She watched it everyday. How everyday they would ignore each other around everyone. Pretending the other didn't exist. It hurt everyday. How he didn't care enough to al least try. That was all she wanted. She didn't expect it to go any farther right now. She knew it was complicated, so she didn't push. But they used to flirt all the time. Now it feels like their strangers. All she waned to do is have that close bond back. When he would hold her, just for the hell of it. He never did it with anyone else, and she cherished that. She missed it so much. Everyday she wonders, "What happened?"
She walked into school the way she usually did, tired, and trying to hide behind her broken smile. She was dressed the way she usually was; Skinny jeans of a various color, a Goth looking shirt, and a leather jacket. She had curled her hair and was wearing no make up. He was dressed in worn out jeans, old converse, and a black shirt as usual, just like her. She smiled at that thought. "Hey Eli", she greeted, smiling. He just nodded and looked away. This was their normal routine. She would try and talk to him, and he would pretend she wasn't alive. They were just friends, if you could call them that anymore.
The day passed by slowly, as usual. When she got home she started her homework until her mother's boyfriend came home. Immediately, she hid. It never worked, but she never gave up trying. "CLARE!" he screamed. "WHERE THE HELL ARE YOU BITCH?" She kept her mouth shut until he found her. After about the 3rd punch, she blacked out until he stopped and left the room. She laid there for about 5 minutes until she had the strength to get up and got out her secret box. No one knew about it but her. It contained everything she needed to treat her cuts and bruises, along with her diary, pain killers, and her glass. She immediately went for the glass and pressed it to her skin. She bit her lip and dragged over her old scars. She wasn't proud of this, but she felt like it kept her sane.
After she was done, she cleaned herself up and fell asleep. She woke up the next morning to screaming. Great, she thought. So much for getting a good night's sleep. She rose out of bed and got ready for the day.
She walked into the café in black ripped jeans and a baggy Led Zeppelin shirt with her signature leather jacket. Her hair was straight and she had Smokey eye makeup on. She said hi to Eli, nothing. She just continued with her morning routine until she felt a presence over her, watching her intently. She looked up to see Eli staring at her arms. Shit, she thought. Her jacket had ridden up and you could see and bruise on her wrist in the shape of a hand. Like some had grabbed her too hard. She quickly pulled her jacket down, but it was too late. He looked at her with intense eyes for a few minutes before grabbing her hand and pulling her into the nearest janitor's closet. She was shocked, but followed him. They just stared at her for a few minutes before he spoke, startling her. "Clare, take off your jacket", he said in a low voice. She was shocked and started to protest, but the look in his eye told her to listen to him. She knew he wouldn't hurt her, but he was dead serious. And he wasn't taking no for an answer.
Slowly, she took off her jacket, revealing her bruises, along with her cuts. His eyes widened. "Clare, w-who the hell did this to you?" He said, eyeing the bruises. He had a theory about the cuts though. "N-No one?", she said, thought it sounded more like a question. He started walking forward and closer to her until she was backed up against the wall. She thought of making a run for it, but just as that second, he placed both hands on the wall on either sides of her, making it impossible to escape. She was trapped. She looked up at him, looked him straight in the eye, and lied. "I fell down the stairs, now let me go. Now." He smirked at the obvious lie. She started trying to push him off her, until he got tired of it and took her wrists and pinned them to the wall above her head.
"Clare, I know for a fact that you couldn't have gotten those from falling. Especially the cuts. Someone is hurting you. Now tell me who." She felt tears spill over and she told him what happened, excluding the part about cutting herself. He sat there and listened to everything. He was eyeing her cuts as well, waiting for that to spill as well. It never came.
When she was done, he took her wrist in his hand, running his fingers over her cuts. He looked her in the eye and he got his answer just by looking in her eyes. At that moment, e realized just how broken she was. And he immediately felt guilty about not figuring it out before. But now, he was determined. He was going to protect this girl with his last breath.
Nothing was ever going to hurt her again.
He wouldn't let it happen.