Inability {Prequel to "Online."} {Completed.}

Chapter Five

They walked home together, talking and laughing. He was still quiet but he was a bit more open, she enjoyed his company a lot and her siblings didn't mind her walking with him. She parted away from him, each saying goodbye to each other before heading to their own homes.

The rest of the day continued normally as it lead into the next day. She woke up and walked to school with her siblings, Ly told her the previous day that she could walk to school without him. Her sister Tierney rambled and Chris was as reclusive as usual.

The school day was long and boring but afterwards Cass met up with Ly. "Heya!" She said, he smiled and greeted her, his words were still elongated and slow, but she was patient and aware that he probably had a speech impediment of some sort.

They went back to her house, her dad was barely home due to long work hours and Chris was fine with guests. He looked around in awe, her house wasn't too fancy and had more of a cozy traditional feel to it but to Ly it looked as if he had just stepped into a castle. "Your hou-se is so ni-ce!" He said still looking around.

They laid their backpacks down on the stairs of the staircase in front of them. She showed him around before they sat down in the living room. They watched t.v. and talked until she noticed it. She noticed a bruise, a giant black and blue blotch on the back of his hand, now that she thought of it, when she first saw him his arms and legs were covered in bruises.

She knew he got in fights, but no amount of fights could give him this many injuries. "May I ask something?" She asked, he nodded and she hesitated but asked anyway, "Where did you get the bruises?" His face turned grim, he flinched at the word bruises.

"....fights...." He said, he was lying, "Ly, you know you can trust me right?" He nodded before finally looking up at her, his cheeks now had tears streaming down them and he looked as if he could break down hysterically at any minute.

He sighed and looked back down, "my mom, well step-mom." He spoke quietly but clearly, his words weren't as elongated as usual, probably due to the fact he spoke quickly as well. "What do you mean?" She asked, he winced as he thought of an explanation, "she bea-" he stops talking and his eyes widen.

He curses under his breath, "I ca-n't say it, bo-th because of my step-mom and because of my apraxia." He spoke softly, she put her hand on his shoulder and he winced when she touched him, probably scared she might hit him. "What does she do? What's apraxia?" She asked, he finally calmed down.

"Well she, she hi-ts me ok... Do-n't say a word abo-ut this to anyone ok? I don't wa-nt her to hit me cau-se I told you. The ans-wer to your second question is th-at apraxia is a spe-ech impediment I have, it phys-ically doesn't all-ow me to say some sounds and also elongates my wo-rds." He said it with a frustrated tone, she tried calming him down.

"Please come over if you ever need to get away from her and I'm glad you've told me all of this, I promise not to tell a soul." She said, he moved his long black bangs off his face, "Promise promise?" He asked, "I cross my heart." She responded, he nodded and a smile slowly crept on both of their faces as she said that.