"Of course, you're going to be sick of me. Because we are going this every single day." I told her, seeing her smile.
"Let's see who gets sick of who first."
Briley.
He soon told me he had to go back to work, immediately disappointing me.
"Oh okay" I spoke, immediately standing.
"See you tomorrow?" I asked immediately after, as if needing to confirm one more time if he was coming or not.
"You absolutely will."
So I returned to class, sitting beside Cole, who sent me a smile.
"Did you really ditch study hall without me?"
Calum.
I went straight to Ashton as I entered the hospital, now fully convinced that this was an abusive situation and nothing less.
"It's abuse." I spoke as I entered his office, seeing Luke as well.
I went through the whole spill of her crying and panicking.
"Calum- she never admitted to you that-" "she didn't have to admit it, Ashton! She cried over having a choice and wouldn't even let me hold her hands!" I spoke firmly to him.
"Calum, you know that's not enough for us to accuse a man of abusing his child." He spoke to me.
"But maybe we could just get a welfare check-" "and that would only put Briley and Ben at more of a risk once the police leave." He had a point.
"I just know there's something going on, I don't like it." I spoke firmly.
"Well you have an hour everyday to talk to her about it- as soon as you have her admitting it and ready to take it to the police, I will be right behind you."
Ben.
She got into the car full of energy.
"What's going on with you?" I laughed out, seeing a genuine smile on her face as she looked to me.
I hadn't seen that in so long.
"I feel so good, Ben" she spoke, making me almost happy.
"What changed?" I asked her, wishing it would stay like this forever.
And I watched her smile drop momentarily before picking right back up
"Not sure, but I hope it stays this way."
Me too, Bri.
We got home and did the normal routine.
She immediately started cooking, I did homework at the bar.
I could tell that she felt good.
She was much bouncier than normal, singing under her breath.
I couldn't help but wonder if maybe Roy making her eat was actually helping her.
And soon Roy was home, acting like he was in a pretty decent mood.
He wasn't angry or yelling, he sat beside me and him and I talked quietly.
Soon Briley gave us both plates of food before sitting with one for herself
"This is really good Briley" he spoke, catching us both off guard, he never compliments her food.
"Thank you" she spoke back calmly, I prayed she wouldn't do anything to mess up his mood.
And thankfully she didn't .
He continued to talk to me about his job and day as Briley cleaned up, storing the left overs.
And soon we were all getting ready for bed, I couldn't help but feel relieved that we got away with a genuinely good night for once.
Until I heard the yelling, and the loud noise.
I immediately ran downstairs, seeing him holding her by the neck in the air, her gasping for air.
I couldn't look at that
"And you do not speak unless one of the men in the house address you- do you fucking understand?"
"Y-yes sir" she choked out.
He dropped her, leaving her gasping for air.
She looked to me once we heard his bedroom door shut.
"What did you do?" I asked her.
"I was humming." She mumbled.
There was no excuse for him doing that to her.
I helped her to her room, covering her up once she was in bed.
"Do you still pray?" She asked me right before I left her room, making me stop.
"Yeah" I told her calmly, suddenly remembering our mom teaching us how to pray and telling us how important it was.
"Why?" I asked her.
"Do you think he's listening?" She asked me.
"Of course he is, why would you ask that?" I spoke to her slowly.
"I was just wondering" she mumbled
"Because if he really is listening, he's ignoring me"
