Beaten--c.h. (one shot series)

Chapter Two

I woke up in my bed, the heavy duvet smothering my body. I try to sit up but my muscles refuse, pain shooting through me. My arm struggles to move, but I manage, grabbing the blanket and pulling it off of me, exposing my body.

Black, blue, purple. A beautiful array of colors but take a devastating turn because of the canvas they are painted on. My skin littered with marks. I bet if I looked in the mirror, I would find hickeys bitten into my skin. I look between my legs. Blood stain my thighs and the sheets below me.

Tears form in my eyes. The thought of him doing these things to me while I'm unconscious gives me nightmares. The first time he ever did this, I was terrified. I never knew him like this. He was nice.

The first time I met him, he was the cutest, nicest, most amazing person. Calum was with me. They laughed and bonded. They get along. But that was before Mark started hurting me. Calum still doesn't know, and I hope he never does. Mark used to love me. He cared about me. I used to get those cheesy 'good morning, beautiful xx' texts. That's all gone now. Only bruises as a reminder that he is still there.

I struggle to get out of bed, my legs protesting the movement. I stumble towards the bathroom. The door swings open I step inside. I can't look up, I'm scared of what I will see. My head slowly ledges to look in the mirror as my courage builds.

My eyes finally look at my self in the reflective glass, and I am disgusted with the image before me. My body is just covered in bruises. Red, purple, and blue shrouding my pale skin. New bruises are still forming, blossoming under my fingertips. I lift my shirt to get a better view. I can tell that the oddly formed marks are his hands. I knew that he gripped me harder than he should have when he was using my unconscious body to pleasure himself.

My arms are red and blotchy. My legs purple and unwilling to stand anymore. I hold onto the edge of the sink for support. My eyes find my body once again and I am exhausted of waking up almost every morning covered in his marks. I don't want to be his territory anymore. I need out of this. But I can't do it alone.

My legs give out once and for all as those thoughts take over my mind. I fall to the floor, planning my escape from this shadow that has been holding me hostage. I've been here for days, just waiting for him to change back to the Mark I fell in love with. Waiting for all of the hurting to stop. Waiting for a right time to get out of here. And I knew that soon, soon, I would be able to.

--

The days that my skin is covered with purple, I stay home, no matter how many texts I get from Calum saying he needs a cuddle buddy. If he saw me like this, I don't know what I would do. I can't lose him. He has been there for me forever. He's kind of like my brother. You know, that brother you have major feelings for.

We first met in 7th grade. He saw me sitting alone at a lunch table and asked if he could sit with me. Ever since then, we've been inseparable.

*FLASHBACK*

My hands nervously fidget in my lap. My eyes glancing around the cafeteria, making eye contact with just a few other people. I was new here at this school, I knew no one. Ever since my mom got that new job, we have been traveling and moving from place to place. This time, we found a house and job that would keep us all in one place for years to come. I was so happy! I could make new friends and everything. But the thing is, I'm terrible at making friends. My shy glances and nervous posture don't help either.

My lunch was barely touched as I looked up to spot an Asian kid coming towards me. I quickly look away from his glowing smile. I thought he would just walk by so I intently watched the floor for his passing by feet but they never came. I turned slowly to find him looking at me with a small smile.

"Hi," he said. His voice was beautifully cursed with the sound of puberty. It cracked and he bashfully looked down for a second, just to look up again with redder cheeks.

"Hi," I shyly replied.

"May I sit here?" He gestured to the empty seat across from me.

"Of course" I smile. But the smile was sort of forced, so the out come was more of a square frown. The boy's eyes gleam at me, his lips curving up in the corners. His sits down and nervously picks up his fork, then shoves the food in his mouth.

My anxiety builds up. This boy whom I've never met (and is pretty cute, I must say) is sitting with me at lunch. My eyes are trailed down to my lap but soon curiosity takes over my mind and I look up at him. His jaw moves as he chews his lunch, already half gone, and his gaze is fixed upon mine.

"I'm Calum, by the way." Food is still in his mouth so it's muffled. I take a second to actually figure out what he said.

"Oh! Erm, I'm, uh, Jade." I stutter.

"Very nice to meet you, Jade." His hand sticks out for me to shake. I accept the gesture.

"V-very nice to meet you." A small smile creeps onto my lips. Some how, I know that I'm going to be seeing a lot of him.

*END OF FLASHBACK*

My body lays almost lifeless beneath the thick blanket, Doctor Who plays on the tv.

The Doctor: "The door won't budge!"

Donna: "Well, use your sonic... Thingy!"

The Doctor: "I can't! It doesn't do wood!"

Donna: "Oh! It won't to wood?! Bloody hell!"

I chuckle at the bickering two, but the movement causes pain to shoot through my chest. I sigh as deeply as I can without causing too much pain, and turn off the tv. The blanket flings off of me and I stiffly get up. My sore legs carry me towards the bathroom once again, stumbling every once in a while.

Once my journey to the bathroom is completed, I turn on the water to shower. My  shaky hands slowly undress myself, revealing the worsening bruises on my skin. I cringe at the mirror and climb into the tub. The hot water cascades down my body, soothing my aching muscles. And I just sit there, thinking. My legs are soon too weak to hold up my body weight any longer, and I shrink down to the floor.

I think about Calum and how much he has done for me. He helped me through school. Even my past boyfriends. Every time they said or did something wrong, he was there to hold me through the sobbing days. He bought me ice cream and movies when I had my period. He cuddled me when I was cold. Oh, God. Why was he so perfect. Why did he have to do all of this when I know I can't have him.

Tears breach my eyelids and join the water already fleeing down my cheeks. I just wish that things were as easy as they were when it was just Calum and I.

Oh, Calum. What have you done to me?