Wasted Times [LIP GALLAGHER]

t w e l v e

It was Monday morning and I had hardly slept through the night, I had no intention of going to school today especially when I knew I'd have class with Jack. Grandma came upstairs after noticing that I hadn't come down for breakfast.

"Bethany, are you alright dear? Your breakfast is ready downstairs."

"I uh I think I might have gotten a cold after the other so I'm just going to stay home for today." I mumbled into the covers that I had pulled up under my chin.

"Okay dear, I'll send Grace off with Ian and then I'll make you some soup. Keep warm, do you need another blanket?" Grandma worried as she scanned my body.

"I'll be fine for now, I think I'm just going to rest for awhile." I responded while mustering a small smile.

I was taking the cowards way out, but for today I was completely fine with that. I knew that Ian would come by later and give me a lecture about missing school, but in all honesty I didn't care. I just wanted to stay in my bed, alone where I felt safe.

After awhile, I heard the front door swing shut so I assumed grandma had left with Grace. I remained in bed trying to come to terms with the fact that I would eventually have to go back to school, it horrified me just knowing that I'd have to see Jack after what he tried to do. The bruise on my shoulder had faded to a lighter purple until I'm pretty sure I had caused it to flare up again with my persistent scrubbing of what felt like the millionth shower I had taken.

No matter how many showers I had taken, the sickly feeling in my stomach didn't seem to leave. I stayed in my room the entire day yesterday only coming down for breakfast and dinner, I knew grandma was a bit suspicious of me but now that I had told her I was sick she'd probably put it down to that.

The crash of my door hitting the wall startled and I scrambled to sit up, I clutched the covers to my chest as Lip paced back and forth at the end of my bed.

"Lip, what the hell are you doing here?"

"Just wondering why you're skipping, you can't show him that you're scared. I know it's going to be hard to-" Lip started, but I didn't let him finish.

"You have no idea, just leave me alone." I shot back, but I could tell by the look in his eyes that he wasn't going to give up that easily.

"So what you're just going to pretend to be sick for a few days? Then what? You have to go back sometime." Lip reminded me and I let my gaze fall to the floor.

"I-I just can't do it yet, not today Lip. I-I just can't." I muttered under my breath, but I was almost certain he had heard me.

"You know me and Ian won't let him anywhere near you." Lip pointed out, but they couldn't watch me all the time.

"You guys can't be there all the time, besides I have biology with him so there's no avoiding him." I countered while biting my lip, I might get away with this for today but I knew Lip would be straight over again in the morning.

"I'll let it slide for today, but you can't run away from this forever. You could be one of the lucky ones, think of all the other girls he could've-" I scoffed feeling annoyed that he said I was lucky for almost being raped.

"I was almost raped and you're calling me lucky, are you crazy?" I snapped feeling my anger get the better of me.

"Look shit, that came out wrong. I'm just trying to say that the more you try to run, the harder it'll be in the long run. I've got to go, I'll give you my physics notes that you'll miss from today." He gave me a half smile before heading for the door.

"Lip?" I called quietly, but he stopped in the threshold of the door anyway.

"Yeah?" He asked peering over his shoulder at me.