Cuts on Paper Hearts, They Can be Awful Deep

Accidents Can Happen

Chapter 2: "Accidents Can Happen"

"When one door of happiness closes, another opens; but often we look so long at the closed door that we do not see the one which has opened for us."

-Helen Keller

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Isabella's POV:

"Shut up." He hissed in my ear, his leather glove clad hand stifling my screams, his other hand was clenched into my hair, ripping strands out here and there. "Now, now, darling, you wouldn't want to hurt your 'lover' would you?", the man whispered in a patronizing lull. I shook my head furiously while tears streamed down my face. "You bitch, you're destroying my gloves!" He roared in my face, spit dousing my face. Before I could even react, he slammed my head against the cool concrete floor; a sickening crack rang through the hollow room. A scream of pure agony escaped my lips, immediately followed by a sharp slap across my face. I wanted to scream again as my cheek stung, but I knew better than to utter another sound. I just sat there, sobs racking my body, I felt miserable and pathetic. I waited, and finally he stormed out the room, slamming the door on his way.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

I snapped my eyes open to see my mother over me, rattling my body, I'd woke her up with my screaming, my nightmares are getting worse and worse. It's been two weeks now.

Two weeks, since the day that I woke up in the stiff hospital bed, choking on the repulsive fumes of latex. I'm lucky to be alive, they said. But they overlooked a huge flaw, I might've escaped with no amputations, but I left behind something fundamental, my hearing. After a week in the hospital, and intensive testing, I was declared deaf. Knocked my head against the ice too hard, they said. Today was going to be my first day back at school, I prayed to whoever was listening, that I would be able to make it through not noticed.

I sat up abruptly and waved my mother away, with a disapproving glare and a huff, she stomped away. Groggily, I tumbled out of my bed, onto the warm, carpeted floor. My lead arms pushed me up as my legs were being attacked by pins and needles. Slowly, I made my way towards my closet; I pulled aside the maple doors and stepped into the comforting forest of cloth. After eons of finding the perfect outfit, I stumbled from the grip and lure of sleeping in the spacious closet. Swiftly, I moved toward the bathroom and jumped in the shower.

Warm mist swirled around the cream bathroom and clouded the mirror. I wrapped a towel tightly around my body and wiped the steam away from the mirror with my free hand. The face that was staring at me was easily recognizable as the girl I was months ago, but with one fatal flaw; the warmth and comfort in my eyes had fled, replaced with anger, bitterness, and resentment.

After performing the daily rituals I descended the staircase, moving from my room to the kitchen. With my bag in hand, I stepped into the kitchen, immediately hit with the pleasant aroma of home. I plopped into a seat, glanced at the kitchen clock, and immediately began shoveling food into my mouth, no longer caring about maintaining my weight or complexion, only focused on making every minute count.

It seemed that within seconds, I had inhaled my food, poof, gone. I grabbed my bag and strode over to my car, I fell into the soft leather cushion of the driver’s seat and inserted the key, jerking it and smiling as she began to purr.

Before I knew it I had made it to Lackey High School, nothing looked different about it, but I knew that walking in there with any flaw was like walking into a den of starving lions. I filled my lungs up and held my breath as I reached for the cool metal handle of my car. I counted off in my head, then in one swift move, I made my way out of my car and had begun racing toward the door. As soon as I came face to face with the familiar forest green door, I stopped in my tracks.