diamond //sweet pea//

//four//

There was only so much concealer could do.

Angry purple fingerprints were burned into the sensitive skin on her neck. A bruise to match lay softly against her cheekbone. A deep red crack ran over her stained lips. She looked like hell, and that was just her face. Her body held a whole nother story. Blue marks similar to her face sat littered over her waist her hips, the largest in the center of her torso. Steel toed boots were a bitch.

Dallas had woken up much too early for her liking but knew it was the only way to avoid the mess that waited outside her door. Her blood stained fingers twisted the lock, a shaking hand pulling open the door. The hallway was still soiled with the mess of the previous night, glass and alcohol laid untouched, her blood staining the carpet. She hopped over it all and into the bathroom two doors down. She locked the door behind her, relief washing over her. She fiddled with the shower handle until it was creating steam in the small room. She stripped her bloodied and dirtied hoodie off her sore body. An audible gasp left her mouth when she caught a glimpse of the broken body in the mirror. It was so much worse than she thought. She tried to shake the image from her head, forcing scalding water over her head. The burn was welcomed opposed to the burn she had felt in her chest last night.

Dallas attempted to rid herself of the shame that clung to her so desperately. And as much as she wished to stay in the shower forever, she knew that an alcoholic slumber didn't last forever. She snuck back into her room once more, the lock snapping into its most familiar position. She dragged a brush through her knotted hair, throwing it into a sloppy ponytail when it hurt too much to continue. Dallas dug through her drawers, settling on a black sweatshirt and charcoal leggings. The hands that hadn't stopped shaking since she woke up pulled on her scuffed and definitely worn boots. She slipped on her leather jacket and tugged on a beanie. A pair of dark sunglasses found their way onto her face, hiding her humiliation and bruises. But mostly her humiliation.

Mikey lay exactly where she had left him, his asshole friend Aiden a few steps away. She fought the urge to kick him while he was down, both of them, but decided against it. She didn't need a repeat so soon. She hoped that their lack of movement meant they wouldn't be making an appearance at school. Frankly the only place she felt safe. Dallas grabbed her bag and headed out into the morning. Her stomach grumbled and her fingers twitched. She needed a fix, for both her hunger and cigarette addiction. She checked the time once safe inside her car, 7:04. More than enough time to take a run to the liquor store.

The neon sign was a sight for sore eyes. She hopped out of the car and walked inside, bells jingling announcing her presence. She grabbed a pack of powdered donuts before approaching the counter. The man behind it recognized her, already turning to grab both her brand and the tea she would ask for. Dallas dug around in her purse trying to find the 20 dollars she'd need. After digging through her bag she found the wrinkled Jackson and handed it to the aging man. He nodded with wide eyes and she countered with a tight-lipped smile. It hadn't occurred to her he was probably focusing on the welt on her cheekbone that had begun to throb, or maybe the deep split in her bottom lip.

Dallas got back in the car, her lighter instantly meeting the cigarette that had found its way into her hand. Her wrist hung limp as it drew the stick to her busted mouth. Dark crescents hooked under her eyes, eyes that were watching as the world moved on, unaware of what had happened to her, just like always.

The parking lot sat vacantly and Dallas was grateful for the silence. Grateful for the solitude. With the cigarette gone, she focused her attention on the tea that had cooled on her drive over, now only a slight burn met her tongue. Her eyes fluttered between open and a relaxed droop. The ache was relevant again and making itself known.