Problems of adults

Chapter 12 : Complicated Nights

Max had barely slept. Neil was mad about Jane's behavior towards him two days before, and he wanted someone to pay for that. When she arrived at her apartment, Neil was drunk, waiting for her with his belt in his hand. He didn't say a word, he didn't need too, Max understood quickly what was going to happen. He aimed only the parts of her body which were not visible. Her belly was completely purple, and her back was full of cuts from the belt. It could have been worse. But the pain and her tears kept her awake the entire night. She was feeling so bad this morning that she put her comforter, Super-bunny, in her bag to give her strength. 

When she arrived at her locker, Jane was already there. The two girls looked at each other and noticed the wide black circles around their eyes but preferred not asking questions. None of them were in the mood to talk about their problems. They took their books and began to walk in the halls in silence, both lost in their thoughts. They were so deep in their heads that they didn't notice Bev in front of them and almost bumped into her.

- "Wow, you both look awful," Beverly stated. "When did you become vampires?"

Jane lightly rolled her eyes and clenched her jaw while Max angrily sighed with her nose.

- "And you're in good moods, as I can see! What's wrong?"

- "Nothing," Jane answered.

- "We're fine," Max added.

- "Yeah, right. I'm going to smoke, you wanna come with me?"

- "Sure. We see you in class, Jane."

Jane nodded. The two redheads went in direction of the outside. Max stayed quiet while they were walking, and even when Bev gave her a cigarette. Max was holding tight her bag, like if it could save her.

- "I don't like seeing you like that," Bev said. "What did he do to you?"

Max didn't answer. She took the cigarette before raising a little bit her tee-shirt, showing enough to her friend.

- "Oh my god! What the fuck!? Why!?"

- "Because Jane provoked him, and as he couldn't hurt her, he hurt me."

- "What a piece of shit!"

- "I prefer it this way."

- "What!?" Beverly exclaimed.

- "I prefer him hurting me than Jane."

- "I would prefer him not hurting you orJane!"

- "Yeah...She looks tired," Max said.

- "Jane? Yeah, but so do you!"

- "I know, I know."

Max took a long puff of her cigarette while she slid her other hand in her bag to grab her Super-bunny. Just thinking of him was making her anxious, and she didn't want to have a panic attack at school, it was shitty enough here.

Inside the building, Jane wasn't feeling very great, so she decided to go to the bathroom to take a break. She first hid in a toilet to cry a little bit before getting out of it and standing in front of the mirror, her hands on the sink as a support. She was so pale that she could see through herself. She wasn't surprised, she hadn't slept after her father told her about their house, her legs were weak, and she was feeling dizzy. She closed her eyes and tightened her grip. Her heart was racing, and it was hard to breathe, but she didn't know why. But the door opening brought her back to Earth, and the person who entered was the last person she wanted to see.

- "Oh, look who is there. Plain Jane is admiring her ugly face," Abigail said.

Jane found nothing to answer. She wasn't feeling good enough to think to a good reply. The blonde girl approached Jane with a slow walk before standing next to her, her face close to hers.