Chapter7 School Dayz
Well last night was nice after we finished dinner Mark caught another call and left. Jeff stayed over saying that he'd chill with us for the night. He is really smart like Jack. He's also cute. He makes me laugh if I weren't going with Jack well sort of, I'd sure try to be Jeff's girl but I'm sure he has plenty of super model girls at his beck and call. So I just enjoy the moment. He brought video games. He lets me win in a game on PlayStation 2 called Tecken Tag Tournament. I know he let me win he knows all the different moves. He plays against Angel in a wrestling game and she dusts him fair and square. She's really good. At about 3:54 am Thursday morning we all crashed in the sitting room in front of the T.V.
I'm the first to get up a noise woke me. I stretch and stumble into the kitchen for a cup of water. I look for the stove clock to check the time. Well it's now 8:00am I don't have a class until this afternoon. I run into our room and wash and get changed for the day. As I come back out I run in to Jeff chest to my face we both say "not again" referring to when I knocked him down.
Now the house in swing as we all get the place cleaned up and Jeff cooks breakfast. As I bite into something he calls a surprise pancake that is eaten like a taco. It splatters me and they laugh at me. Mark comes in from his room and says "you like repeat performances too huh." They laugh harder. Jeff hands me a napkin.
I blush as I realize that this is the second time I have spilled something on myself in front of Jeff.
"What so funny I have to change before my 3:00 class now."
."Hey Mark I'll take her to class if your going to be busy. What school do you attend?"
"I go to the University of Chicago up here."
Mark is looking at me and Jeff with a smirk on his face. "If you don't mind riding with him I'm ok with it."
Everyone is looking at me. I want to of course he's cute in a weird way. But I don't know what to say. I stare straight ahead that was a mistake Angel answered for me. "She'd love for you to take her Jeff."
"Awesome!" Jeff says as he finishes his breakfast asking does anyone want anything else.
We all shake our heads no. Angel asks Mark who was on the phone. His expression slips a little I think I'm the only one who noticed. He says it was no one important. Jeff shoots him a look. So does Angel.
Its 2:20 and I'm almost ready to walk out my bedroom Angel comes in and asks if she can come with me. I tell her no and add that she should ask Jeff can she hang with him. The last thing I need is Angel hanging around me with Jack around. He's nice to me and I don't want to scare him away.
Jeff knocks on the door and asks me am I ready. I tell him just a minute. He says ok and leaves the door. Angel is staring at me. "What"
"You like him and he is going to have you ride with him. Why would you tell me to hang out with him? I know you like him. I am not one of those that try to still my own sister's man."
"He's not my man and if you tell him I like him I'll pound you good."I say smiling. She gives me her best tough girl pose. Angel and I both crack up laughing at her pose. I grab my backpack purse and notebook and my math book. "Shall we"
"Yes Mrs. Leak Hardy." She says as I almost open the door. I slam it and glare at her. "Kidding you couldn't do any worst. What's wrong with him he's nice too you."
"There is nothing wrong with him. Just don't say stuff like that when he can hear you."
"Whatever, lets go before he thinks the room swallowed us."
Jeff just dropped me off him and Angel heads to Water Tower to look for music. My class is an hour and a half. I hate this class because most of the people I went to high school with last year are here and they have not grown up. I stand out in the hall waiting on the next class to enter I typically sit in the back I don't like to draw attention to myself. That usually invites trouble. The first class is leaving I enter and as I'm walking up the risers someone trips me. I hit the floor. I jump to my feet and storm to my seat in the back. I want to leave as soon as I get here but I need this stupid class. Jack comes in the class. My positive friend. I wave at him. He doesn't wave back he sits two rows away from me. I put my hand down before I look stupid with my hand in the air. Maybe he didn't see me I have a tendency to blend in.
Jack's different he didn't come from my high school he came here from someplace in Indiana. His major is Art Education. He's part Chinese and part Caucasian, long flowing hair and the cutest brown eyes. He's turning around our eyes lock he quickly looks ahead. I look around and I finally see why he would be acting so weird. He's been claimed my high school torment William Drummer, William is sitting next to Jack he just turns around and is staring at me with that stupid grin on his face. I look over his head but I know he's still looking at me. I glance down now he's whispering in Jack's ear. Now they both are stilling glances at me. A secretary from the math department Miss Davis is standing in front of the class trying to get everybody's attention.
