Stars Collide

Chapter 8

I hated it when Father hit me. He'd always told me that everyone's parents did it so I kept my mouth shut. I was always too shy to ask my friends if their parents hit them on a regular basis. Now, my biological mother's husband was letting me know that it didn't in fact happen to everyone. I didn't even know she was my biological mother until a few hours ago.

I didn't hate Father. I truly believed that he had my best interests in mind. I just hated it when he hit me. I was used tot he hitting. I think this new family thought that I was being tortured and that my father was an alcoholic or something. Maybe they thought that I was poor. Maybe they thought that I was bullied. I was surprised when the older sister- Chiara, I think her name was- wrapped her arms around me in an embrace.

"I'm fine," I told her politely. "Life at home isn't that bad."

Monsieur Faber gave me a strange look. "From what I remember, your father was mean. And I know that he abuses you. Are you sure you're okay?"

I nodded. "He isn't mean. He just has a bad temper. Don't worry, I'm used to it." I subconsciously rubbed my jawline and Chiara winced. I guessed that hitting each other wasn't really a thing in the Faber household.

"So," Chiara said. "What do you want me to do, Papa?"

"I want you to protect him," he told her. "He doesn't know English so he's at a greater risk of getting bullied. I think he's already been through enough. When we get custody of him, we'll hire a full-time English tutor."

"I don't need custody," I blurted out rudely. "I'm perfectly fine in France."

"Julien, listen," Monsieur Faber said. "Would you rather stay here in a loving household or in France in an abusive one?"

"You don't understand," I told him. "First of all, my household isn't that abusive. Second of all, I have my whole life already set up over there. I can't move now." But I could. I hated my friends over there. And I wouldn't mind leaving Father and my brothers behind. Maybe I wanted Monsieur Faber to win this case. I just couldn't bring myself to admit it to him.

"Stubborn," Chiara mumbled before turning to me. "So, are you ready to go back to school?"

I nodded, anxious to get out of the tense atmosphere. That was before I realized that Monsieur Faber would be coming with us as well, meaning the tension was not staying behind.

What if Monsieur Faber hated me and no longer wanted custody of me? It would be like dangling a carrot in front of a rabbit before snatching it away. Now that I had the slightest chance at a better life, I didn't want to let it go.

When we were finally at the school, Chiara gave her father a peck on the cheek before turning to me. "So, Julien, how do you like the school so far?"

"You're new here too, right?" I asked her. She nodded. "How do you like it here so far?"

Chiara laughed. "I like the school. I thought I would hate because my English isn't that great but I like it. The people are nice."

"I don't like it," I told her. "I feel like a freak because I have to take all my classes in French and take the English developmental class. I can never understand what the other kids are saying. I'll never be one of them."

"I know it seems like that now," she said, her eyes getting serious. "Papa transferred me to a school that teaches English when I was ten. I had no idea what was going on but I soon got the hang of it. You will too."

"I hope so," I said anxiously as we reached the Math building, where I believed I had my next class. "I have to go," I told her, pointing at the building. "I'll see you around."

"You too," she told me before going on by herself.

I entered the quiet building and made my way up to the third floor, where the French, German, and Luxembourgish classes were located, before sneaking a glance at my watch. It used to be my mother's father's watch. I guessed he wasn't my biological grandfather after all. I still had ten minutes before math began so I decided to sit down against the wall next to the door of my classroom and wait.

I thought about a lot of things. I thought about Aurélia, and how she was annoying. I thought about Béa, the girl I thought was beautiful but couldn't talk to because I didn't know English. I thought about all the boys that mocked me right in front of me because they knew I wouldn't understand what they were saying.

Suddenly, I wanted to learn English. I decided to tell Chiara as soon as I saw her so that she could tell her father.

I sat for the remainder of the time I had left without a single thought. Before, I knew it, the bell rang, and I got up and waited for the students from the previous period to get out before making my way in. "Bonjour, Julien," my math teacher said. I was beginning to like him.

"Bonjour, Monsieur Hollis," I replied, taking a seat. I pulled out my textbook and waited for the second bell to ring. I was ready to learn.

Monsieur Faber would be proud.