PROPERTY OF A. KENDRICK

Entry 61

A/N: TRIGGER WARNING: abuse

November 14

Liota seemed to know what was coming when we got to the library, because he ran off to the science section as soon as we got there. Those were the kinds of books he'd been reading lately, so I guess he was moving on from history. I was kind of disappointed that we wouldn't be able to read that stuff together anymore, but I guess science was okay too.

Vinni'd already gotten us a focus room when I got there, which was good, I guess, since I didn't want a ton of strangers hearing about whatever I would have to talk about today.

Vinni was sitting in one of a pair of large plush chairs on the side of the room and motioned me over. There would be no table between us. I sat down, my stomach churning with nerves.

"Now can we talk about it?" Vinni asked, fully seriousness.

"Talk about what?" I stalled, knowing full well what. But he surprised me with his next words.

"Your parents."

I froze and my fist tightened around the fabric of my shirt. I looked down at my lap, then started twisting my hand. "There's nothing to talk about."

"Bullshit." Vinni stood up, leaning over my chair. My head jerked up to meet his eyes. There was that intensity again, mixed with a strange fury that made his eyes glow.

"I can see it, Arawn. I know the signs," he continued. I couldn't reply to that. Every muscle in my body was so tense it felt like they would snap. After a moment of silence, Vinni backed off a little.

"Alright." He nodded to himself. "Ya wanna know why I had to repeat a grade? Why I moved here? Here's your answer." He pulled his shirt off and turned around in one movement.

I saw scars.

A smattering of what looked like round burns, red and puckered, marred the skin near his right shoulder. One long red mark cut across his back. The skin there was raised, and I brushed my finger over it. Vinni didn't flinch.

"Does it hurt?" I whispered.

"Nah," Vinni answered carelessly. "Well, maybe just my pride."

Without even quite realizing what I was doing, I leaned my forehead against Vinni's back and closed my eyes. My left hand rested up on his shoulder. He didn't move.

"How?" I asked, even quieter than before.

"My last foster dad liked to find creative ways to wake me up." My fingers tightened on Vinni's shoulder and a strange emotion started to well up inside me. He put his hand over mine. "The morning he used the belt I just kind of... snapped." I could hear the grin in his voice. "I beat the shit outta him."

I opened my eyes again and stared at our hands. "A grown man."

"Yep." The grin was still in his voice. "Sent 'im ta the hospital. Broke a couple'a bones." He tugged his shirt back on and turned around to face me. "So, yeah, the fallout from that kept me outta school fer a while. Well, that an' all the fights I get into. But that's another story." His eyes held a certain morbid glee, and I felt myself being drawn into it, though my entire body was trembling.

"S-so you're a foster kid?"

"Yep." Vinni nodded, taking my shaking hands in his. "My whole life. Had lotsa foster parents. Some're nasty, some're tryin' but have too many kids. Some've been great, too, like the lady I live with now."

"I'm glad." I looked down at our hands.

"I don't have any scars," I said after a few moments of silence.