Broken

Broken Chapter 2

After my afternoon classes, I walked home, surprised to find that His car was there. Instantly, my stomach dropped and I felt a pang of terror. I yelped, but no one heard me. I collapsed to the ground, a wreck. It was Thursday. He wasn't here on Thursdays. I rolled up my sleeve to check on Monday's beating. It seemed to be a fresh cut. I gathered my self then suddenly felt stupid and weak.

"Olivia, if you can't bear the winds, you'll never reach the end of your journey." My mother's words echoed in my head.

I walked in the house a little braver. The sight that met my eyes was unattainable. Beer bottles everywhere, furniture overturned, and worst of all, He stood in the corner, holding a belt in one hand and a beer bottle in the other. He didn't even stop, say anything, or take a breath. He ran forward, laughing, and whipped the belt high in the air and swung it repeatedly, over and over. The pain whisked across my face, arms, legs, everywhere. The pain hit me like a gunshot, I winced more and more every time. I curled into a little ball on the ground, trying not to cry. I remember He only stopped when He passed out on the floor.

As I got ready for the second day, I didn't know what to do about the gashes and cuts. The biggest one was across my face. I finally decided just to say a dog attacked me. Not like anyone notices me. As the days dragged on, I followed the same schedule. Same seat, same people, same home ritual. Every time the cuts got worse and worse, yet no one noticed, I think.

Finally, the last month of school arrived. As I sat down to lunch, it was normal at first. All alone, by myself. Then a girl with dark hair and a pink shirt came walking up to me.

"So, like what's up with your face?" She motioned to the scar on my face from a lashing. "No offense."

"Aha, no it's ok....got bit by a dog a while back." I replied timidly.

"I'm Christina and you're Olivia right?" Christina talked fast. "Oh, B-T dubbs, are you gonna eat that, I'm in the mood for Mac n cheese."
Christina spent every lunch with me after that and it's something I look forward to every day. One day, Christina greeted me with a giddy face.

"Did you hear?" Christina was squealing.

"We'll, I've heard a variety of noises today..." I knew what she was talking about and felt kinda happy when I thought about it. Before I could think another thought, she was on it again.

"I CAN'T BELIEVE THEY'RE HAVING A DANCE!" Everyone stopped to listen to her scream.

"Oh wow, that was loud" I told Christina.

"But that's not all," Christina was on the verge of happy tears "I've already been asked!"

"Cool, by who?"

"A high schooler."

"What?!"

"I said yes."

I walked away from lunch that day, knowing Christina was just that kind of girl.