not The Perfect Life

Screaming is always a solution

Chapter 11

Friday, 8th of February 2019

Screaming is always a solution

It's now been 4 days since I went to Galen's and saw these things. I haven't gone to school for the last few days - if it has taken place. It just didn't work and it doesn't work today either. I'm lying in my bed and have barely slept. These images don't want to disappear from my head anymore. Mom knocks gently on my door. I am not responding.

"Liv? Are you awake?" She asks through the closed door. Again, I don't show any reaction. She slowly opens the door and comes to me.

"Livi? Do you have that stomach ache again?" I nod.

"Is it still your period? Do you want me to call you sick again?" I nod again.

"Okay. After all, you're not a bad student. I'm at home with Malachi today. We won't bother you, but let me know if you need something.", She concludes and then leaves my room again. I can't go to school for now. This thing has to be processed first. I've been thinking about it every moment since Monday. I imagine what Philip Vergara is doing right now. Whether he is just living normally or attacking his sons again.

Someone knocks on the door again and comes right in. It's my dad. He has a mug with him that he puts on my bedside table.

"I made you some tea, Livi," he whispers. Then he begins to stroke my forehead. For a very brief moment, I think about telling Dad everything I've seen. I have to talk to someone about it. I just can't keep eating that into myself. Before I can make that decision, Dad gets up and walks by himself. Pressure has been building up in me for days. I look at my cell phone and see a lot of messages from one person. Galen. He's been texting me a lot since Monday. He wants to know how I am and how I feel. At the same time, he wants to know whether I can keep it to myself or whether I've already passed it on. I didn't reply to a single message. I don't know why I didn't do that. But I read them all.

I get up and change my clothes anyway. Then I always feel a little better. I'm wearing a hoodie that is too big and leggings. I have to keep myself a little lazy during this time. Then I sit down in my closet again. I've also spent the last few days there. I can think about everything and it is at least a bit separated from my bedroom.

After a while of silence in my room, I can hear something again. I hear the doorbell and footsteps. Someone is visiting. Then I hear someone coming up the stairs to my room. My door opens. I just sit very quietly in my small room and keep quiet. It's probably just my mom and she knows that I've been hiding here a lot since I was a little kid. I can clearly hear this person walking through my room. Finally they knock on the door of my dressing room. I am silent. For some reason I can't make a sound. The doorknob turns and the door opens. I look up at the person. Galen looks at me. What is he doing here? He's got school. I look at him confused. He holds the door with one hand and carries a tray with the other. I can't see what's on it.

"Hey.", He starts to talk, "How are you? Your mom said you have a stomach ache?" I do not answer. Galen puts the tray down and sits down next to me on the floor. At first I can't even look at him. In him I see his father's face.

"Can't you just look at me?" Asks Galen with a smile. Can the guy maybe really read my mind?

"I don't even know what to say," he explains calmly, "You haven't been to school for the last two days and I know that ... that you saw some pretty sick shit and ... and ..."

I can't help it and just burst again while slowly starting to cry: "Take off your shirt, Galen!"

"What? My shirt? W .."