Chpt.7

I didn't know what to think of the two people who were welcomed into Wally's apartment. There was a tall man who was well dressed in a suit. His eyes were incredibly blue and his hair was raven black. He appeared kind but there was something about him… almost like he was a nice person but just grumpy from not sleeping well or something.

Next to the man was a tall woman who was beautiful. Her skin was a darker tone and her brown hair was pulled into a tight ponytail without a strand out of place.

"Lyf, can you come over here?" Wally questioned in his kind voice. I had yet to move, still afraid about what those two new people could possibly do to me.

However, Wally said that they were good people so, taking in a breath to calm my erratic heartbeat, I stepped forward to meet the new people.

"H-hello." I gave a small wave and both the man and woman smiled at me, the woman's smile was much larger than the man's.

"Hello Lyf, it's nice to meet you." The man grinned, sticking his hand out. At first I was concerned about what he wanted me to do but once I gave him my hand, he shook it, just like I had seen in movies. "My name is Mister Bruce Wayne. This is the lawyer I brought, Miss Kate Spencer."

"I'm pleased to meet you Lyf." The woman knelt down and also shook my hand.

"I-It's nice to m-meet you two too." I stuttered out. I didn't know why I was still nervous, but I didn't want to fully trust these people yet.

Wally had Mr. Wayne and Ms. Spencer walked further into his apartment and have a seat on the couch, where they started to discuss things. I sat next to Wally, but I didn't exactly know what they were talking about. It was something about the courts, but they used really big words and I didn't feel like trying to understand. So I just sat next to Wally and relaxed, spacing out for a little bit.

"Lyf?" I broke out of my trance and looked up at Wally.

"W-What?" I questioned. He smiled at me and patted my head, not angry about my lack of paying attention.

"Ms. Spence has a few questions she wants to ask you to help with the court case. Mr. Wayne and I are going to leave you two so you can talk. Are you okay with that?" he questioned.

I wasn't. I didn't want to be left with this woman I hardly knew and away from Wally because Wally was everything safe and warm. However, I knew that this was probably important to the court case and that if I wanted to continue staying with Wally, it'd be a good idea to talk to the woman.

"A-Alright. You won't be too far away, right?" Wally gave me a comforting smile.

"I won't be far away at all." With that, he and Bruce left the room, leaving me with the woman.

"Hello Lyf. Now, I am going to do everything in my power to make sure that you are not returned to your mother." She stated and I smiled at her.

"Th-thank you."

"However, you need to tell me what she did to you so I can further your cause in the courtroom." Ms. Spencer stated, and I stared at the woman, wide eyed.

"You want to know everything she did to me?" I questioned, my voice soft.

"Yes. But take your time, alright? You don't have anything to be afraid of." I chewed on my bottom lip nervously, then said,

"She hit me a lot. With her hands, with a pan, with a beer bottle. Whatever she really could find, that's what she would hit me with."

"Where would she hit you?" Ms. Spencer inquired. The images of my mother hurting me rushed through my head, causing me to shake at the memory.

"Sh-she hit me wherever she could. My head. My arms. My back. I'd dodge a lot but she'd eventually grab me. She didn't f-feed me a lot so I wouldn't be strong enough to run away." I shuttered, remembering the feeling of my stomach growling in pain and my mother's teasing voice when she would ask me if I was hungry.

"I… see." Ms. Spencer nodded her head, but looked kind of angry. It wasn't showing much in her face, just in her eyes. It made me anxious.

"She cut me sometimes too. With knives or scissors. I'd sleep in a closet that she'd lock me in. Sometimes she forgot to unlock it." I whispered that last sentence, remembering sweating in the hot closet and pounding on the door, trying to get out. "I… I don't like it… I don't like this." I whispered, shaking, thinking about what my mother did to me made me scared. I could feel tears running down my cheeks and Ms. Spencer grasped my hand, making me jump.

"Thank you for telling me this. I know that it must be difficult, but you're okay here, Lyf. You're okay." Ms. Spencer spoke to me in a soft voice that made me relax a bit.

"I… Is there anything else you want to know?" I inquired. I wanted this to be over. I wanted Wally.

"If you have any scars, can I take pictures of them to show to the court as evidence?" Ms. Spencer inquired. I slowly nodded, rolling up my sleeves and pant legs so she could see my scars. I wasn't used to people looking at my scars since I usually tried to cover them up. It made me want to curl up into myself, but Wally said that this would help with the court case. If I wanted to stay with Wally, then I needed to do this.

Ms. Spencer took the pictures and once she was finished I questioned,

"I-Is there anything else?" Ms. Spencer stared at me for a moment and then inquired in a gentle voice,

"You have more scars, don't you?"

I could hear the small gasp I let out and I instinctively brought my hands to rest on my stomach and ribs.

"N-no." I whispered, shaking my head. "No. Please. I don't want you to see them. I-I don't want anyone to see them. The scars on my arms are enough, right? Please… please I don't… I want… I don't like this… Wally. I want Uncle Wally. I'm sorry… I'm s-sorry… Wally… Wally." That's when I ran. Before Ms. Spencer could say a single word I sprinted out of the room into the hall where Wally and Mr. Wayne were.

I clutched onto Wally's leg as I shook and cried.

It was obvious that Wally was taken of guard at first, but then he lifted me up and patted my back.

"Shhh. Lyf. It's alright. It's okay." He hugged me and kept whispering nice things to try to ease my fears.

I knew that he was with Mr. Wayne, but I honestly couldn't care at the moment. I just wanted to hug Wally since he made me feel so safe.

"What happened?" I heard Mr. Wayne question, however Ms. Spencer was suddenly in the doorway.

"I asked a sensitive question." She sighed, sounding apologetic.

Wally, carrying me, went back into the apartment with Ms. Spencer and Mr. Wayne.

"I'm sorry if I scared you Lyf. That was not my intention." She informed, her voice gentle and kind.

"I-It's alright." Looking back on it, I figured that I must have seemed ridiculous getting so worked up over taking a picture of my other scars. It was just… not only did I not want other people to see them, but not even I liked seeing them. "I guess I over reacted, I just… I don't like them."

"Don't like what, Lyf?" Mr. Wayne questioned.

"My other scars on my stomach and ribs." I informed as Wally put me down on the ground and he looked at me with worry.

"You have more scars?" his voice sounded sad, so I didn't want to lie to him.

"Yeah… I do." I then looked over at Ms. Spencer. "Would having pictures of my other scars be really important in the court room?"

"Ideally, yes it would be." Ms. Spenser answered. "However, if it makes you uncomfortable-"

"I'll show you." I sighed, cutting her off. "I don't want to go back to my mother, so I'll show you."

My fingers shook as I grabbed the hem of my shirt and lift it up revealing my stomach. I heard an audible gasp from Ms. Spencer and I flinched a bit, but kept the shirt up so she could take the picture.

I knew what they all were looking at.

They saw long scars that ran all over and one particular scar that my mother had carved into my skin. It spelled out the word,

Worthless