Awake

Seventh

A/N: Tw for swearing, drug abuse, and child abuse in general.

**Jay POV**
The day was December 12th, the third-year anniversary of my dreaded court date from my case in fifth grade. I was sketching in the margins of my science notebook waiting on the bell to ring, and nearly fell out of my chair when it did. Groggily, I dragged myself out of my seat and shoved my notebook back into my binder, dreading the bus ride home. Second hall was crowded, but that was okay, I wanted to take my time anyways. Who cares if I missed the goddamn bus anyway? I paused slightly to consider that, and I shuddered. Paused just long enough for one of the most popular girls in the entirety of the school to run into me absentmindedly, knocking my small frame to the ground. Stupid twat didn't even apologise, and honestly I don't think she noticed. Her phone was in front of her face, her clique at her sides, so she probably wouldn't notice a lowlife outcast like me. I tried to stand up after they passed, but I got stepped on a couple more times before my best friend walked over to me and helped me up. Her eyes were soft and full of concern as her gaze flickered over my unveiled arm. When she helped me up, my sweater sleeve had rode up and my bruised arm was now fully visible. I blushed and quickly pulled it down, looking up at her sheepishly.

"What happened this time?" she asked cautiously, her eyes trying to search out the answer in mine.
"N-n-nothing..why?" I looked away, pulling my sleeves over my hands. It wasn't like she knew, anyway. No one knew.
But she had suspicions.

"I...I fell."

Her eyes showed immediate disbelief, but I shifted uncomfortably and so she changed the subject.

"How is stuff at home?"

Okay, maybe she didn't change the subject too much. I looked away and said, "Fine." She definitely didn't believe me at this point, but I didn't elaborate and we sat in silence for a moment or two before rushing out the front doors to our buses. I waved briefly to her and leapt up onto the bus and swung into a back seat after walking down the aisle past all the stupid eighth graders. Morgan and Alex were laughing about something on their DS's and I leaned over to see them playing some game or other. I watched for a minute, then turned to the window and looked out as the surroundings flashed by. Kuebler, then turned onto Commercial..As we neared Wiltsey my stomach had a sinking feeling. I knew what would happen once I stepped off the bus. Once I walked to Pringle Elementary and back. Once I set foot in the small apartment shared with five other people, three of which would be home. Two of which were harmless toddlers, and one of which was him. I took a deep breath and trudged into the school with Morgan at my side, each splitting up to fetch our siblings. He grinned at me as we walked out with Trin and Bruce and walked up the hill, and I grinned back trying to hold as much of the pain back as I could.

****Trigger warning****
Last night's beating had taken it's toll on me last night, although I could see my brother limping as we walked home. Morgan and Trinity split off at their street and me abd Bruce walked down Wiltsey. I looked at him and he nodded. The rest of the walk was silent as we both knew our fate awaited at the door of 1856 SE Wiltsey, apartment 122.

The door was closed and I approached it quietly, pulling it open as carefully as possible just in case he was sleeping. Of course he wasn't this time.. My brother sprinted the safe distance to his bedroom and pretended not to exist. I almost whispered as he walked to me, seemingly checking me over. He grabbed my backpack and threw it in the general location of my room as I whimpered,"I have homework today!!"

"I don't care. The dishes aren't done right now so you're going to do those right now." I opened my mouth to object, which was a bad decision. He took the opportunity and slapped me hard across the face, causing me to yelp in pain. He grabbed me by the collar and shoved me into the kitchen and I obeyed instantly, slowly scrubbing the dishes while tears dripped down my face. This was normal, anyways. I wiped off a plate from last night's dinner and went to set it in the dishwasher when he walked into the kitchen and surveyed my work.

"What the fuck is this?" he screamed at me. "You've got nothing done here, and you know what happens if you do a half ass job.." I gulped, cowering from the monster that controlled my life. I turned my head just in time to avoid his first blow and tried to dart out of the kitchen to the front door, but he tripped me trying to get to the door before me. I fell clumsily, shaking on the floor only feet from escape. Fear shot through me as he turned around and grabbed me by the shirt, throwing me up against a wall. His breath was laced with beer and something else which was familiar but unidentifiable as he yelled in my face. I couldn't make out the words he was saying because I blocked it out pretty well. I felt myself kinda float out of my skin, lifting up to the corner of the room to watch as he hit me once, then twice, then again and again until I was on the floor, blood starting to trickle out of my nose. Everything started to go black, the figure slowly falling back into me. My vision was clouded and I was in too much pain to even remember, but I still lifted my head up and feebly whimpered to stop, only to be answered with another blow.