A Dream Come True

Girlfriend... I Like The Sound Of That

  It's been two months since Maddi and I got together. We were the happiest couple in school and even my mum approved!
  As Maddi and I walked into school that day, I realised that she had been fiddling with her bracelet the whole time we were on the bus. I turned to her and she stopped.
  'What's going on?' I asked. She looked at me with a scared look on her face and then lifted the bottom of her shirt up a little.
  "I didn't think my dad would be too proud about me coming out, but this was the worst of what I was expecting." Her voice wuivered slightly as she held the bottom of her shirt a little higher.
  There were bruises the size of small plates on her sides and stomach. I rushed into a hug and she started sobbing violently on my shoulder. I rubbed her back soothingly and kissed her cheek.
  We separated and I signed, 'Are you safe to live there anymore? Mum wouldn't mind if you stayed at mine for a bit.' She shook her head.
  "I can't d-do that," she muttered through tears. "Dad already threatened t-to h-hu-hurt you if I-I didn-n't come h-home." Her stuttering threw me off a little. The Maddi was always so brave and strong, how could someone break her down this badly?
  'How did he do this?' My shakey hands probably made it hard for her to make out what I was saying, but she interpreted it just fine.
  "He-he smacked a plate onto me to make me feel like I wasn't worth the trouble of looking after."
  'Just calm down. He won't do that anymore because there's multiple laws against it. We'll get mum to sue him. She's a lawyer. I love you. Remember that. And I will do anything and everything to protect you.' I kissed her soft lips and she pressed hers back, strengthening it.
  I heard the bell ring and pulled back, starting to head up the stairs to Home Group, holding Maddi's hand all the way.

  After Roll Call, I started to get up when the teacher, Mr. Hopkins, asked to see me after everyone had left. I told Maddi to wait outside for me before sitting down.
  "You and Maddi's relationship is bringing some troublesome students in here saying you two are not being very safe for school grounds," he growled knowingly.
  'Sir, we've only kissed each other three times on school grounds!' I protested. 'Everything else has been either at my house or on the bus, in the front row where nobody else can see. I doubt any students would be telling the truth if they told you anything different.'
  "Miss Shenah, you know I can't read ASL."
  "But sir-," I mouthed.
  "You are free to go. Get me a response but the end of the week. That gives you ten lunches, Tallabel. Ten. That's all the time you have. Dismissed."
  I walked out of the classroom with my head bowed. Maddi gave me a worried look. I smiled up at her and shook my head to say "It's nothing."
  "Alright." She lept giving me a glance every now and then, but I just disguarded it.
  'I'm gonna go to the toilet before class,' I signed. She nodded. I headed off before she could ask anything else.