Behind These Bruises...

Behind These Bruises [Part 2]

"I'll call you tonight!" Alisha said, as we made our way to our cars. I nodded. She gave me a hug. "Or call me if you need anything," she said. I hugged her back.

"Bye," I said.

"Later," she replied. I turned the music up in my car and drove home. My father wouldn't be home for another few hours so I would have time to do homework. I changed into some sweats and got something to eat. I brought it out to the patio and sat under the umbrella'd table with my sociology book. We had to take notes over chapter 1, which we would discuss on Wednesday. I was busily copying notes when I heard a car pull up. My father was home. I picked up my things and went into my room, my heart racing. Would he be in a good mood?

"Mila! I'm home!" I heard him call.

"Coming!" I called back. I went downstairs quickly. "How was your day?" I asked, observing him. He didn't seem like he was in a bad mood.

"Fine. The usual. I'm hungry. Is dinner ready?" he asked. I nodded.

"I just need to warm it up," I said.

"Well hurry up!" he said. I quickly went into the kitchen and heated up his food while he went and changed out of his work clothes. "How was your first day?" he asked when he came back. I set his food in front of him and filled up a glass with water.

"It was fine. Boring. We just did syllabus work," I said. This was pretty much the extent to our relationship. He would yell at me one day and the next he would be fine. We never had very in-depth conversations. They were very formal and to-the-point. I went up to my room after he was done eating. He turned the TV on and took a bottle of beer with him. I sat on my bed with my laptop and pulled up Facebook. Alisha was on-line, as usual. I chatted her and she asked me how I was. I told her he wasn't in a bad mood and hopefully that would keep up the rest of the night. He usually went to sleep pretty early, like around 9, because he woke up around 5:30 am. Alisha told me there was a back-to-school BBQ for the seniors Friday night.

Alisha: will you be able to go?

Me: idk. i'll have to see what my dad's like. i might be able to sneak out.

Alisha: you can always come over to my place for the weekend. we can go together

Me: i know. we'll see.

Alisha: i got like 5 friend requests from the guys in my bio class.

Me: little miss popular

Alisha: lol; please. they're not even worth it.

Me: w/e! you were totally mac'n on them

Alisha: i was excited! lol but it's no big deal.

Me: did you accept?

Alisha: yeah :P

Me: LOL

Alisha: hey i gtg. mom's calling for dinner. cya tomorrow!

Me: byee <3

And then she signed off. I signed off after a few minutes, too. I pulled out my schedule and looked at it. AP English and Literature, Study Hall, Lunch, Guitar 2, and AP Psychology. It would be a pretty chill B-day. I sunk into my pillows and sighed, my bruises aching. I closed my eyes, thinking about when times were better.

*****

"Ugh, English in the morning? This is ridiculous," Alisha yawned.

"I heard this is a pretty easy class for an AP," I said. We sat next to each other.

"Yeah, but thinking deeply this early in the morning is not my thing," Alisha responded. I rolled my eyes at her. The class began filling up. Alisha shoved me and I looked up. Derek had walked in. I shook my head at her. She was boy-crazy even though she didn't want to admit it. He sat in the seat next to me. Alisha winked at me. I pinched her arm.