I pulled on my black tights with tan high waisted shorts and a navy blue sweater. My hair was tossed into messed up bun and I slipped on some black converse and I snuck out the back door. I caught a cab and paid him a couple pounds and he drove me down to Brinkman's Coffee shop. I got out of the cab I was a couple minutes early. Marcus was nowhere in sight and the thoughts of being stood up already were prancing around in my mind. "Hey Joy!" I turned around to see Marcus standing over by the Brinkman's Alley. I walked over "Hey Marcus I thought you said to meet over at the coffee shop?" I asked I looked behind him where his truck was. Marcus pulled me over and pushed me to the ground. I heard the sound of a truck door opening. I looked up and saw Marcus with his phone out and pointed at me. "Go Rosie you get first hit." I heard. I looked up to see Nicola, Iris, Jessamy, and Rosie. I scrambled to get up but before I'd known it I was back on the ground. Rosie straddled over me punching me in the face over and over. I felt a pop in my ear and a throbbing in my eye. I was pulled up and pushed into Jessamy's arms. She gripped my arms and held me pinned against the brick wall. She kicked me over and over and slapped me countless of times. I was thrown girl to girl being beaten harder and harder each time every punch thrown with a meaning. I felt my world began to fuzz and I couldn't hear much anymore. I crumbled down on to the floor. My eyesight was blurring and I could see all of the girls standing above me. Nicola reached out a hand and helped me up. "Come on we are going to take you home." I took her hand and followed them as the pushed me into the truck. The whole ride home was a blur. When Marcus pulled up to Anubis house Jessamy got out and opened the door she helped me out and walked me up to the door and pushed me down in front of the door. On the way down I hit my head on the door. In my blurred vision I saw the outline of Jessamy run across the yard. Marcus honked his horn trying to get my houses attention but then drove off. I don't know how long I was on the porch until someone came out but I know it couldn't have been too long. As soon as the door was opened there was a high pitched scream. I remember a lot of talking and a lot of pain I remember getting into another car. I remember telling the doctors I wanted to stay in my clothing and not the hospital gown. I remember everything.
When I woke up the first person I saw was Jerome. He was the first and only person I saw my first day in the hospital. Trudy showed up the second. But no one else came.
"Joy your Dad should be here soon he had to fly back from a business meeting." Trudy explained. I nodded "We can know your diagnosis once he gets here too." Jerome muttered. Daddy showed up half way through my third day at the hospital. "Mr. Mercer?" Dr. James asked reaching his hand out towards my father. "Yes I am He." Dr. James shook his hand and pulled off my clipboard from my door. "Mr. Mercer I am afraid to say that the diagnosis on your daughter is quite a lot. She has a concussion, a fracture wrist, ruptured eardrum, and could possibly loose eye sight in her left ear. I'm sorry to say this but some of her injuries might be long term. Once her eardrum ruptured it would've healed maybe but more pressure on it might cause her hearing loss just like her left eye. Her wrist should heal normal and her concussion should be fine she just needs to be well rested and needs all the medicine I have prescribed." My dad nodded and handed over the list to Trudy. "Trudy I beg you please get all the medicine and Joy I will come back tomorrow to bring you home." I smiled and asked. "I get to go home?" My dad turned around and frowned.
"No I'm sorry Joyful; I have another meeting out of town. I only have enough time to bring you back to Anubis and have a talk with your principle." My smile faded and I nodded. My dad waved me a goodbye and I waved back with my purple cast. "Joyful do you want anything?" Jerome asked from where he sat. I shook my head no. "So what happened that night?" He asked I looked down at my hands. I shook my head. "Nothing important."
"Nothing important? Joy you were beat up how is it not important?" I shook my head.
"I'm not important." I murmured under my breath. "Why are you here?" I asked
"I thought you would want someone here with you." He said defensively.
"You don't hate me or think I'm a slut? You don't want to beat me till I'm almost dead?" I asked tears forming in my eyes. Jerome brushed a piece of stray hair behind my ear and shook his head. "Joy I know none if that is true." I turned and looked away and tried to stop the falling tear drops.