Roses & Feathers

Chapter II

~Pinky Promise~

TW: mention of abuse and violence (slightly graphic)

Ashton's P.O.V 🍋

I woke up, to my alarm blaring through my room. Groaning, I grabbed my phone, to shut off the annoying ass sound and looking at the time, but quickly realising, that the numbers on the screen, were rather blurry. I looked for my glasses, to put them on and see what time it is, 'cause without glasses, I'm actually quite blind and we don't have that much money, to get me some contacts.

When I reached them, I put them on and saw that it is already 6:50 am. I tried to get up, to wake my siblings, but a kinda heavy weight hold me in place.

Looking down on me, I saw my eight year old brother, Harry, laying completely on top of me, cuddling into my chest and fisting a handful of my black jumper. Remembering, why he was here, and what happened the previous night, made me sigh.

He doesn't deserve anything, of what his father did, and I hate, that I wasn't there to stop him, from doing, what he did to the little guy. I never liked my so called 'stepfather'. He was sweet and nice, when my mum was around, but as soon as she's gone, he's a real asshole.

He screams at Lauren and Harry, without any reason and I try to protect them as best as I can, saying I messed something up, that they actually did, just to make sure he wouldn't lay a hand on them.

I think you would do the same, when you would be in my position. I love my little brother and sister more, than anything in the world, and I would do everything for them. If this means, that I have to take the hits of my stepfather, to make sure, they won't get hurt, or have one single bruise on their skin, well then I don't care, if I'm the one who gets it.

The dinging of my phone, pulled me out of my thoughts, and made me realise, I should get ready for school. I saw, that it's already 7 am now, and I got a message from Lauren asking me, if I'd knew, where Harry is.

Texting her back, that he is with me, I decided, that I should wake him. Knowing, that I'll have some trouble to do so, caused me to let out a sigh and rub his back gently.

"Hey bubba, time to wake up." , I said softly, running my hand through his slightly curled, soft blondish hair, causing him to stir. His grip on me tightened, as his eyes fluttered open, looking into mine. "Morning bubs." , I whispered, and he crawled up a bit, hiding his face in the crook of my neck.

"I don' wanna getup." , Harry slurred sleepily. "M tired Ashy, and my tummy hurts. Can't I just stay home for today?" , he asked, looking at me, with a pleading, hopeful look.

"I'm sorry Harry, but you know I can't do that. I can't just leave you alone, at home and risk, that he comes back and sees you here, in bed, even though you're supposed to be in school and then let him beat you up. I can't let him hurt you, you're my baby brother and I have to protect you at all costs. Just like I have to protect Lauren." , I explained and stopped, thinking for a second, before an idea popped up in my head. 

"What about we make a deal. You try it with school today, but if you're feeling worse, later on, you go to the school nurse and ask her to call me okay?" , I tried to make a compromise.

He was quiet for a bit, debating, if he should agree to the deal or not.

"Okay deal." , he said, holding out his pinky, before talking further. "But you have to pinky promise me, that you'll come and pick me up."

I smiled fondly at my little brother, interwhining our pinkies, and promising to come and get him, if he calls. Afterwards, we decided it is time to get up and get ready, having one and a half hours left, 'til school starts.

***Triggering topic begins here***

I grabbed some black skinny jeans, fresh dark blue boxers, black socks, a 'Green Day' t-shirt, and a wine red jumper and headed towards the bathroom to shower, but not before telling Harry to go and get dressed, him not needing to shower, since he had one in the middle of the night.

I stripped out of my clothes, putting them in the laundry basket and turned the shower on, waiting for it to reach the right temperature.

In the meantime, I unwrapped my arm, revealing my many scars and the fresh cuts from yesterday, that are this time not from cutting myself, but my 'stepfather' punishing me, for talking back and protecting Harry. 

I realised, that the water was warm enough, so I stepped into the shower, continuing to think about, what happened this night.

This fucker is totally nuts, when he is drunk.

He punched Harry a few times in the stomach, for not making him something to eat. He dragged the poor little guy out of the bed, at 2 am and pushing him down the stairs, just because he was 'walking too slow' for him.

I still feel so fucking guilty, for not being able to help him earlier last night, but I was asleep for once. Harry is eight years old, he doesn't know how to cook. Something I have yet to teach him.

My brother woke me up, sobbing his heart out, with a split eyebrow and a bruise forming on his jaw, saying, what his father has done. I tried to comfort him, but inside me the blood was boiling. 

I wasn't only angry at my 'stepfather', for hurting the poor puppy, but also angry at myself, for letting this happen. I went downstairs, to confront him, telling Harry to stay in my room, and not coming out, under no condition.

I ended up, having my arm cut open, with glass shards, from a broken Whiskey bottle, my 'stepfather' threw at me, which shattered against the wall, right next to my head. He punched me in the stomach five times, before pushing me down onto the floor, my body pressing my arm into the shards and him, sitting on top of me.

It was kind of hard to breath and my arm hurt like a bitch. I could feel, how the glass shards moved further into my arm, boring through my skin.

When I was on the verge of passing out, due to the lack of oxygen, he finally let me go, telling me to clean up the mess I made, before pissing off and vanishing from his eye sight.

I did what he told me, tears were streaming down my face, due to the pain in my arm, and me being petrified, from his actions. After cleaning up, I quietly sprinted upstairs into the bathroom, I'm currently in, pulling the shards out of my arm, cleaning the cuts and wrapping them with bandages.

By the time I came back, Harry was still sobbing, clutching his stomach. He said, that he feels sick and I carried him to the bathroom, before he threw up, head over the white porcelain bowl.

I helped him to shower, 'cause he got a bit of vomit on himself, then I gave him one of my shirts, which basically swallowed his tiny body, before he cried himself to sleep, cuddling into my chest under my covers.

*** Triggering topic ends here***

I shook my head, to get rid of the thoughts, quickly finishing my shower, then getting ready for school and heading downstairs.

I already know, that today, will be an eventful day, and not the good sort of eventful.

God how I hate Mondays.