And Then There Was Him

Starting Over

As I stared at the hankercheif, my eyes softened and my speeding heart rate slowed. There was something about him that made me feel safe. But I had no time to think about it.

I was home. That meant I had work to do.

I hopped off my bed and stuffed the pain killers in my bathroom cabinet. I threw on a long sleeve jacket to hide cast. I got into Crocus City Academy on a scholarship for writing. It was the most pristine private school in Fiore. My uncle would pissed if he found out that I cost him more money.  (He liked to gamble and we were in debt as it was.)

The jacket I picked hung down to cover my hand as well. I pulled my blonde hair into a high bun and walked toward the kitchen. On my way, I picked up all of his empty beer bottles.

"Luuuuuccccyyyy" My uncle groaned from the couch, "Whyyyy arrre yoooo home so earlyyy?" He wobbled over to me and shoved his face in mine. His breath stank of alcohol and his eyes were droopy. I scrunched my nose up at his breath and walked into the kitchen. I can't speak. But if I could, I would give him a piece of my mind.

He followed me to the kitchen. I tossed all of the empty bottles into the recycling bin and turned around to see him digging for another beer. I closed the fridge door in his face and he stood, fazed, facing the now closed fridge.

He looked up at me and I could tell that I made a mistake. He threw the half empty bottle in his hand at my head. It hit the bruise and smashed. The shards clattered to the ground. My hands once again shot up to my head. I looked up to my uncle and ran. I ran up the stairs and into my aunts room. I closed the door behind me and locked it.

"Lu?" My aunt sat in her bed with her laptop. The shocked expression on her face confused me. I ran here when ever I was scared.

I was scared.

My hands fell to my lap. I then realized why she was so shocked. My hands were stained with blood.

"Lu. Did he do this?" She refered  to my uncle. I looked up and nodded. Tears streaming down my face for the second time today. I stumbled over to the armchair beside her bed. She moved her laptop and moved to examine my head. It wasn't large but she said there was a cut where the glass hit.

She had me get the first aid kit from her bathroom and started cleaning my wound.

By the time she was done, I was half asleep with my head on her lap.

She stroked my head and began humming. When I was younger, I would get nightmares about my parents. She would hear me when I ran into the bathroom and run into my room to soothe me. She would brush my hair and put it in braids. And while she was doing so she would sing.

She threaded her fingers through my hair and hummed the song. Our song.

My tear-stained cheeks relaxed. My entire body was pulled into a lull. And that was when everything changed.

"Lucy? Are you still awake?" I shifted my head on her lap to look her in the eye. "Listen. This has escalated to far. I have decided to enroll you in a different school. I'm guessing by your wrist, Minerva is getting worse. Your uncle... he-" Her eyes went from concerned to half lidded. " This cannot continue Lu. Your knew school, it will be different. It's called, um, I can't remember the name but it is a flower. It's a great school. But, It's too far to walk. Or drive. In fact, it isn't in this city at all. You would have to like in the dorms."