Forbidden

1

~Natilie's POV~

     The feeling of my blood pounding in my ears was the only thing that I could pay attention to. It was two miles from my house to the bus stop, two miles that I was currently running right now to get there on time. It was the second week of school in my senior year, so I knew the bus driver and hopefully, he'll see me coming in the rear-view mirror. 

     My backpack was hanging loosely on my back and hit me right before my feet would crash onto the streets pavement.  My father had woken me up this morning screaming into my ear, saying how I hadn't made him breakfast yet. My whole body shuddered as I remembered. 

     'You fucking whore, you can't even wake up on time? Huh?' He gripped my neck as he stared me down. Tears threatened to slide down my face, but I knew I would get in even more trouble and an even worse beating should he see them. 

     It's been this way since I was seven when Mother passed away. And even then, I'm sure she was beaten too. My body came to a slow halt as the small bus stop neared. The bus hadn't arrived yet which was a relief. I fixed my backpack straps and busied myself in checking if I had everything that I needed before looking up when I heard the bus approach and come to a halt. 

     Smiling at Glenn, the bus driver, I hopped onto the bus and took a seat toward the middle, fixing my clothes in the process. I watched as a light drizzle passed overhead, and closed my eyes as the bus jerked forward. Life had not been kind to me, and that was a fact. School was simply a place I go to during the day, and while I do learn things school isn't something I enjoy. I don't have friends to look forward too, I don't have a preference on subject or teachers. The only thing that I truly find school helpful for is the escape it provides for me in the tireless work and the separation that I am provided with from my father. 

      I lived far enough away that between the school and I was miles and miles of untouched prairie land and fields. My neighbors, who I haven't seen in a couple years, lived about a mile and a half away and their house was tucked far back into the natural growth of the fields. 

     When school started the other week I hadn't been surprised to see that nothing had changed. The old teachers acted the same and the new ones acted predictably, the school stayed the same smelly, cramped place and everything was as normal as a high school could be. No one really talked to me other than the occasional 'excuse me' and 'I would bend her over'. 

     I passed through the day like a ghost, collecting knowledge and papers, just floating through the halls, and occasionally spooking people when I tried to move past them.

     Eventually, the end of the day was near and seventh period had arrived. The only problem was the fact that the bell has already rung and I was late since my locker got jammed and my binders decided to all fallout and scatter onto the floor.

     "Ms. Natilie, nice for you to join us," I peeked through my raven hair, shifting it away from my face before I started to apologize to Mr. Stugub. 

     "Mr. Stugub, I -"

     "One more tardy and then detention, Natilie," He finalized before starting his lecture again. I moved to one of the empty seats in the front, my face flushed with embarrassment. Mr. Stugub was one of the new teachers this year and appeared to be a couple years out of college, teaching Economics to the class with ease. Most students paid attention in class, while others daydreamed or texted on their phones from what I could tell. 

     When I left the class my face was still slightly tinged with embarrassment. 

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