Silent Lies - Chapter 8: Chapter 8

I groan hearing the bell ring, wishing it wasn't already time to go home. I wanna lay in bed for the rest of the day but I also don't wanna go home and have to deal with dad beforehand.
"Hey so-" Adrian's cut off when he goes to say something to me, Lexi being the one interupting him. She gives me a dirty look as I stand and I roll my eyes.
I don't pay attention to whatever it is they're talking about and grab my things, walking out of class to my locker. My ankle is sore now thanks to Lexi, so I practically am limping. More and more things keep being added to me being in pain.
When I close my locker I jump, seeing Divine who's smiling.
"Wanna ride home?" I do, but dad may be home already. I was lucky he didn't do anything the other day when he saw me with Divine and her mom. I shake my head and she frowns. "You sure?" Another nod. "Okay..." We say bye and she hugs me as always, I follow her out of school.
Starting the walk home I regret not taking Divine's offer on the ride home, already just wanting to collapse. I make it to just the main road before hearing a car slowly driving beside the sidewalk and my first instinct is to run, until the window rolls down, revealing Adrian and Danny.
"Oliva, you wanna ride home?" Danny asks eagerly before Adrian can say a word, a bright smile on his face. I almost accept it not even caring about dad anymore, but now Adrian's willing to give me a ride home?
"Ashton's not with us," Adrian tells me, pushing Danny out of the way so I can see him from the driver's side. I'm confused why he'd mention him until I remember lunch, but really it wasn't that big of a deal. I hate that question but he seemed genuine when apologizing.
I hesistate a second more, not wanting to play along with anymore of this since this is more than likely Lexi sending them to continue fucking with me. I don't care anymore, it's a ride home. I should've just gone with Divine though.
I open the back passenger door, shutting it and quickly pulling on the seatbelt. I look up and see in the rearview mirror Adrian smiling at me. "Where do you live?" He asks as he hands me his phone. I quickly type in my address and hand it back.
"So Liv, we're having a halloween party next Saturday," Danny tells me. "Would you like to come?"
I've never been invited to a party or even been to one, and so I so desperately wanna say yes but dad. It's very unlikely it'll be during the day when I may be able to sneak out, so I'm not taking the chances of sneaking out at night at all. I frown, wishing I could just be like other people my age and go to a party.
"You can think about it," he says after I give no response. I nod and force a smile to him, noticing some music playing very quietly-Muse, at least they have good music taste.
The rest of the ride is kind of awkward, just the music playing. I bite the inside of my cheek when Adrian pulls up in front of the house, dad's car being there. Oh well, I knew there'd be a chance of him being home before me as always.
As I unbuckle my seatbelt Adrian looks back at me, and I don't know really any sign language-but I do know how to say thank you, that's about all though. Adrian smiles like an idiot, it's cute.
Cute? The fuck is going on with you?
"You know sign language?" He asks eagerly, but I hate to disappoint him when I push my fingers together to show how little I know. "Oh, well we can learn it more." I'm taken aback when he says we. "Because like we're friends." Danny laughs and I almost do too, wondering why he seems so nervous. "You do wanna be friends, right?"
I'm starting to think maybe this wasn't Lexi sending Adrian to fuck with me or anything or even him just doing it himself, because he seems so genuine. Or he's just really good at acting. Either way I nod, it's not like I'll let him in or anything-I haven't let anyone in in years. So I can take this for now, being friends with Adrian.
He smiles but this time looks away and I swear I see some blush color his cheeks as I reach for the door handle. As I get out of the car Danny's window rolls down again, him and Adrian saying at the same time, "Bye Liv!"
I smile and wave back at them, walking up the porch steps only for the smile to disappear when I realize what I'll be walking into in a few seconds. They wait until I'm inside to drive away.
I walk in only to see dad in the kitchen already eating-chinese takeout. My stomach growls, smelling the food. Dad stands up from his chair, turning to face me.
"You want some?" He gestures towards the food and I almost stupidly nod, then realize it's just a joke. He laughs when I realize and I just wish I could punch him without having to worry about literally almost dying. "Those your boyfriends out there?"
I'm half tempted to nod just to see what he'd say but I resist. He walks towards me and the back of his hand slaps across my cheek making my eyes sting with tears. He backhanded me where my jaw is already bruised from where he previously punched me.
"Just like your mother." My hand rests on my cheek as I look down at the floor, rolling my eyes as a tear rolls down my cheek too. "Go to your room."
I wonder why he's going so easy on me today but I don't question it, running straight to my room. I throw my bag on the bed, going to the bathroom. I look like shit. But there's a small cut on my cheek now after dad backhanded me, his ring probably did it. Great.
