TW DEPICTIONS OF ABUSE
Waking with a start, I glanced over to my alarm clock to see it was only 4.30am. Realising I only had an hour to kill before I needed to start Charlie's breakfast, I got out of bed holding back a groan at my protesting muscles and the throbbing of my ribcage. I walked up to my full-length mirror and began to assess the damage from last night. An ugly purple bruise covered my left side while the rest of my body was littered in healing bruises, littering me with ugly yellow splotches.
For as long as I can remember Charlie hated me and used any opportunity to make sure I knew this. He's always been careful to make sure no one else would see what he's really like, making sure my injuries are always able to be covered by my clothes and spinning a story to the town that I'm a typical klutz in order to explain away the ones that can't. No one would ever look closely enough to figure out the truth, who would think that the well-loved chief of police would abuse his own daughter?
I broke myself out of my thoughts and began to get ready for the day, pulling on one of the better outfits I had, a black hoodie with grey jeans. Today is the first day of my senior year, a year I have no use for academically as I've covered the majority of the content in my own time over summer break. However, it means I'll be out of the house and away from Charlie for 8 hours of the day, anything, even shitty classmates is better than being here.
I started looking around the kitchen in order to make Charlie's breakfast, noting that it was practically empty. I began pulling out the ingredients for French toast realising that I'd wasted too much time and had to rush if I was to make his breakfast on time. Cooking was second nature to me at this point as I started cooking for Charlie as soon as I started middle school, he felt as if it was the least I could do to pay him back for raising me. As I was placing the plate of food on the table I heard the thud of familiar boots, each step making my heart jump. Crap! Where was the coffee?
As I grabbed the jug he grabbed my hand in a vice grip. "Why the fuck is my coffee not on the table yet?!" he screamed at me, simultaneously pushing me onto the floor. I could barely take a breath before he kicked me again and again. After a few minutes of this I was sure I wouldn't be able to take any more but then he stopped, "get your worthless ass up!". I slowly pulled myself to my feet, careful to only take shallow breaths in order to avoid agitating my ribs. I poured his coffee and waited for him to take a bite of his food, careful to avoid looking at his eyes. He nodded slightly and I took this as a cue for me to leave.
I waited in my room until I heard the crunch of gravel under tires as Charlie left for work. Placing my books in my bag I got into my truck and headed to Forks high school. Every bump on the poorly maintained roads felt like a knife, my ribs had to have been broken. Pulling into the car park, I had time to spare before I needed to collect my new timetable for the year. Forks high school is exactly what you'd expect from a small town school, everyone knows each other and they all spend time judging those around them, not realising someone is probably doing the same to them. I hated it and honestly I think they all hated me too.
Stepping out of my truck I noticed a silver Volvo parked near the entrance, looking as if it was straight out of a car magazine. Next to it stood what could only be described as a model, his bronze hair making him stand out along with his chiseled features. He stood deep in conversation with a short raven haired girl who was literally bouncing with energy and also looked straight off the runway. Deciding not to stare any longer, I was about to turn away and walk inside. As soon as I started to do so the Model's head shot up and his golden eyes stared directly into my own. His eyebrows pinched together in what I believed to be frustration and his eyes seemed to have hardened. Was he angry at me? Would he hurt me like Charlie and the others?
I took a deep breath and settled my emotions, a skill learnt after 18 years with Charlie. Hearing the ring of the bell, it was time for my senior year to begin.
A/N Wow! This is rough for Bella. Thanks for reading this chapter and I hope you enjoyed! Please review and favourite if you enjoyed it, it helps motivate me a lot more.