Miss Adeline [Completed]

Chapter Thirteen

Another sleepless night.

When I woke up the next morning, I finished getting ready then walked to the kitchen to make breakfast. I saw my aunt sitting at the table when I walked in, and we briefly made eye contact.

As I was pouring a bowl of cereal, she spoke from behind, and made me stop what I was doing. I slowly turned towards her as she was staring at me, and I furrowed my eyebrows. "What?"

"You're not going to school today."

"Why?"

"Because I need to keep an eye on you. That teacher of yours is getting on my last nerve, Holly."

"What did she do?" I ask, walking to the table with my bowl. I sat down and saw her look at me.

"She knows something. The moment that cop asked to talk to you... I knew it had something to do with her. He didn't ask about your disappearance, did he?"

I slowly nod as I looked down at the bowl. "He did." I took a bite then glanced at her, as she was watching me.

"Stop lying to me." She hit the table, making me flinch. "Tell me the God damn truth!"

"I didn't tell her anything." I said. "She saw my bruises."

"How did she see your bruises?" She asked, making me take another bite from my bowl. "If you didn't show her... then how did she see them?"

"I don't know."

"You do know." She chuckled, which made me look at her. "You're always at her house, Holly. You're all buddy-buddy with her."

I raised an eyebrow before shrugging. "So?"

As she looks at me, she leans back and crosses her arms. I could see a look in her eye that told me that she knew something.

"Where did she see your bruises, Holly? Your arms? You wear long-sleeves. Your legs? You hardly wear shorts." She raised an eyebrow. "Did she see your stomach? And if so... how did she see your stomach if you didn't show her?"

"Where are you going with this?"

"How strange is it that a, I don't know, thirty-year-old teacher is close to her student? A minor."

"I'm eighteen."

"You're still a child." She said, staring at me. "I wouldn't be surprised if... instead of the cops coming to investigate me... they investigate Miss Adeline Gray."

"Investigate her for what?" I ask, clearly confused. "We're friends."

She chuckled. "With your teacher?"

"Yes. Is that wrong?" I ask, watching as she shrugs then stands up after a moment. I saw her look at me before walking out of the kitchen.

I felt confused but also very nervous suddenly.

-

Throughout the day, I sat on the couch and watched tv. I watched my aunt leave a few times throughout the day, which didn't make any sense to me since she wanted me to stay home so she could watch me.

It didn't bother me if she was gone.

After a while, the front door shut, and I heard my aunt call my name. I got up and walked to where she was standing at, then stopped to look at her. "Yeah?"

"Come help me get some boxes out of the trunk." I followed her outside and saw a car in the driveway. I saw a man leaning on the driver side, smoking a cigarette, which made me look away before he saw me looking at him.

I stopped near the passenger side then felt my aunt slap the back of my head. "The back, I said." She walked over to that man as I watched her.

As I walked to the trunk, I rubbed my head before sighing. I grabbed a box then turned my head to see the mailman delivering mail to our box. I kept looking at him before glancing at my aunt, who was leaned up against that man.

That check had to be in there because it's been two weeks. I had to get it before my aunt grabbed it, but I have to make sure she doesn't see me checking the mail.

After I took a box inside, my aunt was making out with that man, and as badly as I wanted to vomit, I didn't look over at them. I glanced back once to check the mail, and my heart my pounding as I slowly grabbed the mail that was inside then placed it in the back of my shirt.

Once I started walking back towards the house, I looked down the road and saw Miss Adeline's car. I stared at it before hearing my aunt yell, which made me look over at her.

She started walking towards me then harshly grabs the back of my neck and pushes me towards the house. "Get your ass inside!" I saw her glance over as Miss Adeline had passed, and she looked back at me before yelling. "Now!"

I walked inside and shut the door, then ran to my room. I grabbed the mail from under my shirt and tossed it on the bed. I scattered it around before seeing the check, and quickly grabbed it before tossing it under my mattress.

As I sat on the bed, looking through the mail, I heard the door shut. I waited until my aunt walked into my room, and she stopped once she was inside. She looked at me then over at the mail that on the bed.

"Give me that." She walked over and grabbed all the mail. I watched her as she went through it, then looked at me. "No check?"

"I looked."

"Why did you sneak it in the house?"

"I didn't. I was checking it for you." I said, making her stare at me. She stood in front of me then crossed her arms.

"I think you're lying, Holly."

I looked away for a moment before shrugging. "I'm not lying." I looked back at her, but didn't have time to react before she punched me in the face.

My body reacted, and I fell backwards before holding my face. I felt pain shoot through my head and my eye started throbbing as I laid there and listened to my aunt yell at me, telling me that I was worthless and useless.

I felt her grab my jeans and pull me off the bed, making me land on the floor. I winced in pain as she started hitting me across the head repeatedly until I felt myself almost black out.

"Stop!" I yelled, crying as she was hitting me.

She finally stopped then left the room after slamming my door. I sat on the floor and cried, pulling my knees up to my chest and wrapping my arms around my legs.

I buried my face into my legs and cried.

The pain from my head didn't go away until I grabbed some pain medicine from the top drawer of my bedside table. I had them hidden to take when I was in pain, but never took more than I needed.

After I swallowed them, I laid in bed and wiped my eyes. I felt my heart ache as I thought about my mom. I turned over onto my side, then instantly thought about Miss Adeline.

My mind went back to yesterday when I should have told that cop everything.