"Mr. Bradshaw will not be here today you may leave he says to study for the mid-term in his absence." She says and writes on the board.
Everybody starts getting up and leaving. I stay seated until Jack and his new friend leaves no use in rushing out there. I just found I now have no friends. I get up as the last person is leaving. I walk out in to the hall and see Jack he is alone. Oh crap he's coming this way. "Hey can I talk to you?" he wants to talk to me maybe William didn't get to him as much as I thought.
"Sure I got time."
He rubs the back of his neck. "Um, about in there, I just got on the football team and William's the caption nothing personal. If you want me to I'll drop you off at you place."
"So you just dump your friends when infamous ones come along, I'm sorry that was mean. I wish you luck on your game I got to go. I just found a ride. Bye Jack." I quickly walk to the girl's restroom.
Inside the girl's restroom there is a little room with an ugly orange stuffed cot in it I guess it's for when you don't feel good and need to lay down. Or in my case when you find out you have no friends and need to get over it. I rush in and close the door I don't bother turning the light on in this room there is mirror and right now I don't want to see myself. I hate crying in any kind of public venue but I can't help it. It really hurts that Jack has become an ass.
A few minutes pass and I hear someone knocking on the door. Phi Wong is asking me to go talk to her brother Jack. She is already a cheerleader I know she must hate me too she just can hide it better than Jack. Why did I have to trust him? Why did I have to like him? I rinse my face and step out of the little room. "Phi I can't talk to your brother I'd blemish his perfect reputation." My voice shakes and I want to get away from everyone but if he's out there and she's in here there is nowhere to go.
"Gee you don't have to be sarcastic he just wants to talk you. I don't see why he'd want to waste his time." She says flicking her long black hair.
"Whatever" I say as I walk out of the restroom Jack is there I side step him he gets back in my way. "What. What could you possibly want to talk to me about? I get it you're moving on I wished you good luck what more do you want from me?"
Phi comes out and says to Jack "She is not worth your time she has lots of bad attitude."
I turn on her "thanks you've been heard, now scurry away with your half wit friends." She rears back and I close my eyes and put my hands up. Her fist connects with my stomach and I feel the urge to throw up I run back into the restroom and give my lovely Breakfast to the first open toilet god I see.
Now hurting and wiping my face I walk back to the sink and rinse out my mouth. I pound on the sink I' m tired of this the whole thing I hate this place. Phi comes into the restroom. I back away from her. "My brother sent me in here to see if I seriously hurt you. You ok? I mean I'm sorry but you had it coming you didn't used to be this smart mouthed."
"Can I leave please?" I ask she's blocking the door. "Look I'm not going to fight you and if you hit me again or do anything else short of killing me I'll report you to the police."
She steps away from the door. "Just go he can see for himself that you're ok." I briskly walk past her and out the door. Jack is still standing outside the door I stop. He reaches his hand to me and pulls me close he's speaking in my ear. I don't care what he's saying I guess he's done he lets go I thank him for doing so and walk outside. Now outside I look at my watch Jeff should be coming back in about 44 minutes. I walk out to where you can see the train. I'm not staying here any longer than I have to. I reach the platform as the train pulls off.
I walk back to where I'm to meet Jeff. I look at my watch 15 more minutes. I sit on the snow covered steps. I look at the ground and there is a large shadow behind me. I look up and get a snow ball down my coat front for my trouble. Jack is standing over by the door, William has another snowball. "What I ever do to you?" I say trying to keep my voice from cracking William scares me I try not to show it.
"You think you're too good to hang with my guy. Bitch you're the same stupid sped you were in high school. Have some more snow." He quickly before I can put my arms up hits me in the face with the snowball. Jack comes over as William is getting another snowball I run away from them. I hide in the space between the Gym and the math building..
"You still hiding here, it isn't much of a hiding place if you ask me." A voice says standing behind me. Its Jack he doesn't sound angry. I still don't turn around. I can't face him. "Phi is sorry for striking you. I am sorry for making you cry. You need a ride home or something."
