The Truth Behind These Bruises

Chapter 7

My eyes shot open. I was laying in Natsu's bed again. I told him I didn't want him sleeping on the...

I noticed an arm wrapped around my body. I felt a soft breath tickle my neck. I froze. I peeked over my shoulder to find Natsu draped over me. No, no, no, no, no, no, no...

I tried to escape his grasp but failed miserably. My father is really going to kill me now. "Natsu! Let go!" I whimper trying to release his clasp around me. "Natsu! Please!" I beg. I don't want him to get hurt. I don't want my father to hurt him. I don't want him to get too close to me. I hear Natsu moan and he tightens his grip. "Natsu, wake up!" I yell kicking him in the legs.

I feel him let go and I jump out of the bed. I run to Andy's room and begin packing my bags. "Andy, wake up. We need to go." I urge the little boy. We need to go now before anything else that I'll regret happens.

"Why are we leaving?" Andy groans. "Because Natsu has been nice to us long enough, okay?" I felt like crying. Natsu has been so kind to us... I wish we didn't have to leave... especially like this. Andy finally gets up and packs his bag still half asleep. While he's packing, I go into the bathroom to grab our necessities.

I fill a bag with all of our belongings and look up into the mirror to find Natsu standing behind me. "Luce, I'm sorry..." he croaks. My heart drops in pity. Tears brim my eyes. "N-No... I'm sorry... I-I'm sorry we have to leave." I mutter. I don't want to leave. My heart is begging me not to leave, but I must. He comes closer and wraps his arms around my shoulders. My heart burns in desire to stay there forever, but I can't let him get hurt. "Then stay..." he whispers.

"No! Natsu, you don't understand!" I shout breaking his grip around me. "If I stay, you'll get hurt, and I can't let that happen. You're already in enough danger as it is with me around. I can't bare to see you get hurt because of me." I push him out of the way and run to Andy's bedroom. I grab the boy by the hand and throw my bag over my shoulder. We walk out to the living room. I slam the door open and begin walking out. My heart begged for me to turn around, but I ignored the pain just like I've always done.

If I stay, my father will come find us. If I stay, there's no telling what my father will do to Natsu. If I stay, Natsu will get hurt, and I won't be able to live with myself if that happens.

"Luce!" Natsu yelled but I kept walking. Andy right beside me in tears. I myself felt like crying, but I knew better. "I'm sorry, Natsu..." I whisper before walking away.

We reach our home. Our broken home. The home I've been dreading the day I went with Natsu. The home that I never wanted to come back to, but here I am. I squeeze Andy's hand. "I'm scared Lucy," Andy sniffled. "Me too," I replied, "but always remember... I'll protect you." A single tear streaked my face as we drew close to the door of the home. My heart grew faster with each step we took closer to it. I raised my hand to the door and knocked.

Silence. Then footsteps drawing close to the door. It opened to reveal my father. His yellow stained eyes were sunken in and had dark circles under them. His skin came off as a yellow tint, the effects of long-term drinking. He had a beer bottle in one hand and looked at me like I was a stranger.

"Where the hell were you?" He slurred. I stood in fear, nonrespondent. "Alright if you aren't going to answer..." he yanked Andy and I into the dim house. Inside, he dragged us into the living room and threw us to the ground. "So when are you going to tell me where you've been?" He shouted into the empty house. Andy whimpered in fear. I didn't want to turn Natsu in. I couldn't. That would be the worst thing I could possibly do to someone. My father moved over to Andy and picked him up by his hair. "Where were you, boy?!" He yelled in his face. Andy cried in response.

"Leave him alone!" I yelled at the man holding Andy. The man dropped my brother and turned to me. "Did you say something?" he asked moving closer to me. "Y-Yes." I stuttered, trying to sound as strong as I could be. His face grew close to mine. His breath smelled of alcohol. "Oh, Lucy. What have I always taught you?" I cringed at the stench that filled my lungs. "I've always taught to shut your mouth when I'm talking to other people!" He yelled. He took his hand and struck me across the face and stood up. He took his beer bottle and hit me in the head with it. It shattered on impact. Glass flew into my eyes, mouth, and skin. Blood painted my face as I tried to cough the glass out of my mouth. I look back up at the man just to be hit in the head with a chair.

I gasped for breath as he hit me with the chair one, two, three more times. I could hear the screams coming from Andy. I laid their, begging to live through this. The man threw the chair across the room. I looked back up at him. He straddled me with what looked like a knife in his right hand. He held my arms above my head and caressed my skin with the blade.

"Have you learned your lesson yet, little Lucy?" He smirked. I cringed at the nickname given to me when I was young. Then a knock came to the door. My father looked at the door in worry before looking back down at me then Andy. "If you two make even just the slightest noise, I will slit your throats." He threatened going to the door, knife still in hand.

"Where's Lucy and Andy?" A familiar voice yelled. "I haven't seen them since three days ago." My father lied. He sounded so calm and at ease. "Listen punk, I know you've been hurting them and I swear if you laid one finger on them..." then there was silence. Grunts could be heard from the other room. Then something or someone collapsed. My heart pounded against the cage in my chest. I held my breath as I could hear fast footsteps coming closer and closer. Natsu came running into the room.

"Oh my god, Luce!" He yelled cradling me in his arms. My head was heavy and my vision was blurring, but I held onto consciousness with a death grip. "Natsu, I'm so sorry..." I choked out. My body ached and my head was numb. Natsu pulled out his phone and began dialing a number.

I looked up behind Natsu to find my father with a bat. "Natsu look out!" I forced myself up feeling every muscle in my body tremble with intense pain. I pushed Natsu out of the way just before the bat could come into contact with his head. Instead, it hit mine. I hit the floor with a great jolt pulsing through my body starting from my head. "Luce!" Natsu screamed, but I my vision blacked out.