The darkest days

3

Cecelia

8 years old

School was my escape,just like the forest,but it had it's downsides.

I walk through the halls of my school,in a dark blue sweater and black leggings.
My daddy had beaten me something fierce. Daryl and I had been friends for a couple of years now,so If it's to bad at my house I would run as fast as I could to his bedroom window and knock on it twice,The same with him.
I guess we sorta found a broken comfort in being together."Cecelia and Daryl Sitting in a tree!"I hear the other girls sing and I start to blush."Shut up."I say quietly but they keep singing it.

Lunch time came around and I sat across from Daryl."Daddy actually got some groceries."I say passing him a sandwich and he looks at it,not looking at me."did it get bad?"I ask quietly.He looks up but not
into my eyes.I see a purple and yellow bruise adorning his skin right under his left eye.
I look down and silence looms over us in a big grey cloud."Thanks."He says quietly,in a broken down voice.

I look up and a smile spreads across my face.I finish my Peanut butter and jelly sandwich and I fold up the paper bag."Why do you always fold things?" Daryl asks looking at me with his eyebrow raised. I blush and I shrug."I don't know.I guess it's just a nervous habit."I say in a small voice.
I've learned to never raise my voice to a man.
It turns out very badly in my house and in Daryl's."What're ya nervous abou'?" Daryl asks looking at the now neatly folded bag.

"All the girls are making fun of me and you." I say playing with my fingers."They 'an jus' shut up."He says looking at me and giving me a toothy grin.He had one tooth missing and I had four missing.We named
all of our teeth and then threw them into the river."you shouldn't be hanging out with an eight year old like me Dar.'' I say sadly."Then who would watch your back?" He asks looking at me I look at him and I smile.

"Forever?" I ask,putting my pinky out."Forever."He says,hooking his pinky around mine.