A Thousand Lies

Chapter 11

Chapter name: bruise

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Temperance

I pop two pills into my mouth with a bottle of water I have under my bed. I'm not sure if I can mix my pills with regular Advil but that has yet to stop me. I figure that even if I accidentally overdose, it would be ok. Right?

I put on black leggings and an oversized dark blue hoodie that stops mid-thigh.

As I'm driven into a coughing fit I place my hands over my mouth. The acts of coughing wrack my frail body, my head spinning as I try to calm down.

Stepping into the bathroom I avoid looking at myself in the mirror. I can't bear to see myself.

I turn on the faucet, letting the water run over the bristles of my toothbrush. I find myself mesmerized by the flow of the water before placing my toothbrush into my mouth.

I wince at the shooting pain I feel inside my mouth. Curious, I take my toothbrush out of my mouth, nudging my tooth with my tongue.

As one of my molars wiggles, I feel the color drain from my face. This isn't supposed to happen, my teeth are supposed to be the only part of me that I like.

My empty stomach churns at the thought of losing one of my precious teeth.

A bird chirps from outside and I immediately try to compose myself, stepping out of the bathroom. I grab my backpack and sling it on my back. I can't help but nudge my wiggling tooth with my tongue once more.

The bruises on my face throb with every step I take. I know my face must look completely distorted now. My eye is almost swollen shut at this point.

My swollen eyes making me partially blind isn't anything new though. It's nothing as bad as having one of my teeth be knocked loose. I can only pray it doesn't get punched out.

I am still surprised that last night's beating wasn't terrible. I'm surprised I'm still breathing as my thoughts from last night led me to believe I was going to die. My expectations were stopped short, not that I'm not grateful. I remain curious on the matter of why I didn't die in the living room last night.

I tiptoe down the stairs, keeping most of my weight on the railings. Anxiety trails up my battered body as I fear my father could be awake.  The relief I feel as his sleeping body comes into view is unfathomable.

I sneak over to the front door, my eyes not leaving my sleeping father as he lays on the dirty couch. I open the front door, bringing my body halfway outside before turning back.

I find myself looking at his hands, glaring at his busted knuckles.

I hope he feels so much pain that he can bear it. I hope his knuckles hurt as my body does.

I close the door, immediately walking my regular path to school. today is already off to a wonderful start. I can't believe I'm on my way to school without getting beat beforehand. That's the first time I've gotten so lucky in a while.

There is only one thing I am nervous about. Alec.

I don't know how he reacted to seeing that I was gone. Would he be happy? Upset? I don't understand him.