Please Don't Take This Out on Me

I'd been feeling awful lately. Like worse than I've ever felt before. I had contemplated killing myself more this week than every month since the first time I considering attempting. 

Before I got to school, my dad decided to give me the beating of a fucking lifetime. He didn't usually hit my face, mostly under my clothes where you couldn't see it. But today he punched me in the nose twice. I was sure it was past broken and I could barely breathe through it without wanting to rip my face off. 

He got me up at five o'clock this morning so he had enough time to lash me and get ready for work. 

Because God forbid, can't miss that.

He kicked me to get me up then without any warning made me stand against the wall and he whipped my with his belt. If I made noise he told me it would be worse. And stupid me, I squeaked once and practically wrote my own obituary. He kicked my ankle so I was on the ground and beat me to a pulp. At about seven o'clock when he realized he had to go to work still, he finally left. 

I was limping my way to school when a car full of boys, most likely jocks who I've never even met before, decided it would be so fucking funny to throw a box of tampons at me. Like seriously. Even I think that's lame. Doesn't mean it didn't hurt though. 

Pushing through the doors, I saw Vic and the other three most intimidating people on the planet near my locker. 

Ah yes, and then there was Vic. How could I possibly forget. He kissed me yesterday. He fucking kissed me. Like was he even gay or was I so girly he got confused? 

When I got to my locker, I didn't say a word to any of them. I shoved Vic roughly out of the way and tugged on my lock. The damn thing wouldn't open. I tried again and still nothing. I could feel my face and ears getting hot and when I started shaking the lock violently and it didn't budge. 

Vic carefully pulled my hands away from the lock and shook it twice, making it pop open. "You're welcome." He said sarcastically and I flipped him off. I grabbed my shit carelessly and I could feel their eyes on me. 

"Take a picture motherfuckers it'll last longer." I spat. 

"Aren't you gonna tell someone?" The one with the mohawk who I had recently learned was Tony seemed confused. 

I shrugged. "No. No one to tell. There's nothing they could do anyway."

"You can't just let him beat the shit out of you every night." Jaime reasoned. 

"This," I gestured at my face. "Is just from this morning. I'm sure I'm gonna get more tonight, but what am I gonna do about it? Jack shit, that's what. None of you are gonna do anything, no teachers, counselors, even cops are gonna be able to do anything. And do you want to know why? Because he will find out. And when he does, maybe this time he'll finally kill me." With that, I slammed my locker and walked to my first class. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Walking into Mr. Stump's room, I heard him gasp. 

"Yes my nose is broken, no I don't want to talk about it, yes I'm sure, yes I'm fine." I said not even looking at him. 

He seemed confused. I would be too. If my newest student came in looking like I did, I'd be pretty worried. "Kellin, stay after class, please." 

With I huff, I fell into my seat and pushed my ear buds in, not caring if I was going to get yelled at. It's better than being punched. 

Jaime sat next to me and poked my shoulder. I wasn't in the mood to deal with his hyperactive personality and annoying tendencies, so I ignored him. After five minutes, he tugged on a lock of my hair. I shook my head aggressively, messing up my hair but making him let go. 

I thought he was done, I hoped he was done, but no. Jaime poked my cheek and I still ignored him. When he grabbed my head phone and pulled it out, I grabbed his wrist and squeezed. "Put it back." I ordered. 

"You're sitting with us at lunch today." Jaime non-whispered. 

I yanked my head phone out of his hand and shoved it back in my ear. "Says who?" I muttered. 

Soon enough, class ended and I threw my bag over my shoulder. Before I could walk out the door, Mr. Stump grabbed the strap of my backpack and tugged me into the hall. 

"Wait here." He demanded. I'd never seen him angry before and seeing him this edgy was scary. I nodded and dropped my bag, sliding my back against a set of lockers until I was seated. 

Mr. Stump gave his class some instructions before slamming the door and coming back to me. "We're going to talk about this. I don't care if you don't want to, this has to stop. I will not stand by and let one of my students get brutally abused by his own parent. Now, tonight, where are you going after school?" 

I looked away from him. "Uh, home." 

"Do you have any friends you could stay with?" 

"No." 

"What?" 

"I said no. I don't have any friends." Mr. Stump looked horrified. "Not for lack of them trying though. I just don't want any. I don't need them." 

"Oh...well...one moment." Mr. Stump went back into his classroom, giving some orders and leaving a nerdy looking girl in charge. "Kellin, come with me." 

We went into the main office. Mr. Stump told the front desk lady that I was excused from all the rest of my classes because I would be going home. I didn't know what he was doing but I just went with it. 

He turned to face me again and stooped down a bit and made eye contact. "Kellin, I'm sending you home. You have obvious signs of a concussion and you're too thin. I don't even want to estimate when the last time you ate was, you need to sleep and you need to be watched. I don't think you're in the right state of mind to be by yourself right now." 

"What?! You can't send me home, what if my dad is there?" I whispered the last part and Mr. Stump put his hands up making a "calm down" motion.

"Shh, shh it's okay. That's why I'm sending you home with another student. I'm sure you two have met. He's a nice boy and one of my best students. I just called him down he's going to take you back to his house. Alright?" 

I nodded. Seeing no other option. 

Mr. Stump gave me a sad smile and put his hands on my shoulders. "Hey. I'm going to help you, okay? We're going to get you out of there. And after that, you can come, and you're going to live with me and my wife, okay? Would that be alright?" 

I was shocked. He pretty much just asked me to be his kid. I may not have known Mr. Stump very well, but I'd take whatever the fuck I could get. And a family was just handed to me on a silver platter, so you bet your sweet ass I was gonna take it. "Yeah." I nodded and my voice cracked. Mr. Stump smiled and yanked me into a hug. 

"Good. And from now on, call me Patrick." 

I hugged back and had to stop myself from crying. This was honestly going from one of the worst days to one of the best days of my life. 

"Here he comes." Patrick (that was weird) said over my shoulder. I turned to see who is was and low and behold who else other than Victor fucking Fuentes.