Disciplined

Chapter 5

Max:

Numb. That's all I've been feeling lately. It's been two weeks since everything happened. Two weeks since Aiden beat me with his belt. Two weeks since my teacher assaulted me and filmed it. Two weeks since I've really spoken to anyone or eaten something.
I've been hiding out in my room almost everyday. Aiden signed me up for homeschooling via online so I've been working on my homework and online classes to keep busy. All of my brothers try to get me to come out of the house or even my room but I just hide myself away in here. I can tell Benji is really hurt by it all. He's trying really hard for me. I appreciate it, I do but mentally, I'm too depressed and too scared to be around anyone.
Ace tried convincing me to speak with a therapist about all the trauma lately but I refuse to do that also. I'd rather just keep it to myself. My brothers know everything already anyways.
I finally finish my online schoolwork for the day and close my laptop. I turn on Disney plus and watch tangled. Who doesn't love a Disney movie about a princess who is locked away and finally gets a taste of freedom. Yes I may be seventeen but I can only dream of being rescued from this life I'm stuck in.
Dinnertime finally rolls around and Ace is standing in my doorway.

Ace: " hey max. It's dinnertime. Aiden wants you to join us at the table tonight, we have a guest joining us"

Max: "I'm not hungry right now but thank you for letting me know"

Ace: "please max. You need to come done and eat. You've barely eaten all day. Plus it's rude to not welcome a guest"

Max: "I'm not even dressed properly Ace. They would just be repulsed by me like everyone else is" I whispered the last part but I know Ace heard me.

Ace: "that's the furthest thing from the truth and you know it Mad. You need to come down princess. You can sit next to me and eat something. But you need to come down. Aiden will be even more pissed off then he already is if you don't join us"

Max: " if he's already that PISSED OFF with me then why would I go down there. He probably would rather not deal with me then. You trying to scare me into going down doesn't make me want to go down anymore then I did before"

I have tears starting to fall down my face. How dare he threaten me like that. He knows I'm walking in eggshells around Aiden lately since what happened. I would've never expected Ace to pull something like this.
Against my better judgement, I roll out of bed and walk slowly downstairs. I hear Ace behind me sigh heavily.

Aces POV:

Damnit. I didn't mean for it to come out like that. I'm not trying to scare her or intimidate her into coming down. I'm genuinely worried. She hasn't been sleeping or eating and she hides out in her room all day. We have an associate of ours here and Aiden wanted all us there.

Ace: "Max I didn't mean for it to come off that way. If you truly don't want to go down then you can stay up here. I'll talk to Aiden about it later"

Max: "no I don't need to give him another reason to beat me again. I can't handle that pain right now as it is"

My heart sank.

Ace: "max. I'm so sorry."

I brush the tears off her cheeks and pull her into a quick hug. She doesn't deserve any of this pain. And we caused it. She quickly and gently pushed me away. I forgot to mention she doesn't let any of us touch her much either anymore. It breaks my heart that I can't even hug my sister without her flinching or feeling uncomfortable.

We walk downstairs and enter the dinning area. Max's head is down and looking at the floor. She sits down in her normal seat next to Benji at the end of the table. I sit across from her next to our guest and Aiden is at the head of the table between our guest and Benji.