The New Guy

Chapter 3

Rosaia POV

I woke up to the slam of the front door around 2:30 in the morning. I've become used to the sounds of my mother stumbling inside, wasted in the middle of the night. Huddled under the covers of my bed, I sent a prayer to a God I didn't believe in that my mother wouldn't go looking for me and would just pass out.

The prayer went unanswered.

"YOU FUCKIN PIECE OF SHIT! GE' YOUR DIRTY ASS OU' HERE! YOU WOR'LESS, GOOD-FIR-NOTHIN TRASH!"

Trying not to cry, I slowly crept out of bed and down the hall where she was waiting for me. Silently, I stared at my feet, petrified to make eye contact.

"YOU!" she roared. "I FUCKIN HATE YOU! YOU'RE THE FUCKIN REAS'N YOUR ASSHOLE FATHER FUCKIN LEFT ME! YOU'RE UGLY AN STUPID AN WORTHLESS! I HATE YOU!" Then came the first blow.

Each time she hits me it feels like the first. I feel the sting of the punch on my right cheek. Reeling, I'm practically in shock and almost don't notice when she sucker-punches me a couple times in the ribs. Almost.

I gasp out in pain, which apparently she doesn't like. "SHUT UP! YOU DESERVE THIS! IT'S ALL YOUR FAULT!" She punches me a few more times and until I can no longer stand. I collapse onto the floor, but she doesn't slow down. Instead of punching she moves onto kicking. The tears don't even have a chance to well up in my eyes. My whole body is focused on making the gasps and groans that spill out of my mouth.

After what feels like a century, my mother seems to grow bored of kicking the crap out of me, and walks away- into her room to sleep, presumably- leaving me writhing on the hallway floor. I'm in so much agony, I can't even muster up the strength to get up off of the floor and back to my room. I decide to just try sleeping on the floor, and hope I wake up in time for school- and certainly before my mother wakes up. I attempt to shift my position ever so slightly, but even that tiny movement sends shooting pains all throughout my chest and stomach. That is the moment the tears begin to leak through my eyelids. As usual, once they start, they don't stop. I fall asleep to my own silent sobbing.

Next thing I know, I'm awoken to more screaming. Well, not the exact same screaming I was exposed to the previous night, but similar. Same voice, just quieter, most likely due to the killer hangover the owner of said voice was currently experiencing.

"What the hell are you doing sleeping on the goddamn floor?! Stupid bitch! I gave you a fucking bed for a reason; so you'll fucking sleep in it! Goddamn moron."

I force my eyes open and I am immediately met with the breath-taking view of my mom's crusty-ass feet. Groaning, I force myself to sit up. The pain isn't as excruciating as it was directly after the beating, but it's still pretty bad. At least I can move, so I probably don't have any broken ribs.

"Hey, dumbass, get up off the fucking floor, your ass is gonna be late to school," my mother sneers from above me. Slowly, I raise my head to look at her. Her expression isn't concerned in the slightest. It is simply mildly pissed off. I just nod and pick myself off the floor. I try not to grunt while doing so, so she won't hear me but am unsuccessful. "Oh, shut up. It doesn't hurt that much. Stop being such a fucking drama queen. Attention whore," she mutters, rolling her eyes. Once I am standing she seems satisfied, and goes downstairs.

Glad to no longer be under her watchful and judgmental eye, I hobble into my room and check the time. 9:35am. I am already late for school. I sigh, and debate whether or not I should bother going. I'm pretty beat up, so I know I'll definitely have difficulty maneuvering throughout the building. Plus, I haven't even seen my face yet, and who knows what bruises I have visible there and how much make up I'll need to cover them. Besides, I'm already late, and there's no way in hell my mom's gonna write me an excuse note, which will be the only way the school will accept my tardiness.

So it was settled, I wouldn't go into school today. I might still have to get out of the house though, to avoid my mother. God knows we don't want a repeat of what happened last time she caught me ditching school.

Forming a plan on where I could go and when I should leave, I grab my phone and absentmindedly check my messages. Haley and Lola each ask me separately why I'm not at school. I quickly reply and tell them I woke up not feeling well (technically not a lie) but I'd probably be back in school tomorrow. Even though we're not supposed to text during school, they both respond to me fairly quickly wishing me to feel better soon. My friends are so great; I don't deserve them.

I sigh, rolling onto my back. After staring at the ceiling for a moment, my mind void of any relevant thoughts, I realize I better check out the damage done to my rib cage. Grimacing, I pull up my shirt and automatically gasp at the sight. About 95% of the skin on my torso is a gross purpley-black color. Tentatively, I press down gently on my ribs. I hiss slightly, but it the pain isn't too bad anymore. Hopefully I'm correct in thinking none of my ribs are broken. My mother has never beaten me to the point before where I needed hospitalization, but once or twice she came close to it.

Peeling myself off my bed with a groan, I stumble into the bathroom to dry-swallow a couple of ibuprofen. Thinking a hot bath might relax my muscles, I turn the on water and sit on the cold tile bathroom floor as I watch the hot water pour out of the faucet into the bathtub. I quickly grow bored of this, and realize I should have brought my book in with me. After a few moments debate, I sigh, and pull myself off the floor. Luckily the ibuprofen is already starting to kick in, so it doesn't hurt too much. After successfully retrieving my book and cell phone, just in case, I return to the bathroom, slipping in just before my mother reaches the top of the stairs. I shut the door as soundlessly as possible and stand with my ear pressed against the door, straining my hearing to make out any words she might say. I don't hear anything for about 30 seconds, and then comes the click of her door shutting. I sigh in relief, knowing she won't come to check up on me, and instead will go back to sleep for a few more hours.

After successfully conquering eight chapter of my book, I decide it's time to step out of the bath. I tiptoe out the bathroom, stopping at my mother's door to check that she was still sleeping before going to my room. I knew she might wake up at any moment, so I should probably leave the house now, especially since I could walk almost normally now. I changed into an Of Mice & Men band tee and black jeans and hoodie. I slip on my only pair of shoes, and impulsively grab my glasses too. I leave my phone behind, but make sure to grab my notebook and a pen.

I creep through the house until I am safely outside. I then begin my trek to the place I've gone since I was a child to escape my mother's wrath. A small pond, a couple blocks away from my house. There aren't any houses right by it, so it's usually usually pretty peaceful there, aside form the occasionally jogger or dog-walker.

About a two to three minute walk later, I arrive at my destination, and plop myself down under my favorite tree, the closest one to the water. I am immediately immersed in a state of serenity that is only ever achieved when I am here. It is my perfect place. The only place that is totally mine; where I can come to completely forget everything. Nothing can ruin my small paradise.

Until today.

Hello friends! Ugh okay, so I wanted to post this chapter this morning, but before I posted it I wanted my friend to beta it, but she wasn't feeling good today so she never read it and I feel bad for not updating in so long I absolutely cannot put it off for another day, so basically what I'm saying is, if the chapter isn't that good I'm really sorry.

See you next update...

-Rach