Beat Heal Love

Chapter 1

Chapter 1

"Wake up bitch!" is what I wake up to along with another kick to my already broken ribs.

I look around and see that I'm still in the hallway they caught me in yesterday. Or, I assume it was yesterday; I don't know what time it is. Of course, why would they be nice enough to move me out of my blood at least?

"Get your ass out of the house in 30 minutes," my stepfather orders me before walking away.

Slowly, I push myself up and almost fall back down from the pain, but I catch myself in time. I only have half an hour to cover everything up.

I make my way upstairs and into my bare room. I have a closet to the left with a few drawers in it. Fortunately I also have my own bathroom to the right. In the middle, there's a small mat maybe an inch thick with a ratty pillow and a blanket with more holes than fabric. My walls are just grey and my mother and stepfather boarded up my window so I can't escape from it and to stop people from seeing the beatings I sometimes get in here. But yeah, that's what I came home to after the accident.

Since I don't have time to shower, I just change into the few clothes I have and wrap an old bandage around my ribs so they have a chance of healing properly.

Once my ribs are bandaged, I turn my back to see it in the mirror that's a part of the bathroom wall, which are again grey. What I see however, makes me gasp in horror. My own mother carved my back! I tried to see what she put but there was too much blood and I couldn't so I just finished getting ready.

The one thing my mother and stepfather always get me is concealer. At least once a month they will give me a new bottle and almost all the time, I need the new one just as I get it. But at least I don't have to buy it because then I wouldn't be able to hide anything. I don't have a job so that means no money. I'm sure my dad would have left something to me, but if he did, I haven't seen it or my mother's used it all.

Before my thirty minutes are up, I head to the front door with my school books in hand. I'm called into the living before I can escape however.

"I have friends coming over later and I don't want to see you until the weekend, got it?" my stepfather tells me while not taking his eyes off the fighting match on TV. It's the only thing he watches.

When I don't answer him, he looks up and throws his glass at me. I duck just in time but say, "Yes sir." He nods and turns back to the round. I quickly get outside where I walk the 60 minute trek to school.

•♦•♦•♦•♦•

"Watch it nerd!" someone says as they push me into the lockers lining the walls. I just keep my head down and let my hair act as a shield.

When I reach my first class, which is Math, I head for my seat in the back. I keep my head down and follow the lesson.

I don't talk very much at school so everyone just makes rumors about me, calling me mute or a freak. Some even say that my vocal cords got cut when I was in the accident. The teachers don't even ask me questions anymore. I'm fine with that though. With people thinking I'm a freak, I don't have to lie to anyone about the abuse.

•♦•♦•♦•♦•

I make it to my last class without much incident. There was obviously the popular crowd that decided it would be fun to slam my back into the lockers then toss my books right at my face. I just stood there and took it though, no more tears to shed for bullies. I'd take bullying for abuse any day.

In my last class, which is English, there's a substitute sitting behind the teacher's desk, and I got to say, he's quite hot. He's got straight black hair in a kind of messy, just got out of bed style. Maybe he ran his fingers through it before? From what I can see of his downcast face, it's sharp. Sharp cheekbones, sharp jaw, just all sharp. And he build isn't that different from what my dad had or what I should have. He's got muscles and they fit him perfectly.

As I walk by, I hide the blush that appeared from my thoughts and sit in the back again. Hopefully, the normal teacher left a note saying I don't talk.

As class goes on, I think I'm safe, but of course, I thought too soon.

"Charlie? Could you answer the question please?" The substitute's deep voice asks me. I shrink back in my seat with blush on my cheeks again, but now, I have the entire class of 30 judgemental teenagers looking at me. Just as I'm about to shake my head, someone speaks up.

"She's a freak, sir. She's mute so she can't talk. But I'll be happy to answer for her." Why did Ashley have to be the one to speak up?

You see, Ashley in the head slut–um, I mean cheerleader. She's got the obvious dyed blond hair with fake everything and clothes that are at least two sizes too small. And she's got everything she wants, her parents are loaded with money.

"I see no comment on my papers from your teacher saying she has a student that is mute, so she can answer. Thank you though, Ashley," the sub states. I duck my head and try to stay calm.

"Charlie? The ans–" the bell cuts him off. "Charlie, can you stay behind please? I'd like to talk to you." I sigh but stay in my seat.

The class is quick to leave as it's the last class and they get to go home to a nice meal where as I have to stay on the streets till the weekend. And it's Monday. Great.

The sub closes the door behind the last student and I gulp. I try to become as small as I can without causing any more pain, but I don't become very small.

"Charlie?" His voice is right beside me. I jump and let my hair be a curtain between us.

"Why didn't you answer the question, Charlie?" He asks again, actually getting to finish it this time. I find my notebook quickly and write, I don't talk. I turn it for him to read.

"I never got a note from your teacher," he states.

Go ask any teacher here if you want. Call my parents if you'd like, I don't talk, I write to him. He nods and sits in the desk next to mine.

"I'm sorry I called you out then. I didn't know. I'll make sure to remember that for the rest of the semester." I stiffen at his words. He's going to be here all semester?! He seems to pick up on my surprise since he says, "Were you not listening to my introduction?" I shake my head. He just chuckles. "Of course not. Your regular teacher is on leave and it was too sudden to find a replacement so they called me. I'm Mr Knight, since you weren't paying attention." I nod. There was silence until Mr Knight clears his throat.

"So, since you weren't paying attention in class, I'm going to have to give you a detention, and since you're already here, you may as well stay to finish it," Mr Knight states while I just nod and pull out some homework that I continue on.

After a few minutes, Mr Knight walks back to his desk and does his own work.

At 4:30 pm, Mr Knight's phone goes off and I try to hide my jump of surprise at the sudden noise. He's quick to answer it though, and since it would be rude, I don't listen. I just focus on the papers in front of me.

"Charlie?" I look up at my name. "You can leave early today. I'll see you tomorrow," Mr Knight informs me and I nod in reply. I quickly pack up my work and head to my locker where I put all my books away. I can't take homework with me to the streets so I'm just going to have to come in early and finish everything.

I walk outside and towards the forest surrounding the school. The shadows welcome me as if I was one of them. I almost smile at that thought. I have become a shadow of who I used to be.

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I forgot I hadn't uploaded this chapter yet but it is the first chapter of this story so just read it before you read the other ones I had uploaded already. The picture of Tyler Hoechlin is who I imagine as My Knight. Vote, comment and follow.