Bent Not Broken

By: Kaylah Knight

Rain fell from the sky soaking anyone caught on the street below. A young girl just waking up got out of bed wincing. Her long, light brown hair falling just past her shoulders was tangled and matted. She carefully slipped on some baggy dark jeans and a long sleeved shirt. Holding in a cry of pain, she managed to get fully dressed. Her head hurt, her arms hurt, her legs hurt, all of her hurt. She quickly ran a brush through her messy mop-ish hair. And whipped the tears off her black and blue bruised cheeks.

Bright baby blue eyes glanced around the room before a loud bang was heard down the hall and Amber jumped. She instantly bolted down the stairs and out the door before her father could catch her. Her heart raced as adrenalin pumped through her veins. Going to school without breakfast yet again, her stomach grumbled in displeasure knowing another meal is being missed. Kagome didn't mind too badly but if she had gotten caught she wouldn't be going back to school anytime soon.

A sudden yell caused her heart to skip a beat as her father yelled "Kagome, you lazy, ass scum just you wait!" Kagome shook with fear and continued to push her already exhausted legs to keep running. Kagome was a poor girl and isn't exactly the most popular kid in school. The wealthier kids always picked on her and her old friends wouldn't be caught dead with her around.

Kagome's amazing bright blue eyes searched the street for any threat. Her eyes were sad, always sad and pained and often clouded over as if she was always in her own little world. Lately though, her eyes seemed to be getting duller since her mother died. She sluggishly walked down the street to the bus stop and waited for the bus at the corner. Other kids her age started coming too and she eventually spotted Kikyo and her gang of preppie, spoiled, rich kids. Kikyo smirked, seeing Kagome and shoved her to the side. Kikyo looked at her with disgust

"Watch it. You trash you almost touched my shoes!" Kagome lifted her chin and glared but said nothing. Kikyo's groupies all laughed and were all huddled under their umbrella's wile Kagome was left getting soaked to the bone.

The bus came and they all piled on and were taken to the high school. Kagome entered the front gates and was already being confronted by all the rich snobs. Kikyo was their leader and was currently drooling over one of the hottest guys in school.

Kagome had tried to avoid them but it was no use. Kikyo blocked her from getting into the front doors and Kagome gave her a mighty punch to the face and stalked off past her. Kikyo's hot boyfriend Inuyasha, grabbed Kagome tightly by the shoulder and threw Kagome to the ground. Kagome skidded on the floor unfortunately knocking over the senior rich boy who was even worse than Kikyo's evil wrath.

Rich boy's name was Sesshomaru and not only was he the hottest thing in school, but probably currently the most pissed off and was now getting ready to impale her with his fist. Sesshomaru's snobby hottie group also began kicking her in the side, back, and stomach. More cuts and bruises were added to the already beaten up girl. Eventually she just quit and went limp, she was too tired to even try and fight them, her body slowly started shutting down. After awhile the beating stopped and she could now hear the howling laughs of Kikyo's group, who were all calling her names.

Kagome, though beaten and blood stood up slowly but ended up being pushed back down by Kikyo who laughed at her. "Stay down bitch, where you belong" Kagome growled, and this time hurried to her feet and ignored the sickening pops of her spine and joints. Glaring at Kikyo with one eye open and one eye closed as a gash on her forehead was bleeding into her swollen eye, more blood from various other cuts and reopened gashes dripped to the well-polished school floor. It seeped through her shirt, and pants causing splotches of dark red patches on her clothing.

Kagome continued to glare at Kikyo as a determined look burned in her eyes "The likes of you may bend me, but you will never brake me." Kagome stormed off back out into the rain. She sat on the curb in the rain and leaned her head on a sign pole.

'I can't take this any more' her thoughts extended and soon she was fast asleep in the rain. Hours passed with Amber still asleep leaning on the pole, the end of school bell rang, and Kagome's head jerked, waking up and walking away before the piles of kids filed out of school and had their fun beating on her again. She didn't feel like going back home right away so she took a stroll down the street of rich, well-kept houses. She wished she lived in one of those big houses with a loving family.

Kagome watched as a mother and a father waited out side under an umbrella for their child, who ran up and gave both of the parents a big wet hug. Kagome felt tears or maybe rain drops dripped down her cheek to her chin. A quiet sob racked her body causing her to shake, or was she shivering? She didn't know anymore. Before she could even realize what she was doing her legs had thrown themselves into an all out run toward home. Once she reached her destination she walked into her home and slammed the door. Wet drops of water continued to fall from her bruised cheeks, she concluded that she was definitely crying.

Her father wasn't home anymore. Which was probably for the best. Her father was probably out at the bar getting drunk again. Ever since mom died, the house hold has never been the same. Kagome ran to her near empty room and lie-down, instantly curling up on the bed. She soon fell asleep and she remembered back to the days when she was little.

Kagome's mother stood in the kitchen, while Kagome was on the couch watching cartoons the smell of fresh baked cookies reached her nose. Kagome gasped, and jumped from the couch and raced to the kitchen to get hold of one of those cookies. Kagome stopped dead in her tracks and found her mother Sakura laying sprawled on the floor. Tears blurred her vision as she raced to her mother's side. "Mommy!"

Kagome woke up crying she missed her mom terribly and she wanted to get away. Away from the pain, away from the sorrow. Kagome's body was acting on its own and was now standing in front of the kitchen fingering a knife that lay innocently on the kitchen counter. Once her mind caught up to what her body was doing she pulled back slowly, and went back to her room. Kagome's father came home drunk yet again he found his way to the kitchen picked something up and then to Kagome's room stumbling along the way. Wile in Kagome's room, a feminine shrill scream piercing the dead silence of the night. Leaving her room and went to his own, and the next morning Kagome's father rolled over and grasped his head with his hands slowly getting up. Spotting a dark red trail of blood that lead out of his room and down the hall right into Kagome's room.