"Jack I don't get you I thought you were different. As for your sister she told me I deserved it so I guess I did I should keep my mouth shut. Oh wait that don't work either. I'm tired, I'm sore, I've realized something never trust anybody you'll get your heart broken. Well I'm tired of making a total blonde out of myself."
"What's with you?" there is the anger he was missing. "I was just trying to be your friend and maybe more then you see me with a team mate and now you putting me down? Talk to me, I think I deserve to know why you are acting like this." he grabs me and turns me around.
"Your message is loud and clear. You had William hit me with the snowballs now my shirt is wet under my coat, now what you plan to do? I am sorry you feel I think I am better than you I don't, believe me. I thought we were friends. I was hoping, oh never mind." He just stands there grasping my coat restraining me so I can't get away from him.
He bends his head down "I'm sorry you feel that way. Your father Strut sent me he said if you think he's dead, think again. "
I struggle to get free it can't be. This has to be some mind game Jack's playing. He won't let me go no matter how much I struggle. William comes over. I start screaming. I stop rapidly when William puts his blade to my throat. William is talking to me. "Josh wants to see you. He wants to make you a woman." Cold trepidation slides down my body. If Josh is still alive after shooting himself that means he can still get to my mother. I want to cry, I want to run, I want to get away before these two hurt me or take me to Josh.
"It's nothing personal Strut is paying for our college tuition. This is my work-study job sort to speak." Jack says .as he roughly throws me to the ground. "I mean all I had to do was make friends with you and the rest was easy. I thought to myself this is wrong but old William here told me what kind of person you are. You are stuck up" he kicks me "you're a very sarcastic person. I hate sarcasm" he kicks the syllables of sarcasm into my back. I ball up into a protective fetal position. "I'll make you a deal. William go watch out for anybody" William leaves. "This is gonna make your day." Jack grabs my hair forcing me to look at him. "Since you love me this should be a breeze." He forcefully kisses me and then hits me across the face with his fist. He starts slamming my face into the snow my forehead hits the pavement he's slamming me so hard I see stars. His voice sounds far away now. I hear something a horn. Blackness starts to crowd my vision a warm sensation runs up my body. I know I'm going to pass out I can feel tears coming down my cheeks Jack is still talking and slamming me. I finally let the blackness claim me.
My head hurts I crack open my eyes and notice I'm in a car. Jack and William flash through my head. They attacked me and I pasted out now where am I? I look up its night time I whimper before I can stop it. "Angelique can you hear me sweetie?" Jeff is asking me.
"Leak wake up" Why ain't she waking up. Jeff."
"I'm awake" even to me my voice sounds weak.
Angel comes into my line of vision she's leaning against the back of the front seat. "Leak you gonna be ok okay. We're back at Mark's. They gonna have a doctor look at you here. "
I close my eyes I'm so tired "Leak wake up" Angel shakes my shoulder I scream in pain at the contact which makes my head throb. Soon after that as I fight to stay awake so she won't touch me again.
Jeff gets out of the car and opens the back door. He calls Mark on his cell phone.
"Hey Mark can you come down here and help me get Angelique up to your place. I don't know what happened I was a few minutes later picking her up and …"
I can hear Mark yelling into the phone. I try to sit up though its hurts like hell. I grit my teeth, that makes my head hurt worst. I become dizzy I'm sitting up if that is what you can call it. I'm leaning heavily on Jeff. My skin is on fire but I have to get out of this car. Mark is soon coming out the ground entrance of the stairwell. Mark looks pissed he pushes Jeff out of the way he leans in and picks me up his skin on my bruised back is excruciating all I can do is breathe deep and hope he has more balance than I do. I realize that I should not be able to feel his skin on my back I look down my shirt is gone and I'm barely wearing a bra and panties. My head lolls forward I'm tired and it is very hard for me to stay a wake when I'm in pain. "This is nothing new just by a new person."
"What is not new?" Marks asks
"I did not think I said anything" we ride up in the elevator, when we reach our floor Mark takes me in to his room and lays me on his king size bed. Angel and Jeff come in. The door bell buzzes. Jeff goes to see if it is the doctor. Mark sits on the bed beside me and takes my hand in his. "Now what did you mean by this is nothing new just by a new person?"
"Is he reading my thoughts?"
