Chapter Eleven "Take Off Your Mask"

A/N: Two chapters in one day again! =D I'm making it up to you guys for taking so long to update lately. You guys are going to love this chapter!

Later that night Robert crept down the stairs with his father's medical book under his sweater and checked to see that his father was still watching tv before he snuck into his father's study. He went up to the book case and put the book back on the shelf before he began to sneak another one under his sweater before his father came in.

"What are you doing?"

Robert turned around to see his father in the doorway.

"I..." Robert began to say weakly but was interrupted by his father.

"Don't you ever touch my stuff!"

He stalked towards Robert and slapped his face and noticed the bulk under his grey sweatshirt.

"What's under your sweater?" he didn't wait for an answer he pulled out the book from Robert's sweater and threw it on the desk.

"How dare you steal from me!"

He socked Robert's stomach who gasped in pain. He then pushed Robert who fell against the bookshelf, causing books to fall over him. Robert shouted in pain at the sharp edges of the medical books and covered his head. Please stop! He thought his body shaking in terror.

"Don't cry Robert! Stop being a weak little girl!"

His father pulled Robert up by his bangs then socked his chin. Robert bit his tongue to keep silent as his father continued to yell at him. He threw Robert to the floor and immediately started socking his stomach again. Robert bit his tongue harder, the salty taste of his blood making him gag.

After a few more moments of his father beating him Robert laid on the floor bruise and in pain.

"Get up" father said.

Robert looked up at him and slowly got up to his feet. Father pulled up a chair and ordered "Sit down."

Robert sat on the chair looking down, not meeting his father's eyes. His father grabbed a tissue and wiped the blood off Robert's chin.

"You deserved this son" he said in a sickly sweet voice

"You're a bad kid Robert and you have to be punish It's for your own good" Robert continued to look down at his shoes as his father's words sunk in his head. Maybe he was a bad kid... It's probably why he's always getting punished... I'm bad and I deserve it Robert thought the words made him feel so low that he felt numb.

Suddenly there was a knock on the door.

"Go to your room Robert" His father said and left to answer the door.

Robert was barley going into his room when he heard Taylor's voice from the door.

"Can Robert play outside?"

"Uh… yeah Robert!" his father called.

Robert suddenly began to panic he couldn't let Taylor see his face! He looked around his room and spotted a Halloween mask in his closet. He immediately pulled it on his face and ran down the stairs. He ran to the door and grabbed Taylor's hand pulling her to the backyard into the snow fort where his father couldn't see them.

"Robert, why are you wearing that mask?" Taylor asked.

Robert shrugged, "I like it."

He hoped she won't notice how shaky his voice was from the pain he was feeling. Taylor looked at him closely making Robert squirm.

"Are you okay? You sound different."

"I'm fine Tay"

"You don't sound fine Robert Chase and you didn't seem fine when you made me run all the way over here! Now tell me what's wrong."

Robert sighed, god she was stubborn!

"Taylor I'm okay just don't worry"

"Then take off the mask"

"What?"

"If your fine, then take off your mask."

Robert stared at her he didn't know what to do. He couldn't leave the fort Taylor was sitting in front of the entrance and even if he was able to leave where would he go? He didn't want to go back inside the house where his father was. He didn't want to be anywhere near his father right now and his bruises began to hurt more at the thought of him and besides he didn't want to run away from Taylor ; not again.

He sighed and said "okay but you have to promise not tell anyone."

Taylor's blue eyes were wide.

"I promise"

"You have to really promise." Robert said seriously."Like cross you heart hope to die, pinky swear promise."

Taylor crossed her heart and said "I promise not to tell anyone. Cross my heart hope to die stick a needle in my eye."

She also wound her pinky around Robert's and said

"I pinky promise Robert that I won't tell anyone."

"You have to swear you won't"

"I swear I won't tell." Taylor said."I pinky promise."

Robert sighed "Okay I'll tell you."

"Robert why do I have to promise not to tell?"

She looked at him and whispered "Is it bad?"

Robert tried to answer but his words got caught in his throat. Taylor's blue eyes darken in the gloom of the snow fort as she whispered

"Robert...take off your mask."

Robert shook his head he just couldn't do it he was afraid what she might say. Would she think I'm a freak? A bad kid who deserves to be punished when she sees my bruised face?

Taylor reached out her hand.

"Taylor..." Robert moaned "please don't"

But she didn't listen. She grabbed the mask and pulled it off. Robert closed his eyes as he felt the mask slide off him and heard Taylor gasp when she saw his face.

"Robert..." Taylor said in shock." what happened?"

Robert opened his eyes and tried to think of an explanation but he couldn't. He couldn't lie to her and the only way was to tell her the truth. Tears started to fall and he looked away, ashamed that he was crying in front of her.

"Robert don't cry" she said.

Robert wiped his tears away. He knew when he first met Taylor she will find out eventually and he guessed that was the real reason why he ran away from her that day. He was scared if she found out she'll see him as a freak and a bad kid who deserved to be punished. Roberts's stomach practically dropped at the thought of not having her as a friend anymore.

"You must think I'm a freak." he whispered.

Taylor didn't answer him right away instead she touched his bruised chin and for the first time Robert didn't flinch away at someone's touch.

"I would never think you're a freak Robert you're my best friend."

Robert looked at her. Did she really mean that?

Taylor looked at his bruised chin.

"Your father did this to you. Didn't he?" she whispered.

Robert nodded.

"It's not as bad as it looks I'm fine really"

Taylor took her hand off his bruised chin and said

"Are you sure about that?"

"Yes I'm okay Tay, really I am."

Robert tried to convince her but her gaze was full of disbelief and he had no luck convincing her or himself for that matter because really, the truth was that Robert was falling apart.

Everyday was full of pain and he wasn't sure how long he could take much more. However, there was one positive outcome of Taylor finding out. She just said he was her best friend and that made Robert feel so happy.

"Taylor?"

"Yeah?"

"Did you really mean that?"

"Mean what?"

"Did you really mean that I'm your best friend?"

Taylor smiled. "Of course Robert!"

So what did you guys think? Is this the reaction you guys were hoping for? And if you're noticing most of my chapter titles are quotes lol sorry I suck at naming chapters... And I suck at poetry...I'm jealous mynamemattersnot, that poem was really good… thought I just throw that in there lol Please review! ^_^

Chase'sGirl19