The Gathering

Chapter One: Lost

“Mom! Let go! You’re hurting me!” I scream even though I know it won’t do anything. Even if it did, it’d only make it worse. She does this almost every day and I’m tired of feeling this constant pain! “Mom! Please!” I cry out as her grip around my two arms tightens. She pushes me back against the wall in the hallway and violently shakes me, causing my head to continuously bang against the wall.

“You didn’t unload the dishwasher! I asked you to unload the dishwasher! You never listen to me you disgraceful brat!” She spat in my face. Her short, black, messy hair falls in front of her face, covering her soulless-like black eyes.

“I just woke up! I’m sorry, I’m sorry! Please don’t hurt me anymore!” I continue to cry out. She lets go of my arms and relief flows out of me but before she turns to leave she slaps me right across the face, leaving a bright red mark spread across my cheek.

“Go to school! I don’t want to look at you!” With that, she walks down the narrow stairs leading to the front foyer. When I’m sure she can’t see me anymore I sink down to the floor and silently sob. It’s going to be a long day.

            After showering I put on my dark pair of pants and a loose hoody. With the little makeup that I have I tried my best to cover the bruises on my face and arms. Thankfully it helped disguise it, but if you looked close enough you could see it. Not that anyone would take the time to look at me, even at school. I’m the typical loner at school, no one talks to me. I sit alone at lunch and always hide at the back of the room during classes.

With the cheapest blue brush I could afford, I slowly brush through my thick brown hair and tug it towards the front of my shoulders to try and hide my face as much as possible. My hair reaches to about my shoulders but its poorly cut, as I always have to cut it myself and it’s difficult to get the hair in back. I take one last glance in my mirror and make sure everything is covered. The only thing that is truly uncovered is my eyes. My dad gave me both my dark and deep brown eyes; thankfully, the only thing I gained from my mother is her small nose. Pulling my black hood up over my head, I grab my small school bag and sit on my bed, dreading the day to come.

           

            “Well would you look at that! Yana actually came to school again today! I for sure thought she wasn’t going to after what happened yesterday.” Luke, the school bully said from behind me. I feel his presence as he leans down and whispers in my ear, “You do remember what happened yesterday don’t you?” I turn my head and look at him through my layers of hair. I see his ridiculous smirk which seems to take up his entire face and his cold blue eyes piercing through me.

“Yes, I remember.” I say quietly.

He leans down again putting his hand up to his ear, “I’m sorry, I couldn’t hear you, what did you say?”

I didn’t bother repeating myself. I know he heard me. I remember exactly what happened yesterday. It’s not all that surprising; it was just another hour of them tormenting me with their cruel words and constant threats. Even though it happens all the time and I’m used to it, I still remember every single threat like the back of my hand.

I look down and continue picking at the lunch I bought; mom refuses to pay for lunch money, well, refuses to pay for anything to be exact. He and his so called “gang” continue to laugh at me. Honestly I didn’t care about what they were saying; all I wanted was to be left alone. The frustration starts to boil inside me as I finally stand up and leave to the girl’s bathroom, taking my lunch with me as their loud laughter trails behind me. I guess today is another ‘lunch in the stalls’ type of day.