My Step-Brothers

Chapter 41: Waking Up

E V A N N A

I don't know how long I was on the floor, leaning against the wall of my school. The sun was about to set but I didn't care. I had no energy or strength. My body felt numb and blood was everywhere.

There was a cut on my forehead which was dripping blood. I could taste blood from my bloody nose and my split lips. It stung and hurt a lot. I was coughing up blood, and every time I did, my stomach would churn, making me feel dizzy.

My left arm was bleeding to. One girl had a small razor blade and she cut me with it. I tried stoping the blood by wrapping my jacket around it, but that just only made me shiver from the cold.

There were bruises all over my body. Girls were throwing me around, throwing rocks at me. I just wanted to end my life. I felt miserable and my body felt paralyzed—I couldn't even move.

Please, why can't someone help me?

Why can't anyone hear my cries for help? Someone, please help me...

My eyes went blurry. Tears started dripping from my eyes. My head started hurting worse, and I felt myself sway.

"What the fuck?" I heard someone yell. A blurry figure appeared right in front of me just as my eyes closed and I passed out.

————

"What do you mean you don't know what happened to her?"

"Why're you asking me? Why would I care about her?"

"Dude!" They sighed, "Well, Do you know who did this?"

"No! Actually... maybe... okay yeah! Fine! I do know who did this..."

Muffled voices came from around me. My chest heaved up and down in even breaths. My eyes slowly fluttered open and I saw Ethan, Alex, Andrew, and Jayden.

"You're awake!" Ethan yelped.

"Dang it," Jayden muttered, earning a smack from Ethan.

I looked around and saw that I was on my bed, 4 people looking down at me. Concern filled their faces all except Jayden. I sat up with the help of Andrew and he sat down next to me.

"What happened?" Andrew asked.

I didn't know why, but I burst into tears. Andrew pulled me into a hug and I cried into his chest. For the first time, I felt like he was actually someone who cared so much about me. I felt like he was a brother I never had.

"What happened?" Andrew asked again in a soft voice.

"I-I lost a friend," I said, my heart clenching.

Without thinking, I buried my head in his vest and let all of my feelings out. I cried, and cried. It wasn't only about losing Claire anymore. It was about everything I bottled up inside me.

I lost my mother. I have a new family. I'm depressed again. I'm struggling with eating. I can't seem to love myself. I'm being bullied at home and school. My dad doesn't love me like he used to before. Everything. Was. A. Mess.