TORTURED SOUL | abby littman

𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝘄𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘆 𝗼𝗻𝗲.

   
    
    
    

chapter twenty one

{ unedited }

   
    
    
    

[ trigger warning ; parental abuse ]

ROWAN HAD MARKED THE TEST AND WAS READY TO GIVE IT TO ACREE. Abby had done fairly well, scoring a high B which was incredible considering the circumstances they were in. If that was Rowan in her position, she was sure the highest she'd get was a C. Abby had been doing a lot better in all her classes it seemed, the tutoring going well except for the not-so-rare moments when she would get distracted.

Rowan was walking through the hallways on her way to the Chemistry room to give Miss Acree the test when she passed the berry tree and felt a tug on her sleeve. She already knew Abby and her friends were sitting there, she noticed them the second she entered the hallway, but she hadn't expected Abby to pull her down next to her on one of the chairs.

Rowan caught herself as Abby squished into the corner but was mostly sitting on Rowan's lap. Ginny and Max were looking at the two with matching glares but Norah seemed rather happy as she looked at the two and with the way Abby leaned into Rowan. "I had fun last night," Abby said, not bothering with keeping her voice down. Rowan noticed the looks Abby got from her friends for that but Abby was only looking right at Rowan, not caring about the other three.

"Surprised you're not tired, I'm exhausted." Rowan hadn't slept after she dropped Abby back home. She marked the test using a guide Acree had given her and then, since there were only two hours until she had to wake Cameron for school, she decided on making a big breakfast for him. She had considered skipping school but decided against it.

"I'm tired, just good at hiding it," Abby said and Rowan looked down at her curiously, taking in her expression. She had said it so lightly as if a passing comment but Rowan couldn't leave it at that.

"You're good at that."

"At what?"

"Hiding," Rowan answered softly so Abby's friends didn't hear. She leaned in closer to Abby, her fingers drumming against Abby's thigh when she did so. "Don't hide with me," Rowan mumbled close to her ear so that it was only for Abby to hear.

Rowan saw a hint of a smile on Abby's face as she tilted her head up to be closer to Rowan and whispered, "I never do." Abby leaned back with a smile, still not looking at her friends who had grudgingly turned away from the two. "So I was thinking."

"Mhm?"

"Since you're tutoring me in pretty much everything and I'm actually quite good at Spanish, I could teach you. If you want that. I've been learning since I was a kid, I know a lot and I don't mind teaching you."

"Why?" Rowan asked with a quiet laugh and she hated how strained it sounded. "I know enough to get A's in the class. I don't need tutoring or to be taught."

"Yeah, but..." Abby trailed off, less confident than just a few seconds earlier. "Nevermind."

"No, tell me." Rowan's head tilted when Abby didn't say anything, looking away bashfully instead. "Tell me, Abby," she repeated, the drumming of her fingers stopping.

"It's your language," Abby mumbled, refusing to meet Rowan's gaze. "If that makes sense. You deserve to know more than what's taught in school." Rowan knew Abby meant well but it didn't feel that way. She felt insulted, in a sense. It didn't make sense and she couldn't place why she felt that way but she did and it was an ugly feeling that she wished to be rid of.