Scars

Chapter 2

The next morning I woke up with my blankets tangled completely around my legs, my pillow thrown off the bed and my arms over my face.

As you can probably tell I'm a pretty restless sleeper.

I groaned and stuck my hand out of the tangle of sheets and turned off my radio alarm. I drug my butt to the bathroom and took my time in a scalding hot shower. I woke up half an hour early just to do this.

They used to be my only escape.

I finished showering and stepped out into the steam filled room and wrapped a towel around my naked body. I scampered back into my bedroom, steam snaking behind me as I left.

I dried off and pulled on my regular t shirt-jeans ensemble. I pulled my damp hair back into a ponytail and slipped on socks and purple Converse and stuck my phone in my pocket. Running into the kitchen I grabbed a granola bar out of the pantry and a mini bottle of water.

"Bye Mom!" I shouted up the stairs, knowing she was just waking up.

I grabbed my book bag and checked to make sure I had my homework and iPad and left through the side door grabbing a sweatshirt as I went out.

Now, I didn't have to leave nearly this early. The bus stopped at my house half an hour later, picking up Damon, my 16 year old brother.

Yes he's 16 and still rides the bus.

I on the other hand walked over to Kat's house, who actually had a permit to get to and from school. I walked the two blocks to her house and was tempted to open my "breakfast."

Truth is though, I don't eat much. Getting called fat and constantly being bullied had taken it's toll on me.

That and Daisy.

But I pushed those thoughts out of my head and stepped up to Katy's front door. I walked right in, not even bothering to knock and went into her bedroom.

Her house is small, she lives with just her mom, her dad's in rehab right now for alcohol abuse. He wasn't violent, just a heavy drinker and it was starting to damage him physically. He'd be home in a month or so. Her mom, Katherine, worked two jobs to keep up because of this, at a local cafe in the afternoon and at bar at night.

Good thing she was quitting at the bar when he got back.

Her mom I knew would just have gotten home a few hours ago and would be asleep. I stepped into Kat's room and sat on her bed.

She turned from her vanity, where she sat applying eyeliner and smiled at me.

We didn't say anything as I reached into my bag and pulled out the food I had taken. I tossed her the granola bar and I cracked the seal on the water, taking a sip. I watched her a bit she peeled the wrapper off the bar. Her dark blue eyes seemed mysterious and her bright red, like kool-aid red, chin length hair curved toward her face. She was thin but had curves too. She wore a tight red shirt and black skinny jeans as well as eyeliner, mascara and red lipstick. She slipped in some black Converse and I tossed her her black leather jacket.

You're probably thinking she's goth right? Well.. No.

She dresses kind of like one yes, but she has the heart of a saint.

"Blake called me last night" I said quietly, trying not to give away my excitement.

Kat turned and gave me a knowing smile.

"Ah! About time! You two were so-"

I cut her off by putting my hand over her mouth.

"Please don't say what I think you were about to say Kat."

"Cute together..." She whispered as I moved my hand.

I stared down at me hands in my lap.

"Jaden I didn't-"

"No.. It's ok..."

I felt the bed move slightly down as she sat next to me.

"You know what today is don't you?" She whispered.

I felt tears prick my eyes, no Jade. Don't you dare start crying.

I chewed my bottom lip and nodded.

"Are you guys doing anything later, like as a family?" She asked slinging her arm around my shoulders.

Nodding again I felt the far to familiar feeling of tears slipping down my face.

"Two years..." She whispered so quietly I could barely hear her.

"I know." I mumbled, without thinking I rubbed the scars on my arm hidden under my sweatshirt.

"JayDee..." Kat said wrapping her arms around me. I fell into her and let it out. She pulled up my sweatshirt sleeve and gingerly touched the longest scar, the one that snaked around my arm twice and lead from my wrist to my elbow. I usually covered them with makeup or shirt sleeves.

Her breath got caught in her throat and she whispered "I never really got this good of a look at them..."

I pulled the sleeve back down and turned, burying my face in her shoulder.

"You know what? We're skipping," She said placing her hands on my arms and pulling me back to look me in the eye.

"Wha-what?" I asked somewhat confused.

"Yeah, we're skipping today." She said rubbing circles on my arms.

"No... No we can't. We'll get caught within first hour," I said taking place as the responsible one.

"Look, I'll call in as your mom, say we're taking a personal day because of well.. Daisy. It's gonna work ok?"

I bit my lip and considered this.

"What's about Blake?"

She grinned. "Easy, he's coming with."