ᴡʀᴏɴɢ ꜱᴇɴᴅ ┆|| ┆ni-ki

~fifteen~

I glanced at my exam paper, and there it was, a 78. For me, it was a decent score, but to my mom, it might as well have been the worst mark. Especially with my dad out of town on a business trip... I was dead.

My two closest friends stood beside me, their eyes full of worry.

"Don't stress, guys. It's not that bad... I just hope my mom doesn't lose it this time," I said, lowering my head.

"Eunha," Hana said softly, "You don't have to pretend everything's okay. We know exactly what's coming. Why don't you come over to my place?"

I shook my head quickly, biting my lip to hold back tears. I knew all too well that staying away from home would only make things worse.

I'd grown used to it, my mom just needed the smallest excuse to get angry, to hit me, or to lock me in my room without food or anything.

"It's okay, really." I forced a reassuring smile.

They exchanged a worried look before turning back to me.

"Call us if things get bad, okay?" Eunji said, her hand gently tapping my shoulder.

"I will. Don't worry about me. Anyway, I've gotta go or I'll be late. See you Monday." I waved quickly and walked out of school, my stomach churning with each step toward home.

I arrived in front of the front door. I stared at it, and hesitated to open it. I took a deep breath before finally opening it.

"I'm home!"

As I walked into the living room, my mom was waiting for me, her expression already tight with anger. I tried to put on a brave face, but the sight of her set my nerves on edge.

"Where have you been?" she snapped before I even had a chance to speak. "Do you know what time it is?"

"I'm sorry," I said quickly, holding up the exam paper. "I got my results today. I—"

"Results?" she interrupted, her eyes narrowing before snatching the paper from my hand and scanning the score. "A 78? This is unacceptable!"

Before I could respond, she raised her hand, slapping me across the face. The blow was sharp, and I cried out in pain, clutching my cheek.

She grabbed me by the collar and yanked me toward my room. I tried to pull away, but her grip was too strong. She threw me down onto my bed, and I winced as I hit the cushions.

"What were you thinking?" she shouted, her voice echoing off the walls. "Do you even care about your grades? About how hard I work?"

"You don't even work, it's dad's money" I tried to tell but shut up for my own sake.

"I'm sorry," I said again, my voice trembling. "I tried my best. I—"

She didn't let me finish. She started hitting me . Her frustration took physical form as she began hitting me more, each strike landing with a stinging impact.

The beating seemed to go on forever. I curled up on the bed, trying to protect myself from the blows. My body hurt everywhere, and I cried hard, the tears soaking into the bed.

Finally, my mom stopped. I stayed huddled there, not moving, barely able to breathe. I heard her footsteps leaving the room and the door slamming shut behind her. The silence that followed felt heavy and suffocating.

The room was dark. I tried to catch my breath and calm down. My face was throbbing, and every time I moved, it hurt.

I carefully sat up, wincing with every move and walked over to the mirror and looked at my reflection. My heart sank. My face was bruised and swollen, streaked with blue and purple marks. I touched my skin gently, and the sight of the bruises made me start crying.

Tears rolled down my cheeks as I stared at the damage. Each bruise reminded me of the pain I'd just gone through.

I sank down to the floor, hugging my knees, and let the sobs come. It hurt so much, both physically and emotionally, and I just wanted to escape from it all, but I couldn't.

I still don't know why I didn't tell my dad about what was happening. I was scared. He thinks we're a happy family, even though he fights with my mom a lot.

I was afraid to see the disappointment in his eyes if he found out that his own daughter was being beaten while he was away, thinking she was safe with her mother.

Eventually, I lay back down on the bed, trying to find a position that was somewhat comfortable. The physical pain was bad, but the emotional weight felt even heavier.

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Plot twist haha 😜
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