I was finished with a long tiring day at school. I couldn't go relax at home because my dad might beat me again. Why in the heck is he getting worse?! I sighed and climbed onto the bus and flomped in the back seat. I watched kids pour into the bus. I looked out the window and a dirty blonde boy had Zim held up by his neck and pressed against the school wall. I didn't care that the boy was at least 6 inches taller than me, or more. I couldn't stand it when others got bullied, like me my whole life. It could be the psychotic Dib.

I shoved people out of the way, even knocking a boy off the school bus steps with Oscar clinging on for dear life. I barreled down into the secluded corner of school. I stopped and slowed and snuck behind the boy about 3 yards away. I bolt as fast as I could and I kicked the bully in the nuts.

"AAAAAAAAAHHH!" the boy squealed in pain and fell to the ground. I brought up a snot ball, and spat on the scum bag's hair.

"How does it feel to be a girl now?" he was still screaming in pain, and crying like a baby. I turned my attention to Zim, he was standing. He had red marks on his neck, were the kid was strangling him. He was staring at me with squinted eyes. I rose my eyebrows up at him.

"Why have you been defending me?!" I was taken aback. Couldn't he be thankful?! I was fixing to say 'why are you so rude?!' but I didn't

"When I went into school in kindergarten, I was pinned down and spat on by 5th graders. I was always getting punched and kick, and one time I got beat so bad my face was purple. I had to go to the E.R." I sighed, and his eyes were not squinted.

"I was hospitalized for a few days because I had bleeding in my brain. As I got older, the bullies got even more evil. They resorted to destroying me from the inside out. Filling my head full of negative feelings and thoughts. They called me stupid, ignorant, they said my parents hated me, that they wanted me dead. They used stuff that I did in school that upset my parents against me. Like I punched a boy and broke his nose. A kid saw my parents yelling at me outside about it. He told me that the reason my parents always yell at me when I messed up was because they hated me, and was ashamed of me. It made sense." I sniffed and cleared my throat.

"That's why, I've been protecting you. I've been tormented all my life, and I can't stand by and watch someone get bullied like so many people did to me." his eyes were large and he was looking at me.

"Hmmm... I guess Zim could say thanks." Zim said. I nodded and walked into the bus into the back without another word.

It was bitterly cold out here in the lawn. The wind whipped through my hair and stung at my face. I took a deep breath and walked towards the house that the beast and I lived in I cracked open the door and slid in. I quietly snuck towards my room.

THUD!

I was on the floor in a daze and my head was throbbing.

"STUPID B****!" John screamed.

I looked up just as a boot stepped on my throat. He pushed down hard enough to make it hard to breathe, but I wasn't suffocating. I looked at him with fear. He was wielding a switch, with carved knotches.

"IT'S BECAUSE OF YOU MARY DIED! YOU UNGRATEFUL LITTLE B****!"

he hit me with the switch across the face. By now, tears were flowing down my cheeks, mixing with my blood.. He's right. If I would've said 'watch out' they'd be here now, and I wouldn't be in this situation. I would be happy. So would he, and I wouldn't get beat like this. D*** it! He took his boot off my throat and kicked me in the ribs.

CRICK!

I screamed bloody murder. I would call for help, but the houses around us were too far away to hear. It'd just make my beating even worse. His eyes widened and he let me get up. I looked around, and Oscar was on the fridge. I motioned for Oscar to follow me, and I dashed into my room and locked it. I took my big chair and positioned it to were he would have to get a chainsaw to get in. I felt my ribs.

S***! My rib was almost broken in half.

It's okay. It's okay now, it'll heal. I said in my mind. I checked Oscar and he was just really spooked. I dug around for my craft knife that I used to cut fur fabric to sew with. It will serve a new purpose now. I found it and rolled up my sleeves I took a deep breath.

That's for my mom!

That's for my brother!

That's for yelling at my dad!

That's for smacking my brother.

