ROTBFTD : Broken & Beautiful

1

Elsa pov

I slowly opened the front door after school, trying my best to avoid making any noise. I tiptoed inside, careful not to wake my dad who was sleeping on the couch. I sighed in relief as I made my way up the stairs to my room, closing the door behind me as quietly as possible.

Once I was safely in my room, I grabbed the weight measurement scale from my closet and stepped onto it, holding my breath as I waited for the number to appear. To my relief, the number on the scale remained the same as it had been the last time I checked. I let out a sigh, thankful that I hadn't gained any weight. I knew that my sister, Anna, would often tease me about my weight, even though I wasn't fat.

Just as I was about to put the scale away, Anna burst into my room. 'Hey Elsa, what are you doing?' she asked, her eyes scanning the room.

'Nothing,' I replied, my voice barely above a whisper. 'I was just...looking for something.'

Anna raised an eyebrow, but didn't press the issue. Instead, she came over and sat down next to me on the bed. 'Hey,' she said softly. 'I know things have been tough lately. With Dad...and everything.'

I nodded, feeling my eyes start to tear up. It was true. Our dad had been abusive towards us for as long as I could remember. He would often come into our room at night and...do things to us. Anna and I had tried to tell our teachers and other adults about it, but no one ever seemed to believe us. They would just tell us to be quiet and not make a fuss.

Anna wrapped her arms around me, pulling me into a tight hug. 'It's okay,' she whispered. 'I'm here for you. I'll always be here for you. Don't worry, one day we'll be free from all of this. We'll be okay.'

I hugged her back, feeling a sense of helplessness wash over me. I wanted to believe that things would get better, that we would be able to escape from our dad's abuse. But deep down, I wasn't sure if that was possible. For now, all I could do was hold on to Anna and hope that, somehow, we would make it through.

Next Day

The familiar squeak of my locker door echoed down the hallway as I retrieved my books for English. I was rushing, as usual, trying to avoid the throngs of students converging on their designated classes. Suddenly, I bumped into someone, sending a wave of books flying.

I looked up, startled, and my breath caught in my throat. It was Jack, the new boy with hair like spun platinum. He was tall, almost intimidatingly so, and his eyes were a deep, mysterious blue.

'Sorry,' he mumbled, his voice a low rumble. He reached out and took my hand, his touch gentle yet firm. 'Are you alright?'

I stammered, flustered by his unexpected kindness. 'Yeah, I'm fine,' I managed to squeak out. 'Thanks.'

Before I could say anything else, the bell rang, its shrill tone echoing through the hallway. I hastily gathered my scattered books, feeling a wave of embarrassment. I waved to Jack, who was already walking away, and then hurried to my classroom, my heart still thrumming.

Anna was waiting for me at the door, her brow furrowed with concern. 'Where were you? I thought you were coming with me.'

'Sorry,' I said, catching my breath. 'I bumped into this guy... Jack. He's, well, pretty amazing.' I couldn't help but gush a little, my cheeks warming.

'Oh, the new boy?' Anna's eyes widened. 'Tell me all about it. Did he ask for your number?'

I laughed, shaking my head. 'He was just being nice. He helped me pick up my books.'

'Hmm,' Anna said, her eyes twinkling with mischief. 'Maybe he just wanted to touch your hand.'

I rolled my eyes, but a smile tugged at my lips. 'You're impossible. We'll talk about this later.'

As I settled into my seat, my mind drifted back to that fleeting encounter. Jack's touch, the warmth of his eyes, the way he had held my gaze for a moment longer than necessary. It was a small thing, but it sent a shiver down my spine, a thrill that had nothing to do with the looming English test. Maybe, just maybe, this school year was going to be a bit more interesting than I had anticipated.