Salty Licorice

Chapter 39

Marisa's POV

I walk into the art room to find Avery sitting in the clay room with her hood up sitting in the dark. When I get closer I see she also has a pair of sunglasses on. I walk up to her dropping my bag and reaching for her glasses only for her hands to snap up gripping my wrist.

I tilt my head as a challenge, she sighs and lets go of me, letting me pull off her shades. She has a dark bruise around her eye and a poorly covered up bruise on her cheek. I know better than to think that's all it was. I snatch her hand and push up her hoodie sleeves to find more bruises and cuts in different angles. I lift up her shirt to expose her stomach to reveal what I've been looking for. Along her side was a clear bruise in the shape of a buckle, one from a leather belt. I stepped back and looked down at her as she fixed her clothes back and put her shades back on.

"What was it this time?" I ask, trying to keep my tone short.

"It's not what you think," she looked down at her hands.

"Don't tell me some stupid lie about falling down the stairs or of your imaginary bicycle or something. Your father beat you with his belt last night or maybe the night before, and I'm asking why." I crossed my arms not taking her shit anymore. How can I help her if she keeps lying?

She rubs her forehead groaning before sighing and meeting my eyes. She pulls down her hood and reveals a small mark on her neck. "Liz gave this to me Saturday morning, he saw it. They knew I snuck out and when they saw that he just snapped." She shrugs. "They came back the next day and told me in a weird, roundabout way they were sorry and they were just trying to help me not hurt me."

I clench my jaw. How could she even get pulled into the crap her parents mostly her father is spewing. "So what, you're gonna accept that they beat you now cause they're only trying to beat the gay out of you? Are you magically gonna turn straight again? Because I hate to break it to ya, you've been there and tried that."

"Would you just stop," Avery growls in a cracked voice. "Just stop, please."

"One look at Liz and you'll be right back to where you were Saturday morning," I snapped, getting frustrated.

"Stop, stop, stop, stop, stop." Avery chants. "I just need you to tell me I'm doing the right thing, I don't need a lecture," She pleads, her voice revealing that she's on the verge of crying.

I walk over to her and hold her to me keeping her head to my chest and I rub my hands along her back, she wraps her arms around me and clutches at my loose flannel. I feel her body shake as she starts to cry.

"Shh," I coo. "You are perfect the way you are, no matter what they say. You're almost out from under them just keep thinking of that. The scouts will be at your next game right so all you have to do is show them why you're worth their time and money." She nods her head still against me and takes a deep breath. "You're doing the right thing Avery."

We stand like this for probably a few minutes before Avery pulls away from me. She whips my face with her sweatshirt sleeve before she takes a deep breath and forces a smile looking up at me sliding her sunglasses back on. I shake my head and take them back before digging around in my bag finding my make up kit. I check the shade only to groan realizing she's too pale for my coverup, this is what I get for having a Mexican father, you get naturally tan skin. But then I get an idea and text Liz to find out if she's at school early. I hand Avery her sunglasses checking my phone again.

I rush out into the hall and go to Liz's locker, putting the combo and opening it looking around till I find her makeup bag she leaves at school for emergencies. Knowing she's not at school yet I can sneak it and hope she doesn't get suspicious. I rush back to the clay room to see Avery spinning herself on top of the stool. I walk up to her and grab her shoulder halting her movements, she looks up at me with her sunglasses.