When we pull up to my house, I'm surprised when Jin gets out of the car as well.
"No," I say, walking towards my front door and blocking his way in. "You don't need to be in here. I'm just going to run in and grab some things. I'll be right out."
"Why? So you can walk out of here with more bruises?" he asks softly and my heart skips a beat as anxiety flares in my chest. "I'm going in there."
He takes my keys out of my hands and moves around me, unlocking the door and opening it, gesturing for me to go inside.
"I don't like you right now, but thank you," I say, barely above a whisper. "I understand why you're doing this."
"I thought you were staying at your boyfriend's house," a voice says from the kitchen and I see my step mother walk into the living room with a wooden spoon in her hand. Her look of rage immediately subsides when she sees Jin walk into the room behind me and she holds the spoon down by her side instead.
"He's my friend, and I'm here to get a few things. I'll be back when I'm not sick anymore. I don't want to risk getting dad sicker," I explain, though I'm sure Jin explained it already over the phone.
"Jin, my room is upstairs. It's the last door on the right. Can you go up there and wait for me a minute? I need to talk to my step mother," I say, my gaze locked onto the woman in front of me.
"Are you sure?" he asks, wariness obvious in his tone.
"Just go," I say, and I hear his retreating footsteps as he goes up the stairs.
I glare at my step mother for a moment before turning to my father. I kneel down in front of him and I stare at him until his attention finally turns to me.
"I have a cold," I explain. "I am going to stay at a friend's house for a few days until I'm well again because I don't want to get you sick. I'll be back. I promise. Okay?"
A look of concern flashes across my dad's features for a split second before he turns his attention back to the television behind me. "Get better."
I smile at him, though I know he's no longer looking at me. My heart feels warm at the thought that he may still care.
I turn to my step mother, who is holding the wooden spoon at chest level as she glares at me.
"Abandoning him just like that bitch did," she sneers and I walk until we're nearly touching noses.
"Let me be clear," I snap, ignoring the pounding beginning to form in my head. "You will take care of him while I'm gone. You will make sure he is fed and bathed and well rested. You will make sure he takes his medications. You will make sure he's drinking enough water. You can steal all the money in the world from me, but I will not let you mistreat that man. Do you understand me?"
"I do most of that while you're at work anyway," she snaps back. "The only thing you do is cook him dinner and pay his bills. Don't act so entitled, you brat. You're lucky your little boyfriend is here or you'd be scrubbing your blood off this floor."
"Leave the kid alone," my dad grumbles. "She's sick."
My eyes widen in astonishment as I turn my attention to him. As soon as my back is turned to my step mother, she shoves me as hard as she can, and I fall onto the floor. On instinct, I reach out my hands to break my fall, and I feel a sharp pain shoot through my left wrist as most of the impact lands on my left side.
"You're so clumsy," she says, staring down at me before turning and heading back into the kitchen.
I sigh as I sit up, looking at my wrist. I can tell it's not broken, but I must have pulled something because every time I flex my wrist, a painful jolt sends tears filling my eyes and frustration boiling in my heart.
I look up at my dad, whose attention is focused on the television. He's ignoring me again.
I fight back my tears and my confusion in whether my dad cares about my existence or not, and I slowly make my way upstairs, trying to ignore the throbbing pain in my wrist. When I reach my bedroom, I plaster a smile on my face and walk into the room, where I see Jin sitting on my bed waiting for me.
"Everything okay?" he asks, and I nod.
"Yeah, I was just reminding her about his medications and what time he needs to take them," I lie as I move towards my closet. "Can you get my bag out from underneath my bed please?"
"Sure," he says, moving to grab the bag before placing it on my bed.
I grab some clothes and stuff them haphazardly into the bag, being careful about my wrist but also being careful not to let Jin notice my discomfort.
After grabbing a few more things I need, I zip the bag closed and before I can pick it up, Jin grabs it and slings it over his shoulder.
I glare at him, but he smiles at me in return.
"Things will be fine, Violet," he says, reaching out to gently grab my left wrist. As soon as his fingers enclose around it, I wince and pull my wrist away, the pain pulsing through my wrist and hand as I try to massage it.
"What's wrong?" he asks, frowning in concern as he reaches out to take my left arm.
"Nothing," I say, looking away from him.
He gently pulls my left arm until I stop resisting, and he looks at my wrist, careful not to touch it this time. I can see the bruise already forming, and I roll my eyes at how easily I seem to bruise. I'm being painted black and blue at this point.
"Did she do this to you?" he asks quietly. "I knew I shouldn't have left you down there. I'm so stupid."
"No, Jin. I just fell. It's fine. I'm just so clumsy," I say, smiling softly at him. "Can we go now?"
"Yeah," Jin says quietly as he leads the way down the stairs. "Let's get out of here."
