You can't cover up everything with makeup. You can usually cover pimples. Acne. Yeah, that's usually what people use it for. To cover up acne. And sometimes, people use it for Halloween. To make it look like they're zombies or something. Makeup can make you look like a zombie if you're a princess. It can also cover bruises. Black eyes. You've got to get the right shade, of course, but it can. And no one will notice. Your parents…. Well, never mind your parents, they're never there anyway. But what really surprises you is your brother. He doesn't notice either. Sometimes he does. Sometimes he says "What's wrong Fi?" or "Are you feeling alright, Fiona?" but if you say yes, then that's all. The end. He says "Ok, if you need anything ask."
But you don't ask.
"What were you doing, Fiona? Where were you?" Bobby asks, grabbing Fiona's arm as she walks into his house, she dumps her purse on the end table near the door.
"I was talking to my brother." she says with a sigh.
"Don't talk to me like that." he says, taking his thumb and index finger and holding my her chin, lifting her head up to face him.
She stares up at him but doesn't say anything. "Are you going to answer me?" he asks, letting go of her and pushing her down onto his couch.
"I'm sorry." she says. She doesn't want to get hit.
"For what?"
She doesn't know what she did wrong so she just sits silently, and confused.
She gets punched anyway. He punches her so hard it turns her head.
"I'm sorry." she repeats in a whisper. She says it in a tone that sounds like she's asking a question.
"For what?" Bobby yells.
"I-I don't know." Fiona whispers.
He hits her again and grabs her wrist, pulling her up off of the couch.
He grabs her by her shoulders when she's standing and shakes her, then slams her against the wall. Her elbow hits it and makes a hole.
"Look what you did!" Bobby screams, shaking her again.
"I'm sorry… f-for breaking the wall!" Fiona says in a panicked voice, remembering what she's sorry for this time, while at the same time wincing in pain.
"Just leave!" Bobby said, pushing her against the wall once more before heading up the stairs.
"I'd be glad to." Fiona muttered.
He turned around at the top of the stairs. "What did you say?"Fiona glanced at him and scooped up her purse, opening the door and hurrying out.
She walked a few blocks until she found a nice clear glass window to a shop. One she could use as a mirror. She brushed makeup over her eyes and her arms to cover up the bruises and red handprints. Usually she'd just wear a long sleeved shirt, but she didn't have one at the moment.
She ignored the people staring at her strangely. They didn't know. They shouldn't care.
When she was done she turned around and opened her phone, leaning against the wall. She pressed one to speed-dial Declan.
"Fi, you've only been gone for an hour, are you ok?"
He was starting to get more and more suspicious.
"Yeah. Can you pick me up?" she asked.
"Sure, yeah, where are you, Fi?""Rifton Street." Fiona answered, "By the hat store."
"Ok, I'll be right there.""Thanks, Decs.""No problem."
"Alright, love you Fiona, see you.""Love you too, bye."
Declan came soon and Fiona got in the passenger side of the car.
They drove with the radio on, not talking until Declan passed their house.
"Where are we going, Decs?" Fiona asked.
"I want to know what's up, and I want to know It now." Declan said seriously. He turned down a country road and pulled to the edge, unbuckled his seatbelt and turned to her.
She shrugged, "Nothing's up."
"Something's wrong."
"No it isn't." she says with a smile.
"I know you Fiona."
She wonders if she should tell him now. She's been wanting to. She's just scared. Bobby will hurt her if she tells. And the worst part is, that Declan would know. He would know that she let Bobby beat on her. That she let him play with her like she was a doll. But if she tells him it will be over. If she doesn't… it won't be over. It will keep happening… but, he'll know. He'll know. She feels like she has shoulder angels. She just doesn't know which one is the angel and which is the devil.
"Decs, what makes you think something's wrong?" she asks.
"You just aren't acting right. You're really jumpy lately. And every time…" he stops and looks at his sister, straight in the eyes. "Every time I mention Bobby's name, you freak out."
"You must be imagining it." Fiona says, looking out the window and away from her brother, smoothing her skirt.
"Are you having relationship problems? Is Bobby cheating on you? Is he being unfair?"
Someone notices now, well, sort of. Is this a good thing or a bad thing?
Fiona glances at Declan and then looks away.
"What did he do?" Declan whispers.
Fiona shakes her head. "No." she says, "Everything's fine with him. I have no idea why you would even begin to think that."
"Fiona, I love you. You're my sister, I don't want you to be hurt."
"I'm not getting hurt." Fiona insists.
"You'd tell me if you were… right?" Declan asks, finally giving up and agreeing with his sister.
"Of course."
"Alright, Fi." he says.
They drive home in silence.
She accidentally bumps her arm against the door. It hits her bruise. "Ow." she mutters.
Declan looks over.
It doesn't look like anything's there, but there sure is. A big black bruise. But no one can see through the makeup, except her… and Bobby.
The next day he doesn't just hit her. He takes her virginity.
She walks home that day. She doesn't call Declan. She sneaks in through the back door and takes a shower, but she can still feel him all over her.
Declan knocks on the door to the bathroom.
"Fi?"She tries to mask her crying.
"Yeah?" she asks, turning the water down so she can hear better.
"I didn't hear you get home, how did you get here?""I walked." she answers.
"I was going to pick you up."
"I felt like taking a walk today." Fiona answers.
"Have you been crying?""No."
"You sound like you've been crying. Are you alright?""Yes." she says, crying a little harder now. It makes her cry more when she thinks about her brother caring about her. She doesn't know why though.
She turns on the water again. She doesn't want to talk anymore.
"Fi?"
She turns the water down again.
"What?" she asks, annoyed.
"Are you sure you're alright?"
"Yes."
She turns the water on again.
When the water has been cold for a while, she gets out, dries herself off and then dresses, almost forgetting to apply her makeup before she goes downstairs and sits on the couch, flipping on the television. She doesn't really want to watch television, but if Declan comes downstairs, she doesn't want him to think something's wrong. It doesn't matter though. He already does.
He comes down and sits beside her.
"Are you pregnant?" he whispers into her ear.
She sits up straight, "What? No!" she says. Then she frowns because she doesn't know if Bobby used protection or not She thinks he did… no he did, but, it could still happen. "I… I hope not." she whispers.
Declan doesn't hear the 'I hope not' part.
"Then what's wrong, Sis?"
"I already told you." Fiona says, getting up and walking upstairs to her room.
She sits on her bed and cries until she hears Declan coming up the stairs. Then she lays down and pulls the covers up over her head, pretending she's asleep. Declan comes in and turns the light off and then closes the door.