"Just, your outer thoughts darlin." He whispers softly
I take a breath "I meant that Strut used to do this all the time when mom was out of town. I just got back the full use of my legs three weeks before he tried to kill mom. Saying Struts name triggered something. "Mark he's not dead Strut is alive and he s-sent a person I thought w-was my f-friend to do this to me." I'm cold with temperature and lack of clothing and fear.
Mark rolls his eyes up into his head until I can see the whites. He then closes his eyes. "I won't let him hurt you or anybody else again. I promise you that" when he opens his eyes it's like his eye color has gotten even more intensely colored. The doctor comes in Mark introduces us and he starts to get up off the bed.
"Please don't go please"
Mark sits back down, eyes the doctor the doctor nods. After he asks probing questions cleaned my face and wrapped my head he finishes and asks Mark out in the hallway. Mark knowing I'd want to know what the doctor said leaves the door open a crack.
"Mark she is very lucky the person or persons' who did this had a truly malicious sprit. They hit her at least a dozen times in the head alone. I even saw some shoe markings on her back. It's good that Jeff found her when he did.
"Her skin is very sensitive she was in total pain when I picked her up. I had to get her up here.
She's is going to be stiff and as her thinner skin thaws it will hurt like hell. Her back is going to be sore and she must have been in the snow a lot, but. As far as cosmetically no make up until I check her in a month. If not me someone has to. Her face is going to hurt for a while. As far as I can see just keep her alert she has a concussion. The usual rules apply if you notice a change call me at the house."
"Why do I feel that you're leaving something out?" Mark asks the doctor.
The doctor sighs. "Mark I've never been one to lie to you guys. So I want you to think about it before you take any possible action. She has bruising at the bikini line. Now I didn't do a rape kit on her because I didn't want to alarm her. But I am telling you if it happened you'll need it in court. "Now do you want it or not it's up to you?"
Mark sighs heavily "As much as I want to know, I don't want to put her through that. I'm not even sure she could handle it if it were true.. "
"Mark I think you should ask her these questions and if so get it done. I don't care if we have to get a team of female doctors. I have to get back to the office."
Mark comes back into the room. "You need anything"
"Mark I want to find out I 'm sore and I hope they just kicked me and not.. I'm scared Mark." Tears spring from my eyes and I can hardly stop them. He gently sits on the bed and hugs me my head on his shoulder.
"Are you sure about this" He says, I nod that I am but I'm scared to speak I know my tone will show my fear.
"Lets go before we both lose our nerve." His timbre has changed I think he's almost as scared as I am. He puts his finger under my chin gently lifting my gaze to his. "I am. The last thing I want is for this to be true. I'll take you to his office that way it won't be so out in the open as it would be in the emergency room."
"Stop reading my thoughts will ya?" I say just kidding I hope he knows I'm kidding I didn't believe Angel in fact I got mad at her when she said Mark could talk to her inside her head but Mark is not your usual person I'm learning that slowly but surely. "How do you do that anyway?"
"You really want to know or was that a rhetorical question?" He says as he helps me up. He grabs some clothes for me out of the dresser and I let him help me get into them.
"I want to know. I want to know anything about you that you are willing to tell me." He's looking into my eyes as if gauging if I'm telling the truth. I keep his gaze until he looks away and grabs his jacket off the chair by the door. I guess he's not going to tell me maybe I don't look truthful. I not going to push him I just stay quiet.
As we leave the room Mark has his hand at my back when I got up to finish getting my clothes on I almost fell over. We get to in his truck he picked me up and put me in the truck I first tried to climb up but that hurt too much. I sigh before he gets in the truck. I'm getting tired again I lay my head back against the window. We ride in silence the next thing I know Mark is telling me to wake up. "Huh ok"
"Angelique talk to me so you don't fall asleep."
"What about?"
"We can talk about what you asked. As for the mental linking it's complicated but if I'm right it can go both ways from me to you and from you to me. It has something to do with the blood line of Callaway"
"Angel tried to do that to you this morning and she said you were blocking her. When she first told me about you talking to her in her head"
"If I remember correctly you were pissed. Which is understandable as you said you knew nothing about me. I'm glad you've stopped blocking me."
"I know you just said it has something to do with the line of Callaway but I have to ask when you were with mom in the house you spoke to her even though she was unconscious does her side have that mental link as well."
