All Along

002

She wants to play dirty, I'll play dirtier.

I stood there in complete awe and grabbed a lunch tray from behind me. Before thinking about anything, I smashed the tray over her head, letting all the food on it trickle down her forehead and white- now red shirt. Glad we had chili today.

"What the..." Mandy began.

I cut her off by grabbing a carton of milk from a kid standing behind me and dumped the milk over her head.

"I thought you needed to cool off a little," I smirk as she stands in awe over my aggressive actions.

What has gotten into me? I can't think straight. In a way I'm proud of what I did; but another small part of me is screaming "prepare for war!" That smaller part is correct, and my subconscious tells me too run. So that's exactly what I do.

I run. Straight into Liam. His tall frame hovers over me as if he isn't intimidating enough. I stand there in silence. The whole room is silent; even Mandy and her stuck up boyfriend, Liam.

"FIGHT!" A boy in the back of the cafeteria shouts and everyone else joins in chanting the word 'fight' and I want to roll over and die. Come to think of it, Liam could arrange that.

Liam's face flashes with anger as he let's out a wave of laughter similar to the one Mr. Montgomery let out this morning.

"What are you waiting for? Kick her..." Mandy began and is cut of for the second time today. But this time not by me, by Liam's fist making contact with my cheek, leaving a stinging feeling. It hurts like you wouldn't believe but I keep myself contained.

He wants a reaction; if I give it to him, there is no chance he will stop. Letting out another chuckle, he punches me again, this time in my stomach, a lot harder than he did the first time.

I can't help but wail over in pain and I fall to the ground as people form a circle around the three of us; Mandy, the spawn of satan, Liam, her slave, and me, the book worm from the back of science class.

I dodge a swift kick to my torso by grabbing his ancle and twisting it. He falls to the hard floor with a thud. Now is my chance to run. This time, I'll try to get out of here without running into someone else.

I do my best to limp over to the exit and run down the street. Once I arrive at my front door, I turn the knob. It doesn't budge and I stick my hands in my pocket's before I remember that my keys are in my backpack, in my locker, at school.

I start to panic as I see a group of guys running towards my front door. My brother, Jack, is on the the football team at Ridge Way, our highschool. When football practice gets rained out or canceled, they come here because out of all the boys' houses on the football team, ours just so happens to be the closest. So all the footballers know where I live. Not very convient for me but it's a thrill for Liam and his buddies.

I do the only logical thing I can think of: run. They follow shortly behind while I run as fast as I can, which may I add isn't very fast. I feel the slight tugging at the collar of my shirt before I am yanked back into one of the guys chests. A strong pair of arms grips my torso, pulling me into them closer as the guys all take turns punching, kicking, and screaming vile, intolerable insults. I try my best to bear through all the pain I am feeling. Another strike to my chest and I crash to the ground as the boys grip loosens.

I would run if I could. But it hurts just to sit there breathing, I can't begin to image what it would feel like to run.

"Tell your brother about this, and your dead!" Liam smirks, giving me a swift kick to the jaw as the firmiliar metallic taste of blood fills my mouth and before I know it, everything becomes a faint blur before my vision goes completely black.

...

"Tessa! Wake up Tess! Please wake up!" A firmilliar male voice pleads. I can recognize the voice; it's my brother, Jack. My whole body floods with relief. Out of all people that could have helped me, I'm glad it was him. Not that I want him to feel sorry for me, but since my dad left after he found out about me- their little mistake- he ran off and my mom being a drunk, he's all I have.

"Tessa!?" He asks as my eyes flutter open.

I attempt to sit up and make up a lie about the whole thing but I wail over in pain in my efforts to do so. The excruciating pain in my side doesn't compare to the throbbing feeling on my eye and cheek.

"Tessa, tell me what happened!" He demands as I curse under my breath. I had really hoped he would give me enough time to think of an excuse. Maybe take me inside and get me some ice, and then ask. I guess I thought wrong. What do I tell him? I would tell him the truth if my life didn't depend on not doing so. What were his words?
Tell your brother about this and your dead!
And your dead.
Dead.
Dead.

The word rang through my ear and before I know it, I'm a sobbing mess.

"Let's get you inside," he says with a hint of pity in his voice. Oh God. The last thing I need is for my brother to feel bad for me.

He pulls me up by my arm and picks me up bridal style. I grip the collar of his shirt and try my hardest not to scream in pain. The harder he gripped my torso, the more I wish Liam would have finished the job and killed me.