to get up. I knew it would make him mad.

"No. Who did this to you?!?" He yelled.

"It was my fault! All my fault!" I yelled back. The pain splitting my ribs.

"What do you mean?" He asked, scrutiny in his face.

"I killed her, I am not good enough, I made a scene today, I ran when I should have just died." I yelled, the end enveloped in tears.

"You killed who?" He asked calmly, kneeling in front of me.

"My mother, I killed my mother." I sobbed.

"How the hell did you kill your mother?" He asked me confused.

"I was born" I replied, sobering up. I am finally numb.

"That's not your fault. You didn't kill her. It was an accident" He told me, trying to comfort me.

"She's dead, i'm alive. It's my fault." I stated emotionless.

"That's ridiculous. Who told you this?" He asked me, shaking his head. Panic started to rise in me. My father will be searching for me soon.

"I've said to much" I replied, standing slowly, picking up my tank top and sliding it over my head. The pain almost made me pass out. The will to leave made me keep going.

"Wait, you can't leave. Your injuries." He started. I painfully turned to him.

"Will heal as always." I nodded calmly. I stepped out into the ally and my heart plummeted into my stomach, just as I stepped out into the ally, my father was looking down it. As soon as he saw me the rage came back into his face. He jogged down the ally towards me, belt raised. I closed my eyes tightly and felt the first lashing across my back.

"You think you can just run from your punishment?" He yelled, lashing out with his feet and belt. I felt a rib break with his kick. It was hard to breath. I hope he stays in the boxing ring. Please don't come out. I thought, A metal creak of the door tells me my prayers were not answered.

"What the fuck do you think you are doing?!?" He yelled running up to the scene.

"It's none of your business boy. Run along now." My father told him. Shit.

"Oh but this is my business. You are beating up on an innocent girl and you want me to run along home? I don't fucking think so." He replied, heated.

"Just go" I whispered.

"Listen to the girl. She's not innocent. Believe me." He snarled. Kicking me again.

"Hit her again and i'll be kicking your ass right he fuck here." He said standing up for me. "She is innocent. What has she done to you?" The kid asked.

"She killed my wife. Every day of my life I have to look at this constant reminder that this bitch is here instead of my beautiful loving wife. She deserves to be punished." He spit.

"You son of a bitch." He snarled out. "She didn't kill anyone. But i'm about to. I'm going to give you five seconds to get your ass out of here before I knock your ass out." The kid threatened. I heard my father scoff.

"Do you know who I am?" My father asked.

"No, and I don't care to." He replied.

"Fine. Abigail, get your bitch ass up, we are going home." He demanded. I started to get up.

"No, You must have misunderstood. You leave. She's staying with me." The kid said.

"You know what, keep her. You'll be begging for me to take her back soon." He told him. I collapsed back to the ground, I only got less than an inch up so it wasn't a far fall. Footsteps told me he was leaving. That's all I remember before I blacked out.