Abuse

Chapter 8

For the first time in a while, there was an empty bus seat. Before anyone else could take it, I planted myself in it and curled my knees to my chest, clutching them as I gazed out of the window. Today was rough, and I continued to doubt that it would get any better. Upon checking my phone, I noticed that I had missed five messages from Julie. She had reminded me that we were to go to the fair this Saturday evening, but my memory was sharp and the thought was engraved.

The bus ride was silent today until these two boys got into an argument, drawing the attention of everyone. I heard the names Kyle and Marcus, but I could not make out who was who. One was a dark-skinned boy with a fade. He wore a black shirt with a skull on it and some ripped jeans. The other one was a white boy with a sleeveless t-shirt, accompanied by some basketball shorts. After Marcus, who I soon came to realize was the dark skin, had called to Kyle, the feud had started instantly.

"Why are you messing with my little sister bruh?" Marcus shouted, growling under his breath, "You're a pedophile, man! She's seven years old!"

"I didn't even mess with her," Kyle retorted, "Stop making up lies and tell her to keep my name out of her mouth."

"Hold on cuz you must think stuff sweet. Driver, you better put this bus in park because I'm finna bust this boy's head."

The intensity of the fight had also caused my heart rate to rise. They were in close proximity to me, and ready to throw hands directly in front of me. One side of me wanted to see how the fight would end up, but the other side of me wanted off of the bus.

Marcus leaped towards Kyle, smashing his face against the window and throwing repeated punches. What had once sounded like the library in silence had become a cafeteria full of screams. Blood was spat all over the window as Marcus continued punching him, and it began to remind me of what Kaleb had done to me in bed.

"Stop!" I shouted, "You're going to kill him!"

My screams went in one ear and out of the other as Marcus continued punching, beating the boy half to death. He started growling and screaming things about his younger sister, who he vowed to protect with his life by taking anyone else's should they hurt her.

The students on the bus worked together to unlatch Marcus from Kyle, who was now trembling in his seat with little to no teeth left in his mouth. My gaze had shot towards Marcus, who was now huffing and puffing with a deadly glare back at me.

"What you lookin' at, punk?!" He bucked, but I forced my gaze down at my backpack and let out a soft squeal.

"Don't hit that girl!" I heard someone random shout, but he didn't hit me. Instead, he returned to his seat and settled down with his sister clutched to his chest. The chaos from today was ever so growing, to the point where I couldn't even catch a break on the bus.

As I got home, Kaleb was waiting in the yard for me. His car was running and he was dressed up to go to the fair already. From the looks of it, he had already conversed with my dad about picking me up and so I got off of the bus and in his car with no hesitation.

"Hi there," He chuckled, but I didn't reply to him. My eyes were glued to the side mirror, and my hands settled in my lap.

"Baby?" He asked, "What's the matter?"

"A fight happened today," I blurted, making him shout and causing me to flinch.

"Between who?! I swear if that person hit you, I'll rip his-"

"No one hit me! Okay? It was between these two males. One was a dark skin named Marcus, whereas the other was named Kyle."

"Kyle? That's my homeboy. What kind of slick stuff did he get himself into?"

"I don't know. That's your boy, ask him yourself."

The conversation came to a pause. He was staring at me with a bold look, but I refused to make eye contact with him.

"Lillian," He growled, "Who are you talking to like that?"

My voice began to stutter as tears began to well. The fear from the fight on the bus had begun to add up with me being in the car beside him, and now I've struck a nerve that would probably cost me another one of my good eyes.

"Baby, I'm sorry. I just had a bad day." I said to him fearfully.

"Well watch your mouth because I'm not with that," He retorted, "One of my boys got beat up and you over here acting petty. You should be lucky that he didn't hit you, but he should be as well."

A sigh escaped my lips as I rested my head against the window, waiting for him to drive off. Today was a horrible day, and I wouldn't be surprised if it got any worse.