Nat pov...
I was heading back to Nate with a book from the library when Zachary and his goons walked up. they were older than us. About 13. "Well, well, well. Looks who it is. Where's your brother? I thought you two were stuck together." he mocks. "Zachary, go away. "I snap. I don't feel like dealing with him today. "Well then! Right away, Your Highness!" he bows as his group laughed. I moved forward but Zachary blocked me. His group formed a circle around me. I looked for a opening that I could squeeze through but there was no escape. "Hey, Zachary! I heard they ain't even orphans!" Mark said. My heart stopped. "Yeah! I heard that their mommy killed herself because they were so stupid and ugly!" Mark says. "Plus, their daddy didn't wanted them so he beat them and then threw them out like the trash they are!" Alan agreed. That one hurt. I felt tears fill up in my eyes. "Oh! Is the little princess gonna cry?" Zachary asked as he grabbed my collar and pulled me so that my face was directly in front of his. "No wonder he gave you up! You're so weak!" he spat in my face.
Silent tears ran down my face as I looked into his cold, green eyes. I spent two years of dealing with this crap with my father, and now I have to go through it here? He threw me down. My body smacked the tiles and the book went sliding across the floor. One boy picked it up. He scoffed. "A history book? You read this kind of shit?" he asked as he threw it to another boy. They kept throwing it to one another while I tried to catch it. I jumped but my hands were just out of reach. It eventually got thrown back to Zachary. I was so caught up in the moment. "Give it back right now!" I yelled as I pushed him backwards. His face went red with anger and he marched back up to me. I was to scared to move. He pulled his hand back and slapped me across the face. I was smacked to the ground. Even when Dad hit us, it didn't hurt this bad. I held my hand up to my face and stared at the floor on one knee and my other hand was touching the cold tiles. The other boys looked shocked. "Don't ever touch me again!" he screams.
He pulls his foot back for a swift kick to the stomach. I brace myself. "Zachery Hicks!" a nun called out. "Scram!" he yells as the boys dropped my book and ran. Sister Alexis walked towards me. "Oh! You poor dear! Do you want some ice?" She asked as she bent down and helped me stand. I kept a straight face. I was good at hiding pain. God knows I've had enough time to learn how. "No. I'm fine." I say calmly as I picked up my book. I tried to keep my nerves still as my hand shook."Do you want me to get the headmistress involved?" she asked. "No! They'll know that I told so just no." I say. She looked at me in pity. "Good day Sister Alexis." I say. She sighs sadly. "Good day Natalie." she says as I climb the stairs to our room. I quietly cried to myself as I enter the girl's room and looked into a mirror. My tear-stained right cheek has a solid, crimson hand print on it. I tried touching it but hissed in pain as my fingers grazed it. "Dad's left much worse before." I whisper as I continue my way up. How am I going to explain this to Nate?
I slowly approach the door to my room. I twist the knob and opened it. I silently entered and closed it gently. I kept my back to Nate. "Nat? You okay?" He asks. I shake my head as I began to cry. I reluctantly turned towards my brother. "Natalie! God, what happened?!" he asked as he rushed over and inspected my cheek. "Z-Zachary." I say. Nate's face hardens in anger. "Nobody lays a hand on my sister!" He screams as he storms for the door. I put my hand on his shoulder. "Nate, don't!" I yell. "Why? So they can keep on bullying younger kids like us?! Natalie, Zachary hit you! Just like he did!" he yells back. I crossed my arms and bent my head down as tears poured down my face. Nate hugged me. "Why?" I ask. "Why what?" Nate asks me as he pulls his head back. " Why must we go through this? What did we do to deserve this? Were we that bad that he had to hit us and drink all the time?" I whisper. Nate shakes his head. "Don't you dare think like that. It's his fault. All of it is." he growls darkly. I lay my head on his shoulder. "I don't wanna be here anymore." I sob. "I know, Natty. I know." was all he said.