Lost in Perfection

Convincing

Mike's POV

Alex walks out of her bedroom and comes to sit on the couch beside me and Spencer.
"Hey, how are you feeling?" I ask. She looks really tired like she hadn't gotten any sleep.
"Okay," she lies down and rests her head against me. As I comb my fingers through her hair she begins to fall asleep.

Alex's POV

"Go upstairs, NOW!" Dad yells and I sprint up the stairs. He follows me upstairs and tells me to go into the guest room. I do as I'm told and as I do he pushes me onto the bed. I'm told to stay there, and too scared to do anything else I stay exactly where I am while he leaves me there, locking the door as he goes.

~8 days later~

I woke up starving and cold. I hadn't had anything to eat in days and I could feel myself shaking as I lay there staring at the ceiling. I heard the door start to unlock and I forced myself to sit up.

A/N WARNING! the next scene may not be suitable for younger readers.

The second he stepped through the door I could smell the alcohol radiating off of him. He was holding a half-empty beer bottle in his hand, he started coming towards me and he raised his arm hurling the bottle through the air towards me. The bottle smashed when it hit me, leaving me with even more cuts. I tried not to cry but I couldn't stop a few tears from escaping down my face. He pulled on my t-shirt making me get up and he slammed me against the wall. He pulled a pack of matches from his pocket and lit a few dragging them along my face. He let go of me and stepped back leaving me to fall to the ground. He laughed like a hiena and walked out the door.

————————

Aria's POV

I was walking down the hall to the courtyard thinking about Alex, she hasn't been in school for more two weeks.
"Aria!" I hear a familiar voice and I spin around
"Oh hey Mike,"
"Hey, have you seen Alex yet?" I could tell he had the same gut feeling that I had. Something just didn't seem right-Spencer has been quieter than usual and the second anyone mentions Alex she shuts down.
"No not yet I just got here." Then I saw Alex and Spencer coming over to us.
"Alex where have you been?" She ignores him and continues walking to her locker.
"Alex?" she turns around unintentionally allowing her hair to move out of her face revealing the burns and bruises
"What?" she asks
"Oh my god, w-what happened?" she turns away again getting her books from her locker and heading to the courtyard. We sat down and she told us everything that had happened in the past two weeks.
By the time she had finished she was bawling and as she stopped, Noel, Tyler and their gang walked past finding it hilarious that she was upset. Alex looked up at them and they stopped laughing seeing the scars on her face. Tyler started coming over to us and I could sense Alex tense. She looked him in the eye, hiding all her fear.
"What the hell do you want?" she asks and I notice that she started shaking when he stopped in front of her. Mike stood up and walked over to him, noticing how scared she was.
"Stay away from her, you hear me?" and Tyler walks off.

Spencer's POV

"Thanks Mike," Alex holds Mike's hand and she smiles. She looks genuinely happy.
"Alex, listen to me I don't want you to get upset or annoyed," I look at the others and they nod "We think that it's time you tell the cops about dad."
"W-what?"
"This can't keep happening Alex, I mean you can barely walk," she shakes her head trying not to cry.
"Please don't make me,"
"Hey, listen to me," I say looking her in the eye "we're not going to make you do anything okay?"
"We just think it's for the best."
"You all do?" she looks at Mike and he slowly nods.

Alex's POV

I take a deep breath not knowing what to do. I mean in one way it would be amazing not to have to worry about dad all day every day. Then in another way what if the cops didn't believe me and they told dad that I told them, everything would get so much worse. I couldn't decide what to do, I could feel myself coming close to tears, I started to feel dizzy and my vision was starting to blur. I stood up and sprinted as fast as I could (which wasn't very fast). I ran into the girls bathroom and into a stall, I locked the door and slid down the door crying, I couldn't take this anymore. It wasn't long until I heard Aria come in looking for me.
"Alex? Are you in here? What's wrong?" I heard her call. I didn't say anything but I knew she knew I was in there. "Alex please come out." Still I don't say anything "Open the door." I open the door slowly and see Aria standing there and she engulfs me in a hug. She pulls away and looks me in the eye. "Listen we're not going to force you to tell anyone but I really think it would be best if you did tell someone."
I sigh sliding down the bathroom wall. Aria sits beside me just as the others come running in "Alex are y- oh there you are!" They come over and sit beside us.
"Alex, listen to me," Spencer holds my hand and I look up at her she looks concerned "if you really don't want to tell the cops then we won't make you it's your decision," I look at the ground not wanting to tell her the real reason I ran off. I contemplate whether or not I should tell the police. In my mind I make a list of all the advantages and the disadvantages. Eventually I decide what to do.
"I'll tell them."