CODE RED (Book 1)

Kept Hidden

Kept Hidden-4

I woke up the next morning. Surprising myself last night when I could still climb up the stairs from how much my body ached from the unexpected thrashing I had gotten from "The Man" last night. I still had that nick name for him, not wanting to call him my father through my own lips anymore. Or think of him ever being a father.

My body was left with a mild ache as I moved my limbs to push myself from the comfortable covers of my bed to get ready for the next day of school. I had spent last night taking a bath to loosen my tight muscles from their pain, so that would be the cause of them not hurting as much.

Of course my head hurt still with a thud that matched the pulse of my heart beat as I got out of my comfort zone, which was my bed. I only hoped the headache wouldn't last all day. I made my way into the bathroom across the hall quietly as to not wake up "The Man" in the next room down the hallway. I slowly shut the door behind me and walked over to the sink where a mirror stuck to the wall above it. Even though my bath last night had softened most of the pain on my body it didn't relieve all of it. The aching specifically came from my abdomen now. I lifted up my shirt to find two red bruises caused by me falling down the hard wooden stairs all because that fucker had yanked me by my hair.

I stood still for a moment still in bewilderment at what had happened. I hadn't believed it, in fact I tried to convince myself what had happened last night was all a dream— a figment of my own imagination. But that wasn't likely. Apparently my body didn't feel the need to let what had happened last night pass that easily, my mind told me it hadn't been a dream, The still aching muscles of my body proved to me the truth of that. But that didn't make me think he had done this on purpose, maybe he was really drunk and didn't realize what he was do—

"What the hell am I thinking," I said angrily to myself stopping my thoughts mid sentence. Of course he knew what he was doing! He fucking hit me and dragged me like some crazy animal. Either under the influence of alcohol or not I began to believe that my father that had stolen my mothers heart years ago wasn't afraid to inflict pain on me. But why had he started now? I had done plenty of childish and worthless bad things when I was younger and he never once lifted a finger at me, but now that I'm older., it was a whole different story, he's possible. . . intimidated?

I felt the emotion of anger once I had recalled what he had said about hurting my mother. She didn't deserve that and the only way I could keep her safe was to not spill what had happened last night and that meant I needed to keep my bruises a secret along with the healed cut on my left wrist. Even though that hadn't been caused by my dad.

I cringed at the word "Dad".

He was no father of mine after what he had done to me. And I wouldn't forgive him by a long shot. I dropped my T-shirt back over my stomach and did my normal morning routine until I was cleaned, dressed, and had taken care of hiding my injuries to avoid unwanted questions and stares.

Doing this reminded me of the "New Guy" yesterday. He was way too persistent and strange. I shook my head having to think of something else to get him out of my head.

I shrugged my back pack over my shoulder and exited my room going down the stairs and for sure I wasn't late for my bus this morning. I could tell since my watch read 6:36 when my bus came at 6:45.

I had extra time to spare, so I decided to head for the kitchen and get a quick breakfast idem, such as fruit or something along those odds. But once I stepped all the way down the stairs and turned my head to look up at the counter I saw him standing there with a mug of coffee in his hand reading into a news paper.

Great he was already awake.

My nerves kicked in at that moment and I felt my stomach twist with anticipation. I did my best to ignore him as I walked past him and looked into the pantry and pulled out a Nutri fruit bar. I shut the door behind myself and made my way to exit the kitchen when he called out to me.