Numbers Never End

Chapter 22

- Hinata's P.O.V - 

The day finally came, the day were my fate lies in the hands of the game. It was my first official game against Nekoma. Was I ready? No, not at all. But was I excited? Hell yea, I was beyond ecstatic and yet I was worried. I couldn't afford to lose even if I wasn't a regular in the game, my step-dad would find out that our team lost and that meant I would get punished. 

"Hinata? The bus that is transferring us to Nekoma is here. Do you have everything?" Suga came into my room where I was sitting on my bed. I wasn't wearing my jersey that I loved but I wasn't ready to show my scars. Because as the rules go, I wasn't allowed to wear long sleeves on the court.

"Y-Yep! I'm ready!" I stuttered, standing up from my bed, "L-Lets go!" Why was I stuttering? Was I scared to play or was it just the normal first game jitters? No matter what it was, I made my shaking legs get on the bus.

xXx

When we arrived at Nekoma, I found Kenma and his boyfriend, along with the rest of the team waiting for our bus at the front of the school to give us a greeting. At first I felt happiness for seeing one of my great friends who went through the same problems as me. But unlike me, he eventually overcame his problems with help. Just upon thinking of than, I felt sadness, how could I tell him what happened or want will happen?

As soon as I got off the bus I went straight to Kenma, not listening to what my team mates had to say. I needed a hug desperately, and Kenma might seem cold and he might seem like he hides his feeling in video games, but besides all of that, he gives the best hugs. Just hugging him surprised my team and his team.

"Shoyou? What happened?" Kenma let go of me and I did the same, looking at each other in one another's eyes. 

"Kozume... H-He's going to kill me if I don't win..." I mumbled, usining Kenma's first name which I never did unless I was in dire need for help.

Kenma's eyes widened and he just nodded understanding, "Before the game starts we'll talk about it. But for now go back to your team." Kenma looked at me in the eyes and patted my head, the simple gesture making me smile. 

I nodded still smiling I went to back to my team who were all in awe.

"Shrimpy," Kuroo, Kenma's boyfriend came up to me with a sly smirk, "I don't know what you did but you showed Kenma's soft side. Kudos to you. Hmm... Shrimp and Pudding, what an odd food combination."

I nodded, wiping my tears before they even had a chance to fall. I don't know why I said anything or smiled but I forced myself to give him a smile and an answer, "It's no problem! I just knew him for a while."

Kuroo just smiled at me and lead our team to the gym where my life was on the line. 

xXx

Even though everyone was in their jerseys, I was still in my long sleeved shirt and I had zero inentions of getting changed around my team mates. Of course I trusted them, I just wasn't ready to show them, even if Kageyama was the only one who knew, that didn't mean that I showed him. Grabbing my uniform I scurried out of the locker room mumbling that I was going the bathroom but in reality I was going to find Kenma.

When I found him, he was exactly where I thought he would be. Sitting in a patch of sunlight, "You know, if you just hand ears and a tail, I wouldn't be able to tell you from an actual cat." I said cracking a small joke before telling him what has been happening in my life thus far.

"You know it. Now Hinata, I want you to be honest with me, or at least try to. What did your step-dad say to you?" Kenma looked up at me and motioned for me to sit down next to him which I did.

I nodded and took a deep breath before I started to speak, "I went home for a few days, four to be exact, the only reason I went home was because Natsu texted me saying that it was a family emergency but it turned out that my step-dad was posing as her. H-He told me that my mother and Natsu left him and that he was g-going to abuse me twice as much. He forced me to call him 'Sir', he didn't allow me to eat or drink anything, I barely slept at all and whenever I was alone I would cut. B-But the worse thing is that he let me leave early. I knew that there was going to be a catch but I was foolish enough to think that he was turning over a new leaf, I got hopeful... T-The catch was that if I didn't win this game he would punish me and that might me that he'll kill me. H-He abused me enough! I-I don't want to die!"

Kenma looked at me in surprise, his eyes wide in shock, "You don't have to answer my question but how did he abuse you?"

I was going to tell Kenma because I trusted him but I thought it would be better to show him but it also gave me a chance to change, "He just punched and kicked me like usual b-but this time he burned me..." I winced as the cool air hit my burned flesh.

"Hinata, do you want to win?" Kenma asked a stupid question making me gawk at him.

"Of course I want to win! I just want to play as if nothing was wrong." I smiled at Kenma and he smiled back at me.

"You're a good volleyball player, as long as you have faith in your team mates and yourself, you'll win." Kenma got up and patted my head, "I'm heading back to my team, do you know the way back to the gym or do you want me to walk you back?"

I just smiled as Kenma started to leave, "No thank you! I'll be fine!" I got up as well and put on my uniform, my cuts and burns now revealed to the whole world to see, "But I do have one question, do you think my team will get mad and me about my scars and cuts? They've been so nice to me and I don't want to lose their trust in me."

"Hinata, stop being a worry wart. If your team mates are your friends, they'll just accept it and try to help you." Kenma smiled once again and left me in the sunlight.

xXx

When I returned to the gym, I felt everyone's eyes on me. I kept telling myself that my team mates would understand but my voices told me otherwise.

"Hinata, what took you so long?" Daich and Suga came up to me, "Why are you hiding your arms behind your back?" Of course Suga would notice me acting odd.

Hesitating, I let my arms drop to my sides, "Sorry! I got lost on my way back but Kenma helped me!" Why was I still lying? I'm exposed now, so why was I lying to them?

"Hinata, what's on your arms?" Noya asked me appearing right in front of Daichi and Suga, "Can I see them?" Noya grabbed my arms which made me wince and my team mates gather closed to see what Noya was talking about and of course when they saw, they all gasped.

I looked down at my feet, I'm fully exposed now, everyone knows now. No turning back now.

xXx

OH MY GOD. I was gone from this story for forever and a day! I'm really, really sorry. I'm not positive but this story will not have a schedule cause I must write more chapters up so please be patient, I'm writing and typing as fast as I can. But thank you for all of the kind words you left me on previous chapters while I was typing up this chapter! Thank you again! This is star freckles from the stars themselves saying goodbye~! ✧