"Rionelle!" I heard my teacher yell giving me a worried look.
"Umm sorry, yeah?"
"What has been going on? Why are you crying? What's wrong?"
I touched my cheek to prove that she wasn't lying- I was crying. I looked up at her and then looked back down and wiped my face with my sleeve. "Nothing's been going on. I'm just tired." I lied smoothly.
"Okay, if that's all.... You may go." She said and I started to walk out the door. "Oh and Rionelle," she said, "I'm sorry about your mom." She gave me a sympathetic look as I started to turn and run out the door. I was definitely crying then. I couldn't take this. All of this stress and pain and hurt was absolutely horrible. I ran to my locker, opened it, and threw my stuff into it. I then ran to the girls bathroom instead of the cafeteria because it was lunch. I went to the last stall and locked the door. I cried and cried until all my tears were gone and then I just sobbed. After about fifteen minutes of crying, someone came storming into the bathroom and I immediately silenced my sobs so they wouldn't know I was in here. Then I saw two white and hot pink shoes in front of my stall and I immediately knew who it was.
"Rionelle get the hell out of that stall right now!" Ashley, my best friend, yelled as she pounded on the stall door.
I got up in surrender and opened the door. She took one look at me and then pulled me into a warm embrace. "Shh, everything will be okay. I promise." Ash cooed in my ear. She held me in her arms until I stopped crying. After I had finished, she let go of me and went to get some paper towel. She got it wet with cold water and wiped the tear streaks and snot from my face.
"Thank you, Ash...."
"What happened honey? You can tell me. I'll listen I promise. A secret between us, nobody else." And with that she held out her pinky finger and for a second I looked between her and her pinky and took her pinky in mine to agree to the promise. I told her everything, even about the rape.
She looked at me with pure worry and horror. She looked so scared and she was crying and I lifted up my hand and wiped her tears away and then I pulled her into a hug. I let her cry into my shoulder. After she was done crying, we sat in a silent embrace until Ash spoke.
"Have you told anyone? About any of it?" She asked.
"Just you.... I'm scared something will happen..."
"Honey, you have to tell someone.... Please? For me?"
I gave her a pleading look. And she seemed to give in. Without another word, she stood up and then pulled me up. We walked, arm in arm, out of the bathroom. Nobody seemed to notice us, that is nobody except for Ashley's boyfriend, Gabriel, and Robert. Ashley gave me a look as if to ask if I would be okay and I just nodded back. She gave me another hug and then walked to Gabriel. Robert walked over to me. He looked slightly worried.
"Hey." Robert said warmly.
"Hi..."
"Are you okay?"
"Yeah, fine..."
"You sure? You look like you've been crying...."
"Yeah, don't worry about me, please." He looked down and mumbled something that sounded like, "I would if I could." I gave him the best smile I could and started to walk away as he called my name. I turned around and looked at him questioningly.
He jogged over to me and said, "If you need anything just call me, okay? I texted that number you gave me during lunch and said who it was.... Just let me know if you ever need anything, please?"
"Okay. I will."
He smiled at me and continued to walk next to me. He shoved his hands into his pockets and casually looked at me every once in a while. We walked to my locker and then to class. The rest of the day went by in a blur.
After I got off of the bus with my little sister, I walked to the house. I was frightened of going into the place, until I noticed my dad's car wasn't there. I immediately relaxed and smiled. My sister and I walked inside and to our room. We had a pretty large room, even for the two of us. I set my bag on my bed and went out to the kitchen. I opened the fridge and got out ground burger to make spaghetti. It was my dad's favorite food but I hated it. I was too scared of him to make something I would actually like. I grabbed out a pan to cook the burger in when something hit me- hard.
I fell to the ground rolling into a ball. I was kicked, over and over again. Once he finished kicking me, he pulled me up by my hair and slapped me hard across the face. He let go and punched me in my stomach. This usually meant he was done. I opened my mouth and threw up blood.
"Get the fuck up and make me dinner and clean this shit up, you bitch." My dad said.
I didn't say anything back because I knew more abuse would come from that. I got up and willed myself to stop crying as I picked up the pan and put the burger into it. I turned the stove on and started cooking. Once the burger was cooking, I turned the stove on low and got a towel and bleach to clean up the mess I had made. After I finished cleaning, I went back to the burger and finished cooking the spaghetti.
I quickly finished cooking and set out two plates, one for my dad and one for my sister. I told them both their food was done and went to my room. I never ate with them. I ate alone in my room. After I finished, I took care of my plate and everyone else's. I washed dishes and then went to my room to do all of my homework.
That was when I remembered that Mr. Hill wanted to talk to me. 'Oh crap!' I thought to myself. 'I guess I'll have to talk to him tomorrow.' I got out my homework and quickly finished it.
I got bored so I just took out my phone my dad didn't know I had and read the text Robert sent me. It was just a simple text stating it was him. I smiled and texted him while laying on my bed. I was so exhausted. I closed my eyes for what I thought was only a few seconds, but when I opened them again, it was 3 in the morning.
Crap. I fell asleep. I looked at my phone which somehow got under my pillow and saw it had twenty-seven missed texts, ten voicemails, and thirteen missed calls. They were all from Robert. I read all of the texts and listened to all of the voicemails and laughed at them. He seemed so worried. It was cute. I texted him back saying I was fine. I just fell asleep. I immediately received a new text.
Robert: Oh thank god! I was so worried. I thought something bad happened to you.
Me: No, I'm fine. Sorry I fell asleep on you. You should get some sleep weirdo. :p
Robert: Weirdo? Who's weirdo? And I will. Good night. Sweet dreams.
I smiled at the text and turned my phone off and hid it under my pillow. I closed my droopy eyes and fell back into a dreamless sleep.
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So how is it? You guys like this so far? Let me know pretty please.
Love yall,
Emily
