Don't Judge A Book By Its Cover

chapter 7

I keep running as fast as I can to the woods.

Why would she hit me? What did I do? Was it something I said?

Should I be afraid of her too?

As these questions rush through my head I finally make it to the woods. I stop running and start walking to the stump I've sat on since Freshman Year.

I sit down and pull my knees up to my chest and put my earbuds in. I just want to think.

A Skylit Drive begins to blare through my earbuds.

Another life I'd always be there
Another night of barely breathing
But when the lights go out I'll be listening
Just stay...

My head hurts. My face is soaked from tears. My damn cheek hurts too.

Why does this have to happen to me? Why does this have to happen to anyone? I just don't get it.

I start to cry quietly again. Something I've been mastered since my dad would always beat me more if he hears me crying.

I let out an involuntary whimper and wince.

Why would Jaylene hit me? I put my hand up to my cheek and wince.

"Please, please just let me die." I whisper to myself.

"I'm not sure how long I can take this."

I put my head on my knees and just sit there. Alone.

Suddenly, I hear twigs cracking and leaves crunching. My head shoots up and I start wiping vigorously at my eyes and face.

No one can see me like this. No one can know.

Asia comes into sight and sees me. Her eyes widen and she puts her hands up to her mouth.

"AMERICA?!" She starts running over to me. She kneels down and inspects my tear stained face.

"W-what happened?" She asks with worry evident in her voice.

I couldn't help but to stare at her. She had a nasty bruise and her forehead has a cut with dry blood on it.

"Um...I fell?" I didn't mean to make it sound like a question but I mean, my face and arms are covered in bruises. Could I get THIS hurt from a little fall?

"Please America," she whimpers, "Tell me the truth, I've seen bruises and cuts on you all the time ever since we became friends."

I notice her eyes are tearing up and I can't help but to cry, cry hard.

She quickly takes me into her arms and holds me, she's rocking us back and forth too.

"Shhh, America. I know it hurts."

She tries to soothe me to stop my crying, but I can't stop. This. This is the crying I've been holding in for so long. I was so scared to cry at home, but I don't have to be scared here. He's not here.

"I-I..." I choke out but can't seem to finish the sentence. I'm hurting so bad.

She looks at me dead in the eyes, "Tell me what's going on America. I won't tell anyone."

She tucks a piece of hair behind my ear and I wipe my eyes.

I breathe in and out and spill all of my problems at home with my dad, my sister, and my mom. I tell her my feelings and why I show up in fresh bruises and/or cuts everyday. I told her how Jaylene hit me, possibly out of frustration.

But I didn't tell her about my self-harm problem.

I can honestly say that I feel so much better that I told someone. But that doesn't take away my pain. My internal and external pain.

When I finish I look up at her with teary eyes. She's staring back at me with the same teary eyes.

"I'm...oh God America." She chokes out before engulfing me in a hug even though she's so tiny.

"America, why didn't you tell me? Or anyone for that matter?" She asks with a frown and big teary eyes.

"My dad would always tell me whenever he wasn't drunk to not tell anyone or else I'll be so very sorry..." I choke out, trying to hold back the tears that are threatening to fall, "If he didn't tell me my sister would."

"Oh, America." She frowns.

"It sucks." I say with a chuckle.

"Sounds like it." She says as she flips her bangs out of her face.

"Since I told you that..." I say while standing up, her shortly following, "Why do I see you with bruises and shit whenever you come here?"

"You wouldn't expect a girl like me to not get bullied do you?" She asks while crossing her arms.

"Oh, who bullies you Asia?"

"The people you hang out with." She says with a slight shrug.

"Ew, I hate them with a great passion." I grimace a bit at the words 'the people you hang out with'.

She giggles but stops and makes a pained face, "Owwww, laughing hurts."

I make a disgusted face, "They're assholes. We're sticking together Asia, they won't mess with you when I'm around. They're boring as fuck anyways."

"How so?" She giggles.

"All they do is gossip and they don't even listen to the music I listen to, like what?"

"What a tragedy!" She laughs.

I smile at her, even with the bruises and the cut on her forehead, she still manages to look beautiful.

"What're you staring at?" She asks, tilting her head to the side.

"You."

"Oh..." She blushes madly.

I walk up to her and look down on her, since she's shorter. She looks up at me with those big beautiful green eyes.

"You're beautiful." I say and start to caress her cheek slightly, careful not to hurt her.

"Thanks." She blushes and smiles up at me.

I slowly begin to lean in and have my lips ghost over her's, waiting for her to nod to see if it's okay.

She takes the big step and closes the gap between us. She wraps her arms around my neck and I rest my hands on her hips. I move my lips against her's slowly and try to guide her since she was a little sloppy.

We pull away and catch our breathes.

She whispers so quietly I could barely hear, "There goes my lip virginity..."

I laugh loudly clutching my stomach.

"It's not that funny!" She yells with a wide smile plastered on her face.

"It's...oh my God." I laugh.

She blushes, that beautiful smile never leaving her face.

"Can I ask you something Asia?"

"Yeah!" Her smile falling slightly to a small grin.

"Could you...maybe...possibly..." I'm interrupted with her voice yelling.

"SPIT IT OUT HUMAN!"

"Could you...would you...be my girlfriend?"