Flaws

Chapter 11- Bruised

Chapter 11- Bruised

I didn't wait for him that afternoon. I didn't want or need his sympathy, or his anger for that matter. What I hadn't considered was that, with me alone, Chris wouldn't hesitate to approach me.

Sure enough, I distinguished his footsteps behind me when I was about to cross the street from school. I walked faster hoping he would get the hint. I should have known better.

"Liv stop!" He called exasperatedly.

"What do you want Chris?" I sighed, but I didn't turn around.

"To walk with you" He said, out in breath. I peeked over my shoulder and saw him only metres away.

"Well I wouldn't be much company. I'll see you later" I dismissed him.

I went to walk away, but he grabbed my wrist and made me turn around and look at him. His eyes widened in horror, and my heart sank that he must have seen the red mark still on my cheek.

"Liv?" He murmured, eyes raking my face worriedly. I looked away from him, because though in all honesty I had waited years for him to care this much about my welfare: I wasn't about to get slapped again on his account. I'd had years of Lisa hating me, but Chris had never given her need to act upon her hatred until now.

"I need to go" I urged, but the grip on my arm remained.

"Your face" He said faintly. He lifted his hand and went to trace my cheek. I flinched and his hand stopped in mid-air.

"I need to go" I repeated and in his shock that I'd shied away from his touch, the grip on my wrist slackened.

Taking advantage of this, I stepped away from him.

"I'm sorry Chris" I whispered and turned my back on him. He didn't call after me, though I could picture the confused, hurt look on his face as clearly as if he were in front of me. I didn't want to upset him, but I had wanted to distance myself from him before Lisa had gotten involved, so I could hardly argue against the idea.

I crossed my arms around myself as my house came into view, wishing I was someone different. If I was more like Lana I would have told Lisa to back off and leave me alone, and if I were more like Keira her threats would have been nothing of consequence. I could have shrugged the whole thing off like it meant little to me, but I wasn't my friends.

Lisa knew that no matter my attitude, Chris meant something to me, just as he did to her. There was no getting away from it.

Letting myself inside, I sighed and thought about the best course of action. Chris was sorted, albeit in a temporary sense. Lana was of course ruled out: she would demand I tell someone or exact some sort of painful and embarrassing revenge, neither of which I wanted to do. All I wanted was for her to leave me be.

I sat down at the table, intending to start on my work when I heard the door open. It banged loudly against the wall and I looked up in surprise at the sudden sound. Spencer came into my house like a battering ram, unconcerned whether he was being impolite or his visit was unwanted.

"What's wrong with you now?" Spencer asked angrily.

I stared deep into his eyes, willing him to understand I didn't want to talk about it. I watched, taken aback, as his shoulders seemed to slump and relax. The anger seemed to seep out of him, replaced entirely by concern. He rushed over to me, leaning over and touching my face. His hands were warm against my cold cheeks, and I leaned into him without thinking.

"You hurt your face" He stated, eyes questioning and suspicious.

"I walked into a door" I replied, rolling my eyes like I was annoyed at myself.