Until she wins

18- skipping

It was a few days after the accident now and Max still hadn't woken up yet. Unfortunately I was back at school too, they didn't care about my feelings what so ever. Today was my first day back and I was not happy about it. Somehow Richard had managed to convince me to get into the car and actually be dropped off at school. As I got out the car I saw Dino waiting for me by the gates.

"Hey Abs" he smiled as I walked over to him. I wasn't in the mood to be happy today. "How's Max?"

"The same." I replied bluntly.

"Where you going?" Dino asked seeing I was walking to the bathroom instead of class.

"I'm not going to lesson today. They can't make me"

"Well don't go sit in the toilets, you'll get caught in there" Dino chuckled. "come on, I know a better place"

He took my hand and lead me towards the unused emergency staircase. He helped me all the way to the top where we then sat down, leaning against the wall. I sat next to him and laid my head on his shoulder. Dino wrapped his arm around me and started gently stroking my hair. 

"What's the matter baby?"

I took a long slow breath before responding. "I can't do it anymore... things were bad enough before with my dad but now he's the least of my problems, and..." I sniffed and wiped away an escaping tear. "and now Max might never wake up-"

That's when my emotions got the better of me and the tears came. Dino immediately pulled me into a tight hug.

"Hey... hey, don't say that" Dino gently lifted my chin up so that I was looking at him. "He's gonna be ok... the doctors are all there helping him... and when he wakes up he's gonna give you the biggest hug ever and tell you how much he loves you. He's not going anywhere, trust me on that"

I smiled softly. Dino always knew how to make me feel a bit better about things. He was always there to tell me that everything was going to be okay. 

We sat there for another fifteen minutes or so, when we heard a teachers voice from below us. It was difficult to make out what they were saying but a few moments later the sound of footsteps climbing the stairs was obvious. Within a matter of seconds the deputy head was standing in front of us.

"Well if it isn't Abi Verstappen and Dino Bellini... just the people I was looking for!"

I sighed and got up with Dino. 

"You'll both be getting a call home and an after school detention for skipping class" my teacher continued.

I didn't even care anymore. I was losing all hope to the point where I didn't even think I'd have a future to worry about. I knew that Richard and Fiona would be really annoyed with me but even that wasn't affecting me these days.

"Sorry sir..." Dino mumbled before walking down the stairs back to lesson. I stayed put.

"Well do you have anything to say for yourself?" the teacher asked looking at me sternly.

"Nah..." I walked past him down the stairs but before I could even take two steps he had already had enough.

"That's enough Abi! I appreciate you have a lot going on at home at the moment but there's plenty of other people out there struggling and they still behave and don't give constant attitude! Don't bother going back to lesson, you're going straight to isolation and you can stay there for the rest of the day."

-- 

Once I had endured four hours of sitting in silence in isolation it was time to face Richard and Fiona. I knew it was going to be bad when I saw Fiona leaning against the front door waiting for me to get home. As soon as she spotted me the anger dazzled in her eyes.

"I just got off the phone with your school. They told me you've been skipping classes to go and sit with that little boyfriend of yours!"

I walked up the driveway, looking at my feet until I was standing next to her. She grabbed my arm stopping me from going into the house yet.

"Don't think you're getting away with this! I don't care how tough things might be with Max at the moment, there's no excuse to be acting like this!" Fiona growled. "No phone, no tv, no computer, nothing for a week!"

That wasn't too bad I guess, I could live without those things for a week if I really had to I suppose.

But Fiona wasn't done... "and also you won't be going to see Max until the end of the month!"

"WHAT!" I yelled in disbelief. The end of the month was still 2 and a half weeks away. "YOU CANT DO THAT! YOU CANT KEEP ME AWAY FROM MY OWN BROTHER ESPECIALLY WHEN HES IN THIS STATE!"

"Well unless your behaviour doesn't improve I can make it longer if you like"

I couldn't take it anymore, I wasn't going to stay here for a minute longer. I pushed past Fiona and dashed towards my room, slamming the door and locking it shut. I grabbed a bag from my wardrobe and began packing clothes, makeup, hygiene products, anything I would need. 

Richard was already on the verge of breaking down the door and was screaming for me to come out.

I opened my window, heaved my bag onto my back and climbed out. The house was only a bungalow so the drop was easy for me to get down from. As soon as my feet hit the ground I started running. I didn't stop, not until I was at least a mile away from my awful fosterers.

I paused, sitting down on the grass in a park, trying to catch my breath. Fortunately I still had my phone with me as I hadn't really given Fiona much of a chance to take it. I pulled it out and called the person I knew was closest and I knew would answer. A few rings and they answered...

"Abi?" Charles voice sounded confused through the phone.

"Charles, I need you to come and get me... I ran away from Richard and Fiona and now I don't know where to go" my voice was shaking as I spoke. 

"Woah woah slow down ok? Why did you run away? Where are you?"

"They're not gonna let me see Max until next month..."

I heard Charles mutter something that sounded a lot like those fucking bastards. A few more moments passed before he spoke again "alright I'm coming to get you, where are you?" 

"The park next to that new Japanese restaurant"

"Ok I'll be there soon Abi. Don't do anything stupid before I get there"

— 

Authors note:

Guys I'm so sorry for not posting any new chapters recently. I've had so much to deal with in my personal life recently and it's been hard to juggle that with writing new chapters. However I'll still continue posting and I'm hoping to get back to posting new chapters more frequently. I hope you guys enjoyed this new chapter and are all doing ok xx