Song: Dirty Little Secret
Artist: The All-American Rejects (A.K.A. the greatest band EVER!)
Disclaimer: It is most unfortunate to admit this, but I do not own Hannah Montana.
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"You're an ungrateful, pathetic waste of life!" my father screamed as he backhanded me across the face. I collapsed to the ground once again. Though my body was screaming in agony, I tried not to show it on my face, knowing I would be giving him satisfaction.
"I told you that you had to be home by 7:30! And you come waltzing in the door at 7:35, acting like I shouldn't be worried about where you were!" he shouted as he kicked me in the side. "What do you have to say for yourself?"
"I'm...sorry," I can barely choke out as I give way to another fit of coughing, this time bringing up blood.
"Yeah, yeah, whatever," he said, hitting me again. "Next time I'm not going to be so nice!" He stamped out of my room and slammed the door shut. Not having the strength to even move to my bed, I curl my bruised and beaten body up into a ball on the floor and close my eyes, feeling tears stream down my face.
Let me know that I've done wrong
When I've known this all along
I go around a time or two
Just to waste my time with you
Tell me all that you've thrown away
Find out games you don't wanna play
You are the only one that needs to know
The next day at school, I limp over to my locker, trying not to wince with every painful step I take. I've covered up my cuts and bruises with make-up so that my friends don't get suspicious. However, they apparently know that something is up.
"Oliver, are you feeling all right?" Lilly asks me at lunch as I lay over the table, refusing to eat anything.
"I'm fine," I mumble, my face buried in my arms. I can't tell them. I just can't let them have to deal with this. This is my problem and I have to deal with it myself. And besides, who knows what my father will do to them if he knows I told someone.
"Are you sure?" Miley asks, her voice full of concern. "Because you haven't eaten anything for lunch the past three days. You also seem a bit depressed lately."
"Yeah," Lilly agreed. "And, what's with the giant burn on your arm?"
"What?" I ask, my head shooting up. I realize that the sleeve of my sweatshirt had rolled up slightly, exposing the burn mark I had received when my father threw the iron at me and I flung my arm up to defend myself.
"It...it's nothing," I say hastily, shoving my sweatshirt sleeve down. "I burned myself on the stove yesterday by mistake."
Miley and Lilly exchanged looks and I had a feeling that they didn't believe me at all.
"Come on, Oliver, we both know there's something you're not telling us," Miley said.
"Yeah," Lilly nodded. "Are you sure you're all right?"
"I said I was fine!" I shout angrily. Frustrated, I grab my backpack and leave the lunchroom as fast as my injuries will allow. I try to hide my eyes as tears fill them when I realize that I just yelled at probably the only two people in the world who care about me.
I'll keep you my dirty little secret
(Dirty little secret)
Don't tell anyone or you'll be just another regret
(Just another regret, Hope that you can keep it)
My dirty little secret
Who has to know?
I ended up going to the nurse after lunch and telling her that I was sick. With the extent of my injuries, that wasn't hard to pull off and she allows me to go home. But I don't go home; instead, I go to the skate park, deserted because everyone else is still at school, and sit on top of the half pipe.
I think of times when Lilly and I would come here all the time. Those were great days, days before my dad lost his job, days before he started drinking and became an alcoholic, days before he started beating the crap out of my just for the hell of it.
Before I realize it, the sun is beginning to set and night is starting to fall. I glance at my watch; the time reads 7:25. Leaping to my feet, I sprint for home, knowing what awaits me if I don't get there within the next five minutes.
When we live such fragile lives
It's the best way we survive
I go around a time or two
Just to waste my time with you
Tell me all that you've thrown away
Find out games you don't wanna play
You are the only one that needs to know
I get through the door just as the clock strikes half past seven. I stand by the front door, trying to catch my breath, which has become increasingly difficult with each beating. At least I made it home on time.
"Hello, Oliver."
I look up to see him standing there, as though waiting for me. He's got that insane smile on his face that he always has before he starts beating me up. A half-empty bottle of beer is in his hand and the smell of it reeks on his breath.
"You're late!" he says angrily, grabbing me by the back of my shirt and throwing me into the wall. I collapse to the ground as more bruises appear.
