Chapter one Emotional and Physical pain
"Hey, Alex wait up," Oliver Wood called after her, running to catch up to her. Once he finally did, the two walked down the dirt road towards Alex's house.
Alex was kicking a stone when she heard Oliver's voice; panic-stricken Alex carefully composed herself making sure her bruises and scars were well hidden. Although, it was difficult with many of them on her neck and wrist. Before Oliver's words caught Alex's ears, she was reminiscing all the great times she had before last year. So much has happened she thought, her appetite was no longer as big as it should have been. Her voice was weak, from the lack of use, and her body was in so much pain, inwardly and outwardly, physically, and emotionally.
Oliver caught up to her finally looked at her. Wow she has changed a lot, Oliver thought taking in every change she made to herself. No longer was her hair red-brown, but black, and no longer did she wear jeans and t-shirts, but big baggy black shirts, and black pants with black boots. A question stated forming in his head, but did not ask it because he thought it would be rude. The two's steps started to walk in unison and the silence grew awkward between them.
"So…" Oliver stated, trying to start a conversation.
Alex's head was screaming, just tell him. No, he won't understand and anyway he won't care. Yes he will care, and yes he can help. Alex debated with herself for awhile. The silence grew more uncomfortable around them until Alex decided to break it.
"So how's quitage going for you? Alex asked, her voice trailing off feeling very uncomfortable around Oliver.
She noticed how weak her voice sounded, is that really how my voice sounds, wow. Alex thought trying to make her self sound less weak.
"Fine," Oliver replied, seeming to notice the uneasiness between them. "I have a question Alex." Oliver said after a long silence followed to what he said previously.
"Yeah? Well go ahead and ask. I'm all ears." A;ex said, not really giving him all her attention.
"What happened? I mean, ever since last term you have been so… well distant."
Alex looked up when he said this, so much has happened in the last half year that she just didn't know where to start. So, in the long silence that followed, Alex finally answered creating a huge lie as she spoke.
"Nothing happened Oliver, I mean things just change," Alex thought about what she just said, and wished she could just tell her best friend everything. Giving Alex a quizzical look, Oliver just dropped it, and walked the rest of the way to Alex's house in silence. Alex turned into her driveway, and walked around back not wanting to disturb her parents. Oliver however was used to this form of exiting from Alex, lately that was her way of saying goodbye, just walking away without even a second glance.
"Something is going on, and I need to find out what." Oliver whispered under his breath, as he too turned into his driveway right across from Alex's.
Alex tiptoed across the inside of the house, not wanting to cause any type of disruption, but was unsuccessful.
"Alex, is that you?" A man shouted from the tops of the stairs. Cursing herself as she stood up right and prepared to answer, Alex silently muttered.
"Yes John, it's me." Alex wished she could just run, but knew it would just worsen the situation.
Loud feet came down the stairs as John stomped down.
"Where have you been? I've been waiting for twenty minuets."
"Where is mom?" Alex ignored his question and asked her own.
"Hey! I want to know where have you been," John yelled and Grabbed Alex's forearm.
Alex closed her eyes and was thrown to the ground. John kicked her in the ribs and left her in a pile on the floor. An hour past and the door opened from the front of the house.
"I'm home, John? Alex? Are you guy's home?" Alex's mom called from the front.
"Mom, can you?" Alex whispered gesturing towards her arm, so she could get up.
"Leave her!" A power full voice bellowed out.
"But John look at her," the mother pleaded.
"She disserved it now leave us Josephine, now!" John barked.
John crossed the room towards Alex and crouched down next to her, "now are you going to tell me where you were? Or am I going to have to beat it out of you?" he asked.
Alex did not respond, she only closed her eyes and let him take hold of her.
"Tell me you bitch! Where you with your freaky friends? That Wood guy, Where were you?" he yelled breaking her for arm and a number of rubs.
Alex visualized herself back at school, in the room of requirements where she shared her first kiss with Oliver. How much she wished she could go back and relive that moment.
"Fine," John said and punched her on her left side, leaving her in a limp pile on the floor.
She laid there for hours until she heard him fall asleep. Hoisting herself up on her arms, she looked up and saw that there was a note lying next to her. She picked it up and read it, re-reading it to make sure she understood.
To my dearest beloved daughter,
Hello darling, I hope you find this letter before John wakes up and reads it. As you may have noticed, the house is a little empty now and it is do to my departure. I'm sorry but won't understand why I had to but please forgive me. When I saw you lying there, I couldn't take it any longer, please don't hate me but my heart has been broken so many times, when seeing you, my only daughter in that state just it shattered. I am not going to return, as you may have guessed. John is a terrible person and I just could not stand him any longer, if you find this note first please read it and burn it for I don't want John finding it. I'm sorry once again for my actions, but you see you won't understand like I said. I love you with all my heart, goodbye.
Love, your loving mother.
For a third time Alex read the letter, how could she do this to me she thought. She loves me but leaves me with this monster, how? Alex's own heart shattered, and the tears that were hidden behind her eyes started to sneak out. No one loved her, not her father, not her mother since she left. "Why?" Alex cried two tears falling from her eyes.
Stirring was heard upstairs and Alex froze, the letter that was on the ground was painfully grabbed by her broken arm, and the other arm supporting herself tried to grasp the wall. She tried standing but collapsed on a near by chair. So she inched herself across the room and into her room, that was the basement.
"One more step," Alex silently said, her arms carefully moving down the stairs.
The floor was cold, and when Alex made it to her bed she pulled out a scarf and hoisted herself onto her bed. She laid her head down and fell asleep, letting her dreams take her to another world where nobody hurt her, physically or emotionally.