Caught in the Feud

Chapter 4

Alexia's POV

It's been a week and my body still aches as I walk into the  school. The memories from last week still stuck in my head. Uncle called today and told the school I would be late due to a Drs appointment but honestly it was so I could use enough makeup to cover every single bruise. I told them I was sick this past week so I got out of work but I still hates being trapped with Uncle for that long. Thankfully it was still lunch so I can blend in a bit better and hardly anyone was in the halls. I was almost to my locker when someone grabbed my arm which flared pain all over again.

"Feeling better?" Micah said gently. 

"I was puking this morning but I'm all better. Probably just a stubborn stomach flu." Giving him a small smile to reassure him. He sadly didn't look so convinced. Did I miss a spot with my makeup? The only thing my uncle gets me that's semi nice.

"Bullshit! Stop lying." Micah said sternly. My heart beat was in my ears as he spoke those words and my anxiety made my palms sweaty.

"I'm not-" His blue eyes were shifting darker which made my heart fearful. His eyes were like uncles but without the hatred.

"He's right Alexia. Tell us the truth." Sebastian said from behind me. My anxiety peaked and my chest went tight, tears pricked my eyes. Why can't they leave it alone? Did they see one of my bruises? Maybe my uncle is right, maybe I am stupid.  They are going to think so poorly of me but i don't know if I can hide it from them much longer. Their eyes went over me as if analyzing me and I hated it.

"He's just drunk and angry. He doesn't know what he's doing." Tears threaten to fall at my words.

"Who?" Micah asked with a softer tone. 

"My Uncle." I said and the dams burst. Sobs racked through my body and I'm soon collapsing to the ground which only caused the pain of last week to flare but I didn't care.

"Let's go." Sebastian said helping me up. Tears fell down my face but the sobs stopped. We exited the school and Kortney was already by the car. No one spoke as we got into the car. We headed down the road and my thoughts were everywhere. How do they know? I put up all the facades. I've been hiding for years. Where are we even going?

"Alexia, we're here." Sebastian spoke gently. We were at an old mansion. If it was any other circumstance I would've gawked at their place. We head inside and their living room was huge! Micah made motion for me to sit down. I took a seat a on the big fluffy gray sectional they had in the middle of the room. 

"How long?" Kortney asked sitting next to me. 

"Five years. My mom died from an aneurysm in her brain. It happened so suddenly and the only other person who could care for me was my uncle. He was angry with me as he thought I was the cause for her death. Being a single mom is very stressful so he thought the stress I gave her killed her. He started to gamble and drink. One night I dropped a plate when I was fourteen and he broke. He beat me so bad that I didn't go to school for two weeks. He continued but last year he lost his job and we were living off loans. So I had to get a job to start paying his debt. You guys know the rest." I nearly whispered at the end. I wanted to stop talking but I couldn't. Mixed emotions filled the room. Tears were slowing but memories from my childhood flooded my brain. The looks only got worse as Kourtney lightly touched a bruise on my cheek. How'd she- my makeup! Since crying it must've washed away. I tried to hide but she just kept my hands down.

"I'm so sorry you went through that." Kortney said with a few tears slipping and keeping a hold of my hands.

"It's okay I will be 18 in a year. I can leave then."  I said gently, not wanting to talk about this anymore. Besides I don't have a choice on who I live with as a minor, I'm stuck. Although they didn't look happy with my answer. 

"No! You aren't going back to sick fuck!" Micah exclaimed which only made his eyes darker. They are usually a sea blue almost a green but they are almost black now, worse than they were at the school.  

"I have no where else let alone anyone else that would take me." I explained sadly and not really wanting to be here anymore. I just wanted it left alone.

"You have us. You can stay here." Sebastian said firmly which Micah gave him a weird look for but brushed it off almost immediately. It was kind for them to care but I can't put them in this fight. 

"I can't ask that of you. This is my battle." I said standing up, escaping kourtney's grasp.

"You don't have too. We are telling you." Micah said sternly. I narrowed my eyes at him. 

"What makes you think I listen to you?" I asked more confidently than I felt. His eyes went completely black which frighten me worse. 

"Because I am-"

"Because he cares." Kortney said quickly. Sebastian dragged Micah somewhere else to probably cool down. 

"I don't mean any disrespect but he is all I have left. He may hurt me but loosing him is like being left alone in the world." I said gently. She looked at me with empathy like she knew what I'm going through. 

"I get it. These boys and the others who live here are my family." She said and an emotion flashed through her eyes but it was gone before I could decipher it. Before anything else is said the boys walk back into the room more calm. 

"The police are picking him up as we speak. They will need a statement from you." Micah said calmly. Fear flooded me, he's gonna kill me once he gets out, I'm officially dead but than again for right now he can't hurt me anymore but I have no more family, what am I gonna do? 

"I can't believe you did that, he's gonna kill me! You don't know him, he has connections! He will get out and he will kill me but maybe if I tell them this was a mistake he will have mercy." I trailed off stuck in my head, fighting a war in myself.

"He will never hurt you again but a thank you would be nice." Micah scoffed at my words which actually angered me.

"Thank you?! You sealed my fate!" I exclaimed as tears started to fall. I couldn't even pinpoint an emotion at this point. Micah went to say something else but Sebastian put a hand on his shoulder almost telling him not too. The tension in the room was suffocating before Kourtney decided to speak.

"I'll get her set up in a room so she has some time to think." Kortney said breaking the silence. Could I finally be happy here? With them? Or should I get my uncle free in order to save myself?