"NO! NO! NO! NO!" Oscar screamed. I stopped and dropped the blood-soaked knife. I was bleeding, and I cut a 2 inch gash on my arm along with half inch gashes. Thank god I didn't cut deep. I began crying hysterically. I was cutting myself. I was destroying my body, and I lost control. I could have killed myself! But I didn't. I regretted stopping. But if I did kill myself, who's going to watch Oscar?! He'd get killed by my dad. I grabbed one of my dirty shirts and I applied pressure on my cuts. I need to stop this! The more I said that it's not my fault that they died, the more I doubted it. I stopped the bleeding and I let Oscar sleep with me, since I was so exhausted that I couldn't put him in his cage.

I awoke to the sound of a beeping noise. I sat up with pain shooting up and down my ribs. I looked at myself. There was blood on the floor, and a knife that I cut myself with. It came back to me, and I looked at my shirt. my sleeve was stiff and hard from my dried blood. I changed into my long sleeved turtle neck shirt. I changed into a pair of clean, non bloody black jeans I took Oscar and I was fixing to go through my door, but I decided to not go through there. I opened my window and climbed out, dropping into leaves and snow. I shut my window, and ran to the bus stop. I stood there with my hands holding my sleeves, covering my wounds. Today was Friday, and I would have to stay here for- no. I can't I'd kill myself, or John will. The bus stopped and I hopped on and sat at the back seat with Zim.

"Hi." Zim said. That surprised me. I sat down and I sighed

"Hello..." I whispered. He looked at me.

"Your eyes are watering."

I hastily wiped them dry.

"Yeah..." I whispered.

"Tell Zim what's wrong." Zim said. It's funny that he talks about him self in 3rd point of view. I shook my head no.

"How did you get those other cuts on your face?"

I shook my head again.

"Yes, tell Zim!"

"No matter how much you ask, I'm not going to tell you. I don't want any more trouble." My voice was cracking.

"Hmph..." Zim huffed.

I sighed and wiped a tear that was trickling down my cheek. We pretty much didn't say another word. The bus stopped and Zim walked towards the front, and stopped. I stood up and dragged my feet out of the bus, following Zim. We entered class, and history. I couldn't focus, I had too much on my mind to even think about it. The class ended and another started up. I did my school work, I probably get an F since I couldn't pay attention. I sighed. The bell rang for lunch, and I stood up, and walked to the cafeteria. I didn't have a thing to eat. I just sat there with Zim, and I was staring at the wall. Zim shoved his tray in front of me.

"Take it."

"B-but, it's your food!" I protested.

"I'm allergic to all that junk." Zim sighed.

"A-are you sure?"

he made shooing motions towards me, signalling me to eat it.

"You need to eat it. You're underweight."

He was right. I haven't been able to eat right because of my situation. I used to be healthy, but now I'm not. I am so skinny, I can see the bones in my face. I sighed and ate his remaining food, giving Oscar most of the peas. The reason I didn't get food from the cafeteria is because it's one of those schools that give free food out to people with lower incomes. My dad gets a large income, and that crosses me off, and I have no money at all. I finished it rather quickly. The first thing I ate since yesterday lunch. I sighed and I took a swig of water I got from the soda fountain.

"Thank you."

"Eh, atleast it wasn't wasted." he sighed. I smiled and disposed of the tray and sat back down. I laid my head on the table.

"Do you want to tell me?" Zim questioned. I shook my head no. Zim growled in frustration.

"Why? Like, you couldn't have cared less yesterday, yet you care now." I mumbled. And looked at him. He sighed and didn't reply.

"Question?" I asked.

"Hm?"

"Can I see were you live, just in case something happens? Like I get hurt or something?" I asked.

He sat there thinking. "If you tell me why you are like this, I might." I sighed and I laid my head back down that's when the bell rang. I unwillingly sat up and walked to the art room.

Hi! How are you guys? what do you think? any suggestions? please review, and give me ideas, I'm runnin' out of 'em!