"No" was all he said and his voice had a bit of an edge to it. My mom maybe a touchy subject, I quietly look out the window.
"Your mother is not a touchy subject. Her family is" I look at him I heard him in my head he didn't open his mouth once.
I wonder why he would think that. My grandma was nice she kept us when. Realizing what I was doing I stopped that line of thought. As we enter the doctor's office I get this feeling that something is going to happen. Mark seems to feel the same way he just tensed. The nurse gives me a big dumb smile and passes us on into a room. The walls are stark white the sun is shining in through the window that is about six feet from the floor. Mark puts on his sunglasses. It's plenty bright in here. The doctor from before comes in and introduces a younger female doctor to us as Dr Damsel Darwin. The guy doctor, Dr Jonathan Bling leaves the room.
Dr Darwin has long dark raven hair which contrasts with her very pale skin. She's thin with no shape about her. "Are you staying?" she asks Mark he nods that he is. She makes quick work of the process steeling glances at Mark all while doing the kit. "I shall return soon with my findings." Mark and I sit in silence. He holds my hand.
The door opens again we both look up, this nurse is Chinese with the name tag that reads A .Lee. Mark stands up looking at her she meets his gaze and walks closer a Cheshire cat grin on her face. She reaches into her pocket. Suddenly in one quick stride Mark steps to her grabs her and spins her around toward the wall. He is growling something into her ear. She nods yes Mark takes something from her hand pockets it and shoves her out the door.
When Mark turns to me he must've seen the surprised look on my face his expression softens as he walks back over towards me. Now he doesn't sit down beside me he stands in front of me. Even though I can't see his eyes through the sunglasses I look him in the eye. I hear his voice in my head telling me it's time to go. I return a "sure" I'm learning this quickly projecting my thoughts to him that is. Feeling a little better I manage to get my clothes on. Dr Darwin returns to the room. This time she's not looking at Mark. This worries me. "You don't have any semen traces." She states then looks at Mark and nods toward the hall. Before I can tell Dr. Darwin I am an adult and I want to know anything she has to say about me. Mark says "Whatever you have to say you can say in front of my adult daughter."
"Well Ms. Strut" I cringe at the last name but say nothing "you will be sore it seems though there was no penetrations and no semen there was a lot of impact the object they were inserting inside you was made of Polyurethane and one unidentified material. I wrote you a prescription it should take care of some of the soreness. You may be stiff if any new pain arises make an appointment." She hands me the little slip of paper and we leave.
"Now that we are in the truck Mark can I ask you something?"
"Sure what you wanna know."
"Who was that lady you were pushing around? Was she like you know a friend turned foe?"
"She was never a friend" was all he said. I suddenly got a flash of memory that isn't mine. I'm running in an ally and the woman that Mark pushed out the room jumps out from nowhere and shoots me. I shudder at the vision and look over to Mark. She tried to kill him before and in the doctor's office. I barely recognize that we are back to the hotel. "Come on we're here."
I am both physically and mentally numb as I get out of the truck and walk to the elevator. We arrive in the penthouse and Mark goes to his room Angel is flitting around me Jeff is surfing the net. I know I should just keep my mouth shut but what if I'm the last to know about the lady. That lady tried twice to kill Mark. I have to put the others on alert. I can tell Jeff he can watch Mark's back. "Jeff can I speak to you alone please?". We go sit on the sofa and Jeff leans over so I can whisper in his ear. I tell him what happened about the woman and the image I got. He nods to me and says he'll keep an eye on Mark for me. "I also want to thank you for getting me back here." I say unable to meet his gaze.
"No problem. I mean were friends and that's what friends are for right?" He bends down even further I look up in to his gaze.
"Sure" is all I can manage. I look back and Angel is tapping her foot on the threshold of the sitting room. "Come on back in Angel."
Mark walks out of his room he's changed clothes. He's wearing all black from bandana to boots; and his hair is tied in a ponytail. "Jeff you gonna be here for a while or are you leaving when I leave?" Jeff tells Mark that he will stay. Mark says he'll be back in a while and leave via the stairs. I can hear his foot falls on the metal as he descends. There is a Ding Ding Ding of the elevator. Jeff gets up to see whose requesting entry into the penthouse.
