pulse || c. grimes TWD

17.

I eventually went outside at around 1:30 pm, and everybody seemed busy, I kept my head down while I walked to avoid people staring at me, I was going for a walk before Mark woke up I walked past Glenn and a few others, Glenn stopped me when I looked at him, "Hey, Nyla what happened to your eye?" He asked while observing my face, I paused for a moment not knowing what to say to him, I looked at him, and then behind me thinking time would make him forget he asked, "Where are you going?" I asked avoiding the question, "Well, we're just going on a repair mission, but you didn't answer my question" He said

"Daylights burning, let's go," Aiden said and shut the door, Glenn looked behind him, "Right uh, bye," I said to Glenn and carried on walking, That small talk with Glenn had made me realize that I had to think of something to tell everyone cause I couldn't tell them about Mark they'll kick him out and potentially everyone else as well, I started to think of all the stuff that happened last night and then my mind jumped to Jayce, how did he find this place? How did he get this far out on foot? Who did he live with

I had eventually found a bench to sit down on, I got my book out of my bag and began to read, I was halfway through the book so I'd have to find something else to read soon, an hour later I decided to stop reading and head back it was 3:15 pm so Mark was probably awake by now, I started to walk around, I arrived outside of the apartments and then walked in hesitantly, I walked up the stairs, and went into our apartment

I opened the door and put my bag down on the sideboard, Max was in the living room, I walked into the living room and sat next to him, I looked at him "Where's Mark?" I asked, "He went out with Abraham" He spoke bluntly 

"Abraham?" 

"To extend the walls, I don't know why Mark would be interested in that sort of thing, How's your eye?" He asked, I squinted my eye slightly, a quick rush of pain, and then it stopped again, "It's uh, fine" I breathed "Listen, I have to tell you something but you can't tell anyone, not even Rio" He nodded, "It's about Jayce"

"What about him?" He asked not in an aggressive way but in more of a curious way, "He's here, I talked to him but he doesn't want Mark to find out about it" I told him, "What, When did you talk to him?" Max questioned me, "Last night."

He furrowed his eyebrows and went off to his bedroom, I then lazed around for about half an hour until I heard the front door knock I got up and looked through the peephole it was Ron, I was confused at why he was there, I opened the door hesitantly, I looked at him waiting for him to say something, "Hey, are you okay? I mean last night you seemed upset" Ron stuttered "What happened to your eye? Did he do that?"

"What! No, and I wasn't upset." I exclaimed, "Really? Cause it did look like it" Ron sneered, I stayed silent for a few seconds, "Come in." I told him I opened the door more and let him in, I shut the door behind me and walked him into my room 

"Why are you here Ron, really?" I asked him once I shut my door we both sat down on the edge of the bed, "I had to get out, My dad he- I mean" He sighed and stopped what he was gonna say, "Your dad, what?" I asked I looked at him he looked lost for words

"He beats on us. My mom especially," He bit his lip not sure if he would regret telling me "He broke the owl statue my mom and I have been making in the garage, I think it was him anyway it probably was it is something he would do" Ron furrowed his eyebrows

I was now the one lost for words I looked at his shaking hands not sure how to comfort him, "When did he last beat on you?" I asked it sounded rude but I don't know how else to ask it, "Just last night when we came home, He always does it when he drinks he'll use anything to take his anger out on, he's not picky" 

"Sounds like Mark" I caught myself off guard, he froze when he looked at me, "Mark hits you?" Ron asked with a concerned look on his face, "No" I said in a sharp voice

"You can tell me, I just told you about my dad" 

"It's different." I stated looking away from him, "It is different, It's not normal why do you think they hide it?" Ron commented, I looked at my knees thinking about what he had just said

It was silent for a few seconds, Ron then moved my hair and put it behind my ear I flinched "Did Mark do this?" He asked gesturing to the blue and dark purple bruise just below my eye, It was obvious what the answer was and he knew that too, I furrowed my eyebrows fidgeting with the sleeve of my shirt, "I'm scared to go back" He blurted

"You can hang out here for a while I don't mind, Mark's probably not gonna be back until dark" I offered, "My dad's probably drinking right now so thank you" 

"Just be quiet, My brother is in the other room" 

-.-

I heard the gate open which meant Mark was back, "Is it, Mark?" He asked I nodded why did he come back so early I thought, "Come on" I get up from the bed and he does the same, I open the door quietly and shut it as quietly as I could so Max or Rio wouldn't get out of their rooms, The apartment was dark as all the curtains were closed, I opened the front door stopping it at where it squeaked, And closed it on the way

I and Ron were rushing down the stairs now, I took him to the back door of the building before he opened it he turned to me and wrapped his arms around my waist, I froze I didn't know if I felt uncomfortable or not, In a few seconds I slowly give into the hug, I wrapped my arms around his shoulders and it stayed like that until I realized that Mark could be on his way in here right now, "Goodbye Ron" I whispered just below his ear and released my arms 

He let go of me, "Bye" He said before he walked out, I then snapped back into reality and started to run upstairs I opened the front door loudly stupid enough that Max and Rio heard, I ran into my bedroom and looked out the window Mark was making his way over here 

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