Never Be Enough

The Cut

I look in the mirror as I inhale and exhale trying to calm my nerves. I adjust my hair and my leotard before going out there. 

Everyone seems to be doing their own routine and I see that only the bars were available, I wasn't the best at bars but I think I'm decent enough.  I chose to do my routine from my last competition and managed to stick the landing. Maybe I'm not so rusty as I thought I was. 

I end up working on everything, from beam to working on my uneven bar transitions until my name is called for my floor routine. I used Counting Stars by One Republic because that was my last competition that I was in. Everything was flawless and perfect. My landings were amazing, now I hope that Jessica doesn't kill my chance of making it. Once I'm done I see Jessica in the corner smirking. At the end of tryouts Jenna and I both made the team, we got our leos and got changed to go out for ice cream. 

When I come home my mom looks at me with the look that says "Where have you been and what are you holding"?

"Hi mom, I'm home."

"Where were you and what took you so long to come home? What are you holding?"

"I stayed after school with Jenna and had try-outs for the gymnastics team. I made the team! Which is why I have a leo in my hand."

"HA! You don't know a thing about gymnastics. How much did you bribe them to put you on the team?"

"In case you have forgotten, dad put me in those classes. I was winning every competition and you didn't bother to show up to one!"

"Yeah sure. Whatever fantasy you live in. Your father never would've done that! He didn't care enough that's why he left!"

"No. He did care. Just because he didn't love you doesn't mean that he didn't love us."

I storm up to my room with tears daring to fall. I slam my door shut and lay on my bed, face down. The door opens and I can tell by the footsteps that it's Daryl. Since when did he have permission to barge into my room without knocking. 

"You know you should really appreciate what your mother is doing for you." 

"Really?! She doesn't believe in me. She thinks I just bribe my way through life. I'm the disappointment of the family."

"She does believe in you. It's just you don't give a crap."

"Since when did you have a say in any of this?! You've barely been here a week and now you think you're my dad. Well news flash you aren't, and you never will be."

Daryl grabs my arm roughly and I am terrified of the gleam in his eyes.

"Listen you little twat. You will respect me as your father. That man never loved you, he left because of you. You weren't enough."

"You know what, Daryl? Bite me!"

With that, he raised his hand and slapped me, making me fall to the ground. He continued to kick me in the stomach yelling at me to get up. It hurts. Everything hurts. Eventually, he leaves me on the floor crying. I walk into my closet, grab a baggy, black sweatshirt and a pair of black leggings and Nike's and climb out the window. Even though it hurts to move, I have to get out of here. 

I find a nice cozy park bench to lay on. I know it's not safe at this time of night, but right now I don't really care. I hear a car coming and it stops, the door opens and I can hear the rustle of someone walking towards me. I start to cry thinking that Daryl is back because he wasn't done.

"Bella? Is that you?"

It sounds like Nick. He sits down next to me, placing my head on his lap. He moves my hair out of my wet face and reveals a black eye. 

"Bella. Who did this to you?"

"Don't worry about it. I just fell and hit my eye."

If I keep on talking, I'm gonna give myself away.

"I'm calling Sean."

"Nick, don't please. I'm fine trust me."

I go to get up and it hurts so bad that I can't.

"Bella, you can barely move."

Nick moves my sleeves revealing fresh bruises, and he lifts up the sweatshirt revealing my purple and black stomach, which apparently is also bleeding. 

"Bella. You don't look fine. I'm calling Sean and you can't get out of this one."

Sean shows up looking like he just rolled out of bed.

"I knew he was bad news Bell. Look what happened to you! From now on you are not allowed to be alone with him. If I'm not home go stay at Jenna's. Just stay out of the house and get some ice for your bruises, and go to the hospital to get your stomach looked at. Mom DOES NOT find out about this."

"Sean. Please don't do anything."

"I'm not making any promises."

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