Beneath The Bruises (A Hayes Grier Fanfiction)

Chapter 6

***A/N: Hey guys, I'm honestly so sorry for making you guys wait so long!! I really wanted to update yesterday but this chapter took me super long to write :( I was studying a lot too, but I don't have any more tests coming up for a week or so except for one on Friday which is math which is easy which means no studying which means FAST UPDATES YAAAY!! To make up for my late update this chapter is longer than usual (; Let me know what you think in the comments!! By the way, thank you all sooo much for your comments; they really encourage me to write and they make me sooo happy :D Okay enough blabbering, happy reading! :) Oh and don't forget to vote if you like the chapter!!***

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My eyelids slowly spread apart at the sound of my alarm and the morning sunlight fills my vision. I yawn as I stretch my arms over my head, and then drop them back onto my pillow. Counting today, it's been a week and four days since the first day of school, and since I officially met Hayes Grier. The past week and three days has been absolutely perfect - I got to spend so much time with Hayes. Even in the short amount of time, Hayes and I have grown so close. We hang out almost everyday, and it's always so much fun, even if we just stay at home. Whenever we can't hang out, we're always texting. It seriously feels like I've known him for my whole life. On top of that, my mother has left me alone ever since Sunday night. The bruises on my stomach have almost faded away completely, and I'm hoping there won't be any new replacements for a while.

I check my phone, and there's one text from Hayes.

From: Hayes👑: Goodmorning Adri (:

I smile at the crown emoji that he put in beside his name, to indicate his royalty of course, and at the nickname he gave me a couple days after we officially met.

To: Hayes👑: Goodmorninggg :D

I'm not surprised when I don't have any other notifications. I don't get texts, Facebook messages or anything having to do with social media from anyone other than Hayes, because I really don't have any other friends. I honestly don't think it's because I'm not likable or anything like that, I think it's just that over time I've built up high, high walls to protect my feelings from other people. I've never opened up to anyone before, except for Anastasia. Not even Hayes. The walls I've built are metaphorical, of course. If someone literally built walls around themselves they would die eventually... But with that mentality, are emotional walls and physical walls the same thing? If you're constantly shutting everyone out, constantly lonely, constantly trying to solve your problems alone with no one else around you to help you understand, or even just to understand how you're feeling, a part of you will die. One can only withstand loneliness to a certain extent. Stop overthinking, I think to myself. You aren't going to die from having no phone notifications.

I sit up, stretch my arms one more time, then I swoop my legs over the edge of the bed and onto the floor. I cringe at the slight discomfort that the contact with the cold floor causes my warm feet, and I walk to the bathroom. While looking into the mirror as I brush my teeth, I notice that the bags I always used to have under my eyes from no sleep at night - I overthink too much at night to sleep - are absent. The happiness I've been feeling for the past week and four days actually managed to let me have full nights of restful sleep. Delighted with that thought, I change into the first things I find and walk down the stairs, humming.

As expected, my mother is no where to be seen. She's most likely hungover in her bedroom, like every morning. I learned to stop checking up on her after her morning schedule repeated for months.

I grab the sliced bread, put a piece in the toaster, and I retrieve the butter from the fridge. When the toast pops, I spread the butter evenly over it, and then for the finishing touch I sprinkle a little sugar overtop. This has been mine and Anastasia's favorite way to eat toast for as long as I can remember. I sigh sadly at the thought of her, then I grab my backpack, I stick my earphones into my ears, I blast my music and I start the walk to school.