Cuts and Bruises (ON HOLD)

Chapter Twelve: The Teacher

It was two weeks later.

Brooke was still in a coma.

I still had to wear long sleeves because of the bandages and scars.

Iris and Ash still had a couple bruises and cuts.

We sure were a sight as we went back to school right before Christmas break.

I walked in and went to first period with Ash and Iris. I missed Brooke so, so much. I wanted her to be here. I wanted her to hug me. I wanted her to laugh with me and make me participate in class and I wanted her to obsess over boys and I just wanted her here.

But that may never happened.

Like always, my head was down and my bangs covered my face. Suddenly, it felt like no one was there. Just me, and the lockers. Someone I hadn't seen had slammed me into them and walked away before I saw them.

I just winced as the ridges slammed into my weakened side. Maybe anorexia doesn't help...

But still, I held back the tears and walked on to first period.

I was zoned out the entire time. I kept seeing the teacher giving me sympathetic looks. Some of the students were, too. Others just looked disgusted by me. I didn't understand why. That was, until the blonde jock who sat in front of me the entire year turned around as he put his stuff in his bag.

"Did you ever try to do that before?" he asked with big blue eyes.

"Excuse me? Try what?" I asked. I sounded high. I was still on so much pain medicine.

"You know, killing yourself," he stopped himself, "Wait no that sounded mean. I hope you know I wasn't trying to be mean."

I just nodded slightly and said no as I picked up my books.

"So you've never tried it before?" I shook my head.

"What about cutting? Can I tell you a secret?" I just nodded slightly again.

He came closer and whispered, "I used to cut too, in middle school. I stopped. So, I'm sorry. It may seem like I'd have no idea what you're going through, but I do." I just nodded and smiled. I didn't feel like talking anymore.

Other people weren't as nice.

"Hey, you're that idiot that tried to kill herself! What happened? Your poor daddy drinking again? What about your mom? She still working on the streets? That's how you got here!" said a cheerleader I'd seen around. I didn't know who she was. And, obviously, she had no idea who she was messing with.

"Oh shut the fuck up, bitch. It's not my fault your mom makes you sleep around with guys to get money when you're really a lesbian."

I know people. I know them even if they don't know me. I notice things no one else does; no one looks at a "friend" the way she looks at one of her "groupies". I'm not an idiot, no matter how much she thinks I am.

She gasped as I finished my sentence and looked back to her secret-girlfriend. They all walked off as they laughed. I honestly don't care; I know I was right.

A jock boy, Shaun I think, walked up to me as the hallways cleared.

"Hey, cutter." I turned reluctantly, knowing he could only be talking to me

His two friends slammed me up against the lockers, both taking separate arms. He got close to my face and put his hands on his friends shoulders. They slammed me back down onto the ground, on my face. I winced as I hit my nose on the linoleum floor. They, I think Brad and Greg, pulled my sleeves up roughly. They grabbed my wrists and again held me to the lockers. Shaun just walked in front of me as I held back tears. I could feel warm blood running down my face.

Suddenly, Shaun stopped right in front of me, took my head in his hand, and proceeded to slam it back into the ridged lockers repeatedly. I was already dizzy when he started. He stopped, and I just let myself go limp. They could kill me, right here right now, and they'll probably make it as painful as they can. My head fell down and my hair covered my face. Bad idea.

He gathered the hair that had fell into my face into a bundle and started to swing my head. He slammed it into the lockers again, right before he jerked it down and let go. That was when I noticed what his friends were doing.

They were taking off my bandages.

Shaun laughed as they finished.

"So cutter girl's had practice?" I just closed my eyes.

I wanted to die. Why did people have to notice me?

Shaun took my arms in both hands, and raked his nails across them. He dug his fingers into my scars, fresh and old. I winced as he drew blood. I was already dizzy. So... so dizzy.

But then the pain stopped, all of a sudden. I was on the ground, in a crumpled ball, but I was alone. Brad, Shaun, and Greg, they were... gone. Then I knew why. I looked up weakly from under where my hair had fallen into my face.

Blaze.

Of course.

Taking on three guys, for me. Idiot.

They all ganged up on him but he never went down. He was so outnumbered.

"Wait!" he yelled. The others stopped for a second.

"Let's settle this like men!" Blaze said again. The others looked at each other before they listened.

"The boxing ring... downtown. Just me and Shaun..." he said, out of breath. Shaun nodded.

"Fine... If I win, I can beat her up anytime I want, no inference. You win, I leave you both alone."

"Forever. If I ever even see your face twenty feet from her I'll pound it in until you don't even recognize yourself."

Shaun just nodded and they set a day, Friday at 7. He ran off with his group as Blaze came back to help me.

The bell rang and class was let out. The teacher in the classroom next to me walked out and saw Blaze and I on the ground. She gasped at the sight of blood and scars and helped me up quickly. I pulled my sleeves down so no one else would see. But she had, and she hugged me softly, making sure not to hurt me even slightly. For once, I hugged back. It was like, I just knew somehow, she understood. Somehow, she understood me. She took me into her room, reluctantly letting Blaze follow.

"Who did this to you sweetie?" she asked.

"Jocks," I said softly. Blaze put two tables together and they helped me lay back. I closed my eyes for just a second.

"No, no, sweetie, you have to keep your eyes open. I know it hurts but you can't slip off." I did as she said.

"Sweetheart, press that button over there," She said to Blaze as she pointed to a white button on the wall.

He pressed the button and the intercom crackled on.

"Yes?" the lady asked.

"I have a student in here that I'm helping. I'd appreciate it if you could tell all my fourth and fifth period students to go to the other science teacher. Oh, and send a janitor to the area outside my room." She smiled down at me and winked. I smiled back up weakly.

"Yes ma'am." The intercom crackled off again.

The teacher walked back into her supply room and got out a first aid kit. She sent Blaze to the bathroom to wet a piece of cloth. She let me pull my sleeves up again as she gently cleaned off the blood. It didn't even hurt. She asked if I wanted to borrow one of her shirts since mine was all bloody. I just nodded. I didn't want to argue.

She came back minutes later with a sweater, too small for her but just right for me. I pulled my other shirt over my head as they turned their backs and quickly slipped the next one on. I didn't know who this teacher was for some reason, but she sure was nice.

"I figured I may let you know, my name's Alexandria. You can call me whatever, but you two don't have to call me Miss."

I nodded and smiled and Blaze did too.

"I, um, I'm a student teacher subbing for your original teacher. She was suspended, as I'm sure you know. I, um, I used to do that same thing." She pointed to my arms and began to roll up her sleeves.