Behind the Hoodie (Discontinued)

Chapter Twenty-Four

Bailey's POV

After Will hangs up the phone, I hand it back to my mom.

"What was that all about," she asks me.

"Nothing. Just family problems."

"Then why do you look so upset?"

"It's a long story," I tell her and she looks at her wrist as if checking the time.

"Looks like I've got time."

"Alright I'll tell under a few circumstances," I say and she nods. "You can't look and me or Will any different, you can't interrupt, and I get to ask you a question in return."

"Alright. Ask your question."

"Why would you leave me with him even though you knew how bad he was," I ask and she lets out a sigh.

"I always thought that I was the problem. He only ever hurt you when I made him mad or didn't do as he said. It got to the point where I would not even speak when he was around. I tried my hardest to not make him mad because I couldn't handle seeing him hurt you. The reason I left was because I started thinking that if I left then he wouldn't get mad and take it out on you. I was hoping that if I left then I wouldn't be in the way and y'all would actually start getting closer. Now I see that I was just being stupid and a horrible mom. Hell, I'm just as bad as that monster. Bailey, I'm so so sorry. You have to understand that I thought I was doing you a favor."

"Why didn't you try to get in touch with me? You could have come back and checked on me."

"I didn't want him to hurt you," she says and a single tear runs down her face, "please forgive me."

"I forgive you, mom. You thought you were helping. It's not your fault," I say, hugging her and crying.

We sit there for a while and cry into each other's shoulders. Until I realize it's my turn to talk. I wipe my eyes and start telling her the story.

"Ever since you left my life has been hell. At home and at school. Everyday I would go to school and I would get hit, punched, kicked, you think of it and it probably happened. I guess the main reason I was picked on was because they never knew what I looked like. Every time I went to school I would have my hoodie on. I always had to hide my face and body because of the bruises. Sure the girls were mentally and emotionally abusive, but the guys were physical. There was always one person who was the worst. He would have all of his friends gang up on me until I was bloody."

"What does this have to do with Will?"

"Will was that one person."

"I'm gonna fucking kill him," she says, her fists clenching.

"Wait listen. You told me you would listen," I stop waiting for her to calm down. "He was the one to find out about dad. I don't know how he found out but he did. When I was kicked out of the house, he found me and took me in. Like a night later, dad called me and told me to come back home and I did. That was the reason I was in the hospital. That was his form of punishment for not coming home."

"How could you forgive him after he did all of that? How could you trust him?"

"It's not so much of forgiving him, as it is I had nobody. I felt like I had to trust him. He was the only one to stick up for me. Hell, he even punched dad in the face. If he knew then if something went horribly wrong then he would at least know what happened."

"He abused you," she said in disbelief.

"Everyone abused me," I say, shrugging my shoulders, "but after he found out he stopped."

"He never should have started."

"He did more than my father did. I mean at least he stopped. Dad was going to let Mark rape me. At least Will isn't low enough to do that."

"Wait. Mark was the one who did this to you?"

"Well, Dad did most of it but Mark was a part of it. Why?"

"No reason. He's just really changed."

"What do you mean? He's been like this for a while."

"He's done it before?"

"Yeah. He's never tried to touch me like that before, but he would still hit me and things. I always hated when he would come over because it was like dad felt the need to show off."

"Wow. I can't believe that."

"Why?"

"Because a like a year bef—" she starts but is cut off by a knock on the door.

"Come in," I say. Will walks in and is welcomed with a glare from my mom.

"What's wrong," he says looking between me and my mom.

"If you ever lay a hand on her again, I will kill you," she says, standing up and heading to the door. As she walks out of the door, she makes sure to hit him with her elbow.