Black Blood

Library

I arrived at school and found Olivia standing next to my locker, just as I had suspected. Immediately, I try to hide the mark on my face. However, my attempt doesn't work because she immediately notices and moves my hand away from my face. 

"What the fuck is that? And why does it look like a hand mark like someone literally slapped you?" she questioned sounding pissed. 

"I ran into one of the bookshelves in my room. You know how clumsy I am." I replied giggling nervously. She can read me so easily; she's been my best friend since I can remember. She will probably see right through my dumb lie. 

"And you running into your bookshelf resulted in a mark that looks like a handprint? I don't think so young lady. Spill. Tell me what really happened." 

I stay silent. I don't know what else to say. I'm speechless. If I tell her everything is just going to get worse, for both of us. Her statement sent me into an anxiety attack and I started bawling. She embraced me and I did the same. We stayed like that until I calmed down again, but at that point, everyone was already staring. I was embarrassed. 

She knew I was embarrassed, so she took my hand and led me out of the hallway and into the library, one of my safe havens. I was a little confused. 

"Why did you bring me in here? We have to get to class. We can't just hang out in the library all day," I asked looking around the library and counting the few people that were in the small library. None of them ever looked up; we come in here so many times people honestly just stopped acknowledging us. There was a total of five people in the library. One of the boys looked up at me and we made eye contact. I blushed and looked back at Olivia. 

"Who is that boy? I've never seen him around here before." 

"He's new. His name's Jackson. That's not why I brought you in here." she replied shortly. It still seemed like she was pissed. 

"Then why-?" I started, but she cut me off. 

"Your mom has been hitting you hasn't she?" she asked me bluntly. 

"I-" I stammer not knowing how to answer her. My words failed me so I just shook my head in hopes it was convincing enough. 

"Don't give me that shit. She did, and I know it," she wouldn't give up despite my protests. 

"I- I'm sorry," I start to cry again. In my peripheral vision, I see Jackson staring at me; I instantly wipe my eyes and stare at Olivia waiting for her next reaction. All she does is sigh loudly and run her fingers through her perfectly straight hair. Everything about Olivia is perfect. 

"Babygirl," she mumbles, "why didn't you tell me?" with that, she grabs my hands and I watch in my peripheral as Jackson looks down sadly. I giggle a little in my mind but remain serious on the exterior. I look down at Olivia and my hands. 

"I knew she'd hurt me even worse than she already has," my eyes welled with tears again. I curse myself in my mind. Why am I so emotional? I'm being watched by a new guy and I can't even keep my shit together. How pathetic, there goes me making a new friend. Now here's something you need to know, I'm in love with Olivia. But here's something you need to know about her, she has a girlfriend and she sees me as nothing more than a sister. I have such a soft spot for her it's unreal. I tell her pretty much everything and I hate it sometimes. She pulled me out of my thoughts by asking a simple question that I didn't have the answer to.

"When were you going to tell me?" she asked softly. Her voice cracked halfway through the sentence. I knew she was hurt and I didn't want to hurt her more by telling her the truth, but I can't lie to her. I meet her eyes and softly speak the two damaging words as if my saying them softly will hurt her any less. 

"I wasn't."