"What are you talking about?" I choke out, gasping for air, feeling as though two of my ribs are broken. "I got here right at 7:30 like I was supposed to."
"Not according to my watch!" my father shouted, removing his belt from around his waste. "According to my watch, you arrived home two minutes late!"
He immediately starts striking me repeatedly with his belt, trying to hit me with the buckle as much as possible. I curl my body into the smallest ball possible, trying to shield myself from the blows with my arms. But the pain still comes. The air is soon filled with my screams of pain and my father's maniacal laughter.
Why didn't I tell Miley and Lilly what was wrong? Why did I keep this locked up inside me? They could've helped me get through this. They could've called the police, something I've been afraid of doing sense this all started.
The pain quickly becomes unbearable. I collapse to the ground again, seeing blood pouring from by numerous wounds. My vision is becoming darker and darker with each passing second. This must be the end, I think to myself. My vision is blurring worse than ever. My last thought before I black out completely is, I'm going to die.
I'll keep you my dirty little secret
(Dirty little secret)
Don't tell anyone or you'll be just another regret
(Just another regret, Hope that you can keep it)
My dirty little secret
Who has to know?
I hear noises around me. But I can't see anything or decipher what they are saying. They sound worried though. There's this other noise too. Sounds almost like a siren or something. That's odd. If I've died and gone to heaven, why would there be sirens? Didn't these people know that my dad is nearby and will probably hurt them if they get too close to my body? Is anybody going to even retrieve my body? Or am I just going to be forced to lay here forever?
The way she feels inside
Those thoughts I can't deny
These sleeping dogs won't lie
And all I've tried to learn
It's eating me apart
Trace this line back
Now I feel as if I am floating. No, scratch that. I feel as if I am being lifted off of the ground and carried. I feel a prick in my arm and instantly, the pain returns. The sounds become more precise and I can hear people crying and talking quickly. I occasionally catch parts of conversations.
"I hope he's all right!"
"Who would've known his father was abusing him?"
"Why on earth would somebody want to hurt that boy?"
And then a more familiar voice rings through my ears.
"Please be okay, Oliver! Please!"
It's Miley's voice. She sounds as if she has been crying. I feel her tiny hand grasp mine tightly as if afraid that I might slip away from her. Another familiar voice reaches my ears, this one choked with sobs. I can barely make out the words.
"Oliver! Don't leave us! I...I love...you!"
It's Lilly. I feel surprised to hear her say those words. I never knew that she thought of me as more than just a friend. I feel her grasp my other hand; it's trembling slightly with fright and sobs. I need them to know that I can still hear them. I need them to know that I'm still alive. Slowly, painfully, I open my stinging eyes.
I'll keep you my dirty little secret
(Dirty little secret)
Don't tell anyone or you'll be just another regret
(Just another regret)
I'll keep you my dirty little secret
(Dirty little secret)
Don't tell any one or you'll be just another regret
(Just another regret, Hope that you can keep it)
My dirty little secret
Dirty little secret
Dirty little secret
Who has to know?
Who has to know?
"OLIVER!" Miley shouts happily, tears streaming down her face. "Oliver! Can you hear me?"
"Miley..." My voice sounds so weak, it's amazing she could hear me at all. I notice an oxygen mask is placed over my face, helping me breathe. An IV is sticking out of my arm and I'm lying in the back of an ambulance. "Lilly..." I say again, my voice fainter still.
"I'm right here, Ollie," Lilly says gently. "Right here." She squeezes my hand tightly.
"I'm sorry I didn't tell you," I say quietly, feeling drained of energy by just trying to say those few words.
"It's okay, Ollie," Lilly says, stroking my blood-soaked hair out of my face. "It's okay."
"We forgive you," Miley replies, wiping tears out of her eyes.
"What…happened to…my dad?" I ask.
"You don't have to worry about him anymore," Lilly says softly.
"Yeah," Miley agreed. "The cops arrested him. He's going away for a long time."
I sigh and close my eyes, knowing now that I am safe and no one will ever hurt me again.
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What do you think? Really sad, I know. I'm sorry I had to do that Oliver sense he's my favorite character. (And he's SOOO hot!) But I was listening to this song and I thought up this idea. I accept compliments as well as criticism. There's always room for improvement! Submit your thoughts!