Lifesaver

Chapter 4

As I rush to my car after dance, I lock the doors and crank it as I check my phone for the last time before driving home. Before my break ended, I just told Joey my class was about to start and would respond after. He responded within seconds but I just left it until after class. I finally open his response which says "I hope you have a great class and I can't wait to talk later". Of course I smile real big again and take a selfie to send back. I put "It was great like always. Let you know when I get home" as the caption. Before I could put my seat belt on, he already replies. I open it real quick and he says, "Okay, please be safe and let me know when you get home okay". I know I just met Joey today and he probably just says that all the time but it made me feel special. When I leave my house each day, my dad and step mom never tell me to be safe or to let them know I arrived safely. I am pretty sure they do not care. I decide to leave Joey on open while I drive home.

As I pull into my driveway, it is dark inside and outside and thought maybe my dad and step mom had gone to bed early. I was hoping they did so I could spend the rest of the night talking to Joey while I did homework or until he fell asleep, if he was even interested. As I get my bags out of the car and walk inside, I notice my dad sitting on the couch. It looked as if he was just waiting for me to get home so he could finish his night and go to sleep. The TV was not on or anything, it was as though he was just starring at the wall until I walked in.

He turns towards me and goes "How was school and dance"? I say "It was fine" horrified about what was going to happen next. He just says "Alright, leftovers are in the fridge. If you don't eat, whatever" and stands up to walk towards me. My body begins to shake as he starts by slapping me in the face before picking me up and throwing me on the ground. After punching and hitting me several times, he gets up and walks to his room. That is when I know he is going to sleep. I have the same routine of being beat to death whenever I come home but it still scares me each time as though it was the first. The only thing about my dad is he is a coward. He only punches and hits me in places the bruises will not be shown. My face, spotless. My arms, spotless. My legs, spotless. My stomach and back, black and purple.

I finally get off the ground and grab my bags before hurrying to my room and closing the door. As I was about to grab a towel and go shower, I remember Joey. I had been home about thirty minutes and never let him know I was safe, even though nowhere outside of school and dance is safe for me. I grab my phone and take a picture from my forehead up since I had already started undressing for the shower. I said, "Sorry about the late response but I am home safe and sound" with a smiley face. Don't we love the irony of that statement, I think to myself and walk to the bathroom. Before stepping into the shower, I open Joey's reply which said "I didn't know how far of a drive it was but I was going to start wondering soon". I then notice he sent another snap from the forehead up with the caption "Why do girls always take snaps like this? I want to see the beauty so please don't get in the habit of that" with a smiley face. I thought I was going to start dancing around the bathroom. Did Joey just say he wants to see my beauty? I did not know what to send back because I try not to send forehead snaps but I am also not dressed. I decide to just wrap my towel around me and say "I only send forehead snaps when it's shower time". He snaps back, but I do not open it or I would just be standing in the bathroom all night.

After I shower and put on my pajamas, I open the last snap Joey sent me I still had not opened. He had just said "Oh okay, I respect your forehead snaps then" with a smiling and laughing emoji. I reply and say "Hahaha all good. I am glad you would rather see my ugliness anyways". I threw the second sentence in because I just wanted to read him call me beautiful again, whether he meant it or was just saying it to be polite. He responds with "I'm sorry I thought I've been talking to Bella all night, not Rachel" meaning Rachel is the ugly one and not me. Rachel is a girl at our school who tries too hard to be with guys. She might be a junior but she thinks she runs the place. I just reply back to Joey with "You are talking to Bella" with a laughing emoji before including "Lucky for you because Rachel is truly something". Joey replies with "It was only my first day and I figured out two things: 1. I need to stay away from Rachel before she thinks we are engaged when I only ever say hi to her and 2. You're the prettiest girl at Springfield Academy".

As I eat dinner and finish my homework, I continue the rest of the night by talking to Joey. As I finish an assignment for my first and second blocks, it is already three in the morning. I really wanted to keep talking to Joey to learn more about him and what not, but knew I needed to sleep. I take a snap of me laying in bed and say "I am about to try and sleep. See you in a few hours". Joey replies with "I should probably do that too. See you soon and I hope you sleep well". I decide to leave him on open and plug my phone in to charge. I always end up sleeping under my bed, against the wall because I feel like I am hiding from my dad. You would think by now I would know it does not work, but I feel as though I am safe because he does not see me first thing when he barges into my room. As I lay down and hold onto a blanket, I just think about how I will be safe again in only a few more hours.