Meriliya Sanchez (Ongoing Editing)

Chapter 5

*I'm sorry! I didn't get your message. Did you get home safely?* The message read. 

*It's alright. Of course I did. Have a good day.* I sent, tossing my phone into my jean pocket. 

"Hi, can I borrow this book?" I asked the librarian, Mrs. Huggins. 

"Sure. I'll just fill in a few details and then you're free to return it in two weeks." She said typing away on her computer. 

"Thank you, ma'am" 

-

"What do you want from me?" I whimpered getting up from the floor. 

"What do I want?" She repeated my words. "For you to get away from here and find somewhere you belong!" She spat. I didn't say anything but only nodded my head cowardly and tuning away just to be pushed brutally to the floor. I winced when my head hit the hard floor. And then I shot up begging them to stop. 

"No, please! Stop, please!" I kept saying the same words over and over again hoping to get them to stop kicking me. Giving up, because it was no use. It was as if only I heard my own screaming. 

"Guys, guys." One of the guys said after what feels like forever. "I think we better stop..." he said and the others stopped. They walked away from my bruised body leaving me to deal with the severe pain. 

Gathering up all the energy I had, I dragged my limp body to the wall which was a few steps away. Struggling to stand on my feet I fell on the floor for the tenth time since I started. I sobbed and tried again with all my might holding on the wall to stand. 

I limped to the entrance of the cafeteria and to my locker. I pulled my bag out which slipped out of my grip and fell to the floor. I winced when I bent to grab my bag. Tears kept flowing freely down my cheeks. I packed my books in my bag struggling to carry it but denied the pain and continued to limp to the bus stop. Yes, I'm skipping the rest of the school day. 

I managed to get on the bus and find a seat, thankfully. I plugged in my earphones and increased the volume than usual and grabbed the packet of tissues I had. I let the tears flow down and kept dabbing under my eyes and ended up falling asleep the entire journey home. 

"Oh okay." I mumbled getting up quickly from my seat, wincing afterwards. I held my stomach as I walked down the bus and walked first to the bench to rest. I kept breathing uneven breaths staring ahead of me.

Fifteen minutes later I slowly got up and limped to my house. I unlocked the door to the empty house and walked straight to my room. I gave up halfway up the stairs and just sat there exhausted. 

-

"No, please! Stop, please!" I shot up panting. What- oh right. Realisation hits me seconds later that the scene that had happened earlier today had replayed in my head. I walked the rest of the stairs up to my room. I dropped my bag on the floor by the table, I removed my shoes leaving them by the door not bothering to put them away on the rack. I grabbed my towel and stripped out of my clothes taking my time and turned on the shower. I flinched at first when the hot water hit my bruised skin but let the water ferment the sore skin on my stomach few seconds later. I changed into a pair of sweats and a t-shirt and then remembered I have work in two hours. Urgh! I changed into a casual skirt with pockets instead of jeans because I didn't want to go through the trouble of wearing jeans. 

I dumped my phone and wallet in the large pockets of my skirt and walked down the stairs. I checked the fridge if it's in short of groceries. Yes. I made a note of what I've got to buy and left the house after grabbing the house keys. I smiled when I felt the afternoon's breeze brushed through my hair. I walked to the bus stop to find the bench unoccupied. I sat myself on the bench stared at the vehicles that were going along the tar road.