memories

chapter two

Everyday for the past few weeks have been the same: wake up, make breakfast, get Annamarie ready, put her on the bus, late to school because my step dad beats me, classes, lunch in the library, Valentino and the twins bugging me, evening classes, tutoring Valentino (who has been getting better at the stuff.), and going home to fix dinner, put Annamarie to bed, another beating and bed but today was different.

Different as in Joy and her friends approached me and Joy told me to quote"stay away from her and her friends boyfriends" who are supposedly Valentino, Maxwell, and Maddox.

I just laughed and said that I wasn't friends with them so no worries there.

Then at lunch the boys approached saying they were my friends and not to let Joy say that they are their boyfriends.

I just nodded while secretly staring at Valentino.

I do have to admit he is pretty handsome and I may have a little crush in him but I can't have a boyfriend and if Oliver was to find out I would be dead.

I can't be dead because I won't let Annamarie go through what I have gone through.

A pair of eyes are watching me and looking a little out of the curtain of hair on the side of my face I see that it's Valentino.

He does this all the time. I catch him staring at least a few times a day.

" hey Zay?" Maddox says.

"Hmm," I reply not looking up from my new drawing.

"It's storming so Maxwell and I are taking you home after your tutoring session with val."

"N-no I-I'm f-fine w-walking h-home.", I say fright in my eyes.

"Nope ain't taking no for an answer." He says and maxwell nods.

I nod because I knew I wasn't going to win this round. I can still feel Val's eyes on me. Next I can see Maddox and Maxwell leaving all of a sudden and they wave goodbye to me.

I continue to work on the tree to my drawing when I feel Val get closer to me.

"Um, Zay I have something to confess...." He starts off.

"Continue." I say, and I realize I don't stutter around him anymore but I do around the twins.

" I-I....," he stutters. I giggle, "now look who's stuttering." He turns beet red and clears his throat.

"I really like you. I don't even know when this happened. I've never noticed you until winter break which is when it was snowing so bad your makeup came off as you were walking and I saw bruises. It's like I felt inside me I needed to found out what was hurting you and protect you from it and I don't know what it was.", he stops and I realize I was crying and he raises my head and wipes some of them away, "Zay let me in. Let me protect you, please ?"

I take a deep ragged breath in and let it out," I come with a lot of baggage." I say.

"I don't care about that. I only care about you" he replies.

I nod and continue," my father died when I was nine. My mother and I devastated. I retracted into myself which is why I'm a nerd here and now. Two years later my mother makes Oliver my step dad and that same year Annamarie was born. Two years after her birth was the first time I did something wrong and got my first beating. Now he just finds reasons to beat me while mother stands and let's him. Annemarie never know what's happening.",tears streaming down my face.

I look down ashamed, I've never told anyone that. I feel Val tense beside me,I look up and his fists are clenched and he's angry.

My breaths start going shallow as it reminds me of Oliver. Val realizes what's going on and becomes calm and start whispering nothings to me and kissing my tears off .