shattered

chapter 10

-Adam-

"I have an abusive father." 

I was completely speechless. I didn't utter a single word. A part of me wanted her to keep talking and continue telling me her story, but another part doesn't want to because I know that what she's gonna say right now is gonna piss me the fuck off. 

"My mum left us after he found her cheating on him 3 years ago. The first few months it was sort of okay, he was stressed all the time and there was this weird tension in the air whenever we were in the same room together which I didn't really understand why." She was speaking while looking at the sky, refusing to look at me, meanwhile I never took my eyes off her. 

"We stayed like that for like 6 or 7 months, no one dared speak of mom ever. One day I was out with Tiffany, my best friend, and we came back to my house and saw him making out with some kind of a prostitute , I was angry at him and told him to 'get that bitch out of my house.' 

He got mad and started beating me until I couldn't see anything but the blood on my body, Tiffany tried to stop him but he pushed her away until her head hit the wall and she fainted. "

"Adam, I saw blood pouring out of my best friend's head and I couldn't do anything." She stopped to look at me. I hesitated at first, but I put my arm around her shoulder, pulling her to me so she was leaning on my chest. 

"Ever since that day, he has been beating me almost every freaking day, with or without a reason. I have scars all over my arms, legs and back because of his continuous torture to me. I sometimes even get scars on my face that I try to hide with make up." She stopped for a little. 

"Can I..see your arm?" I asked her looking in her eyes. "I just want to see the scars he does.." I explained and waited for her to answer me. She started pulling up her sleeve and I was speechless, once again.

I held her arm ever so slightly, as if I was holding glass and was afraid it'll break into pieces in my arms. I stared at it, unable to make up any words to describe what I was seeing. It was a complete chaos. Some scars where blue, some where purple and some were yellow, some were even red, letting me know that they were fresh, new scars. 

I ran my thumb up and down her arm, touching every scar lightly. 

"How can he do that to you?" I whispered, letting go of her arm. She sighed. "I hate him, I really do. I hate my mom for leaving me with him. I hate myself because I let him do that to me without even defending myself."

"So, now you kinda know the story of my life." She chuckled but I stayed silent. "Ro, can I ask you something?" I finally said. "Yeah sure, what is it?" She asked. 

"Why do you always smile and show people that you're happy when you're clearly not and the smiles you have on your face are kinda fake?" She smiled at me but it didn't really reach her eyes.

"Who said it's fake?" I frowned with confusion. 

"Look Adam, I'm fucked up..Mentally and emotionally. Literally and metaphorically. But everyday I walk  outside this house, I put a smile on my face, that's genuine most of the time, because that's just who I am. No matter how broken I am, I still smile and try my best to be happy for a while at least when I'm not here, because that's me, that's Rose." I had a wide smile on my face that I didn't even realize I had until she stopped talking. 

"Is he home?" I asked her. "No, he left the house a while ago after we fought again. He probably won't be back before tomorrow morning. Why?" She said and I smirked mischievously "Wanna get out of here?" I said, still smirking. "Where?" She frowned with confusion. " You'll know when we get there, bring a swimsuit, actually no wear it under your clothes." 

"We're going to the beach?" She asked. "Close, but no, now go get ready and I'll be waiting for you in the car." 

As I was getting up I figured something."Wait.. can I get out from the front door instead of that creepy tree?" I asked her, looking at the old tree. She laughed at me and I smiled. "Yeah sure come in, but you still have to use that tree though." She said, still laughing." At least I won't use it all the way down there." I said and then we got into her room, I started looking around a bit and said. "Nice room." "Thanks, now get out so I can change." She said, opening the door. "Yeah, right, don't be late." I said. "Okay fine." She said walking me down to the door, but I stopped right in front of it. 

"Rose" I said. " Adam" She said back. "Can I hug you?" I asked her shyly, already regretting asking her something like that. I look at her and she opened her arms, gesturing for me to hug her. I pulled her to me, my hand rapped around her waist, hers rapped around my neck. 

I sighed. "Thank you Rose for telling me. I want you to know that I'm not leaving your side from now on, I will try my best to protect you okay? And remember you can always tell me anything and you can call me anytime." I wait for her to say anything. "Thanks for listening to me Adam I really appreciate it and what you said. I promise I'll tell you anything." I pull away with the goofiest grin on my face. 

"Okay great, no go I'm waiting." and then I was out and waiting for her in my car...