No Choice {GaLe}

Chapter Twelve

I pulled my knees up to my chest, sobbing. My warm tears, trickling down my clothed legs, almost like a waterfall. I was gripping the bloody paper towel, staining my palm with a crimson red. No. No, no. This was not happening. It couldn't be...... could it? The very thing I worked so hard to hide......

"Shrimp?" His gruff voice spoke, from the other side of the door. I shivered, bringing my legs closer to me.

"I'm coming in,"

The door burst open, as I dug my head into my knees. I heard Gajeel some closer to me, crouching down to be on the same level. He placed his hand on my shoulder, which caused me to flinch and move away from his touch.

"Where did ya say they were?" Gajeel asked, looking up at Wendy. She had her hands near her mouth, in a shy position.

"On her b-back....."

Gajeel nodded before placing both hands on my shoulders, attempting to turn me around.

"Stop....." I whispered, going against his push.

"Levy, let me see," He ordered, trying again. I shook my head, grabbing his arm, tightly.

"Please....... I'm begging you......" I plead, tears, filling in my eyes once again. Wendy crouched right next to Gajeel, looking at me.

"Levy, you need to turn around......." She told me, nodding. I bit my lip, before looking to the side. I slowly let off his arm, only to turn around. I heard several gasps, probably coming from bystanders. I hid my face in my knees again, clutching my dress.

"These look really bad. Someone, call an ambulance." Gajeel ordered, shortly after, I heard someone faintly speaking on the phone.

"Who did this?"

I turned my head around, tears, streaming down my face.

"W-What?"

"Who hurt you?"

"It was......." I shook my head, biting my lip again, on the verge of drawing blood. I put my face in my hands, sobbing into them. Memories, flooding back.

(Flashback)

I wiped my forehead, which was dripping with sweat. I had been cleaning since three P.M. It was now, four in the morning. If I didn't finish the house before my mother woke up, there would surely be a beating.

I shivered, remembering my last one. It wasn't the worst I've experienced, but she didn't go easy on me either. My eyes were about to close from lack of sleep, and my body ached from cleaning all day. I rubbed my eye furiously, trying to keep them open.

I continued to mop the floor, moving the mop in slow, circular motions. The mop danced over the floor, leaving bubbles in its wake. I looked at my horrible reflection through the shining water, sighing, dreadfully.

My face was covered in dirt marks and scratches, my arms looking like they had been in a fire with all the ash. My hair looked like a bird's nest since I had been unable to really do anything to it.

My eyes widened as I heard the slamming of a door, upstairs. I started to mop frantically, hoping to finish the floor.

"Did you finish?" My mother's drunken voice asked as she wobbled down the stairs. She was holding a half-empty booze bottle in her hand, her red lipstick, smeared all over he pale face. She was wearing an oversized, tan shirt, with food stains scattered across it.

Her hair was much like mine, unruly, and dirty. I could hear her bare feet's pitter-patter, as she inched closer to me. She waddled over to me, barely even standing.

"N-No ma'am....." I whispered, gripping the brown stick attached to the mop. She raised an eyebrow, holding the bottle with a firm grip.

"What was that?" She asked, smacking her teeth together.

"You didn't finish?"

"N-N-No......."

"Why you little......" She smashed the bottle on the ground, causing it to shatter completely. She grabbed my wrist pulling me towards the back door, which leads to the backyard. She slides open the sliding glass door, throwing me outside.

"Stay there." She ordered, glaring at me before going to retrieve something. I brought my knees up to my chest, going into a fetus position. I heard her step back out, and as I peeked at her, she was holding a baseball bat. My heart sped up, making my head go deeper into my knees.

"This is what happens," She started, bringing the bat up above her head before making it crash down, hitting my leg. I yelped, gripping my knees.

"When you don't,"

A hit.

"Finish,"

Another hit.

"Your chores,"

The worst hit. With each coming hit, her force grew stronger and stronger. My nails dug into my knees, as tears, poured out of my eyes.

"Move your knees," She barked, placing the bat at my knees, pushing.

"W-What?"

"You heard me!! Move your knees!!!"

I slowly moved my knees, removing the only protection for my stomach. She whacked me in the stomach, causing me to cough up blood. She kicked my leg, making me slide father outside.

"Stay out here like the dog you are." She hissed, slamming the glass door shut.

(End of Flashback)

As I sobbed into my hands, I felt muscular arms, wrap them selfs around my waist, pulling me into his lap. I grabbed his neck, crying into his shoulder. He started to run his fingers through my hair, slightly rocking back and forth.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry--"

"Why are you sayin' sorry?" He asked, while my grip on his neck tightened. I heard the sounds of a siren, before many footsteps.

"What's going on here?" A male voice asked as I saw black boots from my view from Gajeel's neck.

"We found burns and marks on her back, we think they're serious," Wendy informed the men, I felt her small hand on my shoulder.

"Let's see......" The man said as he crouched down behind me.

"Oh, wow...... these look....... horribly painful...... we need to get her to a hospital, those cuts might be infected." He explained, inspecting my back. He lightly grabbed my shoulder, slightly pushing me away from Gajeel. I shook my head, holding onto him tighter. The man sighed, before getting up.

"Do you think you can carry her to the car? It looks like she doesn't want to let go," He chuckled, walking over to the door.

"I'll carry her," Gajeel said, softly. I had never heard his voice so soft and gentle before......

"Don't worry Shrimp, yer gonna be ok,"

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Why hello, there! This chapter was pretty much 2% fluff and 98% angst...... heh. I think the flashbacks kind of give you an idea of what was happening to her since she really doesn't explain it to anyone. I wanted to give you guys details since she didn't talk about it.