When I walk into first block I already wanna leave. Despite getting it easy yesterday with just dad backhanding me, my body still aches from all the previous days.
I'm shocked when Ashton sits next to me-I forgot he's in this class too. He never speaks up or anything so that's probably why. He just comes to class and leaves the second he gets a chance, pretty much the same as me.
"Hi," he says to me, ignoring the teacher who's teaching. I smile and give a small wave. "So..." This is awkward. "Adrian tell you about the party next Saturday?"
I nod, but then write on my paper-Danny actually did.
"Oh, okay. Are you gonna go?" I shrug, wanting to but I know I can't because of dad. "You should, I think Adrian would like that." Oh really? "Your friend, Divine, she can come too."
I nod but frown. I'll tell her about it, she'll beg me to go because I know she'd want to. I hate always having to disappoint her when I tell I can't hang out or now go to a party. She still asks even though I always have an excuse. I feel like such a shitty friend.
The day continues like any other. In art I actually pay attention to Mrs. Scarlett's lesson, her not suspecting a thing wrong. I walk to lunch, my arm wrapped around my ribs that are still very much bruised. Or broken. I don't know. I'm surprised to see Adrian, Danny, and Ashton sitting at mine and Divine's table, again.
"Hey Liv." Adrian notices me first as I sit next to Divine. She smiles and I wave to Adrian.
"Adrian was telling me about this Halloween party, we should go," she tells me, I hide my frown. I just give a small nod, seeing her smile disappear making me sad. "You won't be able to go, will ya?"
I shrug, not wanting to completely disappoint her. Then I see Adrian hiding a frown too. "Why won't you be able to go?"
All attention is on me now as I bite the inside of my cheek, Divine notices and answers for me. "Her dads a little strict." I mean, it's not technically a lie.
"Understandable," Adrian says and nods repeatedly. Divine looks over at me, her eyes narrowing and she looks worried. I get scared my makeup has somehow smeared off revealing my bruised jaw.
"Did you cut your cheek?" She says to where only I can hear, keeping the conversation to just us. I curse in my head over and over, covering the cut from dads ring was difficult-it burned and if you look good enough you can still see it. I just shrug, play it off as an accident. "How'd you manage to do that?" I shrug again.
She sighs and passes me half her sandwich that I try to push back but she won't let me. "You never get lunch unless I give you something and you don't get breakfast either, eating just dinner everyday isn't healthy." If only she knew I don't even get dinner. "Eat." I hesitate for a second, finally giving in.
Walking into physics I see Adrian sitting in the seat next to mine once again, I'm not even surprised. I ignore Lexi's usual dirty look as I walk to my seat.
His face practically lights up as I sit next to him, pulling out my notebook actually having the energy to pay attention to class today. That's very rare.
"Hi," he says and I shyly wave. His fluffy brown hair is a mess, making me have the urge to play with it-he has the perfect hair to play with. "So..."
He's always trying to start some conversation, but is always interrupted. Our teacher walks in and turns on the projector, starting todays lesson.
As I'm writing down some notes Adrian scoots closer to me. "What I was trying to say, or ask, what is your number? Like because w-we're friends so I thought-" Seeing him so nervous for some reason makes me smile. I grab his notebook and flip to a blank page and write my number down.
He smiles as he pulls his phone out, hiding it from the teacher and quickly adding my number as a contact.
It's Thursday now. Two more boring days have passed, nothing really has happened. Adrian and his two friends who still always argue are still sitting with me and Divine at lunch-Adrian still sitting by me in physics. Lexi still acts the same, only a little worse now and I wonder if it's because Adrian and his friends sit with us. It's definitely that.
Wow. Maybe this all really isn't something they're doing just to fuck with me, hurt me.
The only thing different is dad. He's been way too easy on me these last couple days it's starting to scare me. But I'm thankful for now, my body's healing some.
I got home from school before him today, so I don't know what to expect today. I lay my pencil down that I was going my homework with, hearing the front door open the slam shut.
That's not good.
I hear him stomping up the stairs, heading to my room and fear overcomes me. I worry because now I realize I forgot to make dinner-good job Olivia. My door opens, I forgot to lock it, and I slowly turn to face him.
He looks like a hot mess. His brown hair is everywhere, his button and slacks are disheveled, he looks like he got in a fight. He also reeks of alcohol, worse than usual. Bar fight maybe?
I stand and he walks towards me. I wish I would've just stayed sitting in my chair when his fist meets my face, knocking me to the ground and his foot too quickly makes its way to my ribs.
If they weren't broken before, they are now.
I cry out in pain, curling up in a ball to protect myself the best I can. But he walks out of my room, leaving me sobbing on the floor from pain.
I was expecting him to go back to what he'd usually do to me, but damn. I definitely can't go to school tomorrow.