Infuriated

•2•

I look at my eyebrow. Fortunately, it's slightly less thick than yesterday. I knew my father would get angry when he heard that I got an F for my Spanish test. My arms are covered in bruises, but that's nothing new. Every time I get an F on a test, my father beats me up and calls me a disappointment. He nags about my grades like every second of the day. I just want to make mashups, but I don't have much time to make those. Hell, what do I have the time for? It's always the same every day. Studying, going to school, and then studying again. I wouldn't even be able to date if I wanted to. Chloe. Stop! I don't have time to daydream about Chloe. I have to go through my math before I go to school. My eyes scan the number of equations I have to get through. I try so hard to finish them, but the amount of figures is making me dizzy. I close my math book frustrated. I just can't do it! It's too difficult. You just need to focus! I hear the voice of my father in my head, yelling at me. Why should I do this math homework? I don't understand it! And no matter what I do or how hard I try, my father will beat me up. So why try, right? I startled because of the front door that closes. Are they back already? I immediately hear that there's something wrong. My father's footsteps are heavy and hard. Luckily he doesn't come upstairs! I should probably go. I'll buy something on the way for breakfast. I fill my backpack with everything I need for school today and wait until my father and my older brother William are in the living room. The door between the hallway and the living room gets shut with force. This is my chance! I grab my backpack and sneak off the stairs.

,,Coward!" I jumped when I went to grab my jacket. My father stands in front of me. ,,I didn't close that door accidentally. I knew you wanted to sneak out. You don't dare to come in the room, you don't dare to show your face, huh? Well?"

,,I, um... I need to go to school."

,,You need to study so you get better grades!" He yells at me.

,,I told you that I don't understand a thing about math." He looks at me with a furious look.

,,So you think that less practice will do anything good?!" I keep quiet. ,,Your laziness has to go and I'll take care of that."

,,Daddy, don't." I yell, but the first hit is a fact.

,,You wanted to see me angry, right? Well, that can be arranged." I try to avoid the blows but that makes him angrier. My father grabs me and throws me against the wall. I fall against a wall hook with the back of my head. ,,Piece of shit! I break both of your legs, then you can never walk again." My head hurts so much that I don't feel the rest of the punches he gives me. If he finally walks away from me, I put my hand on the back of my head. There's blood. I go back upstairs and into the bathroom. Luckily I know what to do because this happens almost every day. I grab a towel and put some water on the tip. I gently dab the wound and take a sip of water. I look into the mirror and take a deep breath while tears are streaming down my face. Why does he hate me so much? What did I do? I rub my head with a painful face. I better take some aspirin.

,,Well," Says Jesse, when I arrived at our meeting spot before school. ,,if you look at Chloe with such an angry face, she thinks you want to kill her instead of kissing." I laugh but not wholeheartedly. Why does it take this long before the aspirin works? I try to look happier. My friends don't have to notice that I am bursting from the headache. ,,You don't look well," continues Jesse while we're cycling to school. ,,you've been thinking about Chloe all night, huh? Do you have a plan about making her yours?"

,,I run up to her and then I'll kiss her passionately." I start laughing. ,,No Jesse, I'm going to build up to it. Today I have to say something to her, that's the first step."

,,That's really progressing." Jesse rolls his eyes. ,,Hello. Yes, you said something to her. What's next? Saying two words tomorrow? Why don't you just ask her if she wants to go to the movies with you?"

,,I will do this my way." I state. Jesse sighs.

,,Okay, by that time I will have grandchildren and you will still be chasing Chloe. By then you may be finally ready to say three sentences to her." We cycle into the schoolyard with a smile.

,,Hey, there's Finn already." Jesse says when we have locked our bikes and Finn walks up to us. ,,Why this early Hudson? Did you fall out of bed or something?" Stacie joins us.

,,Did you guys hear about our math teacher Mr. Ryerson? He's dating."

,,How do you know that?"

,,Chloe." By hearing her name, she comes closer to us.

,,What did she look like?" Finn asks Chloe and I can't believe she's standing this close to me.

,,She has long red hair."

,,Oh, we're going to bully him with this." Says Jesse and grins.

,,Sandy - Mr. Ryerson loves France, right?" I think for a second. Languages aren't my greatest studies. ,,What's red in the French language?" Chloe turns to me.

,,Rouge."

,,What?!" I startle because she's speaking directly to me.

,,Rouge." Repeats Chloe.

,,You're turning rouge right now." Whispers Jesse, without Chloe hearing him.

,,Shut up." I feel my head warming up. Chloe talked to me! She actually talked to me!

,,But you did say something to her. Congratulations. Very brave of you, Mitchell." Chloe smiles and follows Aubrey inside. I did it! I said something to her! I am beaming with joy. There weren't many words, but still. Chloe Beale talked to me!

,,We have to go now before Sandy gives us punishment for being late." Finn walks in front of us and I follow them. I don't care what will happen today. Chloe talked to me and that's all that matters!

,,So," Sandy looks through the students. ,,I am missing a person."

,,Yes, we get that you miss someone." Stacie says teasingly and Sam begins to whistle. ,,After school hours you can go back to her."

,,You must be able to make that time," says Jesse. ,,Just stay calm, then the day will be over in no time."

,,And don't give us a test." Yells Jake.

,,No you don't want to do that. Then you have a chance of freaking out." I told him.

,,Aha." Sandy rubs his hands. ,,You want to get rid of your test. That can be arranged, but you know there's a price for that."

,,Oh!" Yells everyone indignant.

,,Yeah, yesterday the 8th graders had to pay a hundred dollars so I didn't give them a test." He thinks for a moment. ,,Okay, for seventy-five dollars I'll delay the test for a week."

,,You dare!" Everyone yells.

,,How do you think I'd pay for my car?"

,,If she hears this, she will break up with you immediately." Warns Stacie.

,,Who?"

,,Rouge Cheveux." Says Jesse.

,,Oh, you're talking about Penny." He knows exactly who we're talking about. He is even turning red. Okay, I don't want to hear more about her. She probably isn't as beautiful as Chloe. I sigh again and put my hand on my chin while staring dreamily in front of me.