Here's Chapter 7. Thank you all for the amazing reviews! They really mean a lot to me. :) Happy Christmas everyone! :) xx Let me know what you think! ;)
March 10th 2010
Rachel was standing in her bedroom looking at herself in the mirror. She put her hand on her still badly bruised stomach. The bruises were only half faded. It didn't look as bad as it did last week. Things like bending over to pick something up or sitting down caused Rachel a lot of pain. Her ribcage was still really sore since Quinn punched her. The cheerleaders didn't do much to hurt her in the past week. She got punched twice in the past week. Once by Quinn and once by Santana. Rachel then looked at her chest. Her chest had broken out in angry red blotches. The reason for that was because she was now being slushied 2 to 3 times a day. They always caught Rachel when she was alone. Rachel was starting to worry that they were following her. She would be slushied after school, when she was alone in the hallway. Rachel moved her her fingers over her dry, cracked skin. Rachel always got slushies thrown in her face. The reaction was on her chest because when she got slushied the slushie would run down her chest. Rachel would wash the slushie of her face straight away but because she was in school she couldn't wash it of her chest properly.
Rachel quickly got dressed, putting on a black sweater, black skirt, black shoes and tights and started brushing her hair. She realized that Finn was right about her weight. She noticed herself getting a bit thin. Rachel kept her promise and started eating again. It wasn't great but she was getting there.
"Rachel! Finn's here." Leroy shouted.
Rachel had forgotten that Finn was going to walk her to school that morning. Rachel quickly finished brushing her wavy hair. She let it hang loose and put 2 hair clips in the sides.
Rachel quickly went into the kitchen to see her dads. Hiram was making breakfast while Leroy was sitting at the table reading the newspaper. Finn was standing at the door.
"Sweetie, did you eat breakfast yet?" Hiram asked.
Rachel shook her head. "I just eat some toast on the way to school."
Rachel went over to get her school bag that was on the ground against the wall. Rachel regretted leaving it there last night. Rachel bent down to get it. Leroy heard Rachel moan in pain. He got up and walked over to her.
"Rachel? You okay sweetie?" Leroy said putting his arm around her.
Rachel knew he had heard her moan. She quickly tried to think of a lie.
"Yeah. It's just that time of the month." Rachel whispered into her dads ear. "My stomach is just a bit sore."
"Sweetie, you sure your okay to go to school?" Leroy asked. "You can stay home if you want."
Normally Rachel would say yes but she didn't want to miss Glee and Finn was already there to walk her to school she didn't to leave him.
"I'll be fine, daddy." Rachel said.
"Okay but do you want me to give you some medicine for the pain?" He asked.
Rachel shock her head. "No, It will go in a while."
"Okay sweetie. Just call me if it gets worse." Leroy said.
Rachel nodded and got her toast and walked out with Finn.
"Didn't look like your dads were fighting." Finn said as they walked down the street.
"That's because you were there." Rachel said as she took a bite of her toast.
"Has it been getting any better?" Asked Finn.
Rachel shook her head. "It's getting worse."
"How is it worse?" Asked Finn.
Rachel sighed. "My daddy is still sleeping on the couch. He keeps working late. Last night while they were fighting I heard something smash. I looked in from the stairs and saw a broken glass on the floor."
"Who do you think smashed it?" Finn asked, getting worried.
"I don't know. I don't really want to know." Rachel said.
"Rachel, do you think their starting to get violent with eachother?" Finn asked. Rachel nodded.
"They threaten eachother a lot." Rachel said. "So when I saw the broken glass I thought one of them threw it at the other."
"Rachel if you ever need me just tell me and I'll get you out of there." Finn said.
Rachel laughed. "Finn, I'm not in any danger. They wouldn't hurt me. You have to stop worrying about me."
"I know that, Rach, but accidents happen." Finn said putting his arm around her. "I don't want see you hurt."
"Thank you, Finn." Rachel said.
When they arrived at the school they went straight to Rachel's locker. Rachel put her bag on the ground and opened her locker.
"Did you get your permission slip signed?" She asked.
"Yeah. Did you?" Finn said back. Rachel nodded.
"That trip is going to be so much fun." Finn said.
Rachel nodded. "Yeah. I'm really looking to Sectionals."
"We should plan a trip or something in the summer." Finn said.
"That would be great." Rachel smiled. She bent down to pick up her bag and quickly put her hand over her stomach. "Finn, could you get my bag for me?"
Finn gave her a confused look and picked up her bag. "Why are you holding your stomach?"
"It's just sore." Rachel said. "I'm not well today."
"Rach, you always say your not well when there's something wrong. Now tell me." Finn said.
"No! I swear. I'm not lying." Rachel said. "I promise."
"Okay. Then tell what's wrong?" Finn said.
"I can't." Rachel said as she looked away.
"Why?" Asked Finn.
"It's a girl problem." Rachel said quietly.
Finn quickly understood what she meant. "Oh okay. Sorry Rach."
"Don't worry about it." Rachel said, wishing she could tell him the truth.
Rachel spent the whole day with Finn. Throughout the day Rachel was going to tell him everything. Everytime she was about to tell him fear took over and she suddenly felt sick. At the end of Glee that day, Finn went home while Rachel went to her locker to get her bag.
As she walked past the locker room Rachel was pushed against wall. She let out a cry when she felt pain in her back. The football player who pushed her grabbed her by the hair and dragged her into the boys locker room. He held her against the locker and Rachel looked around to see all the cheerleaders and football players standing around her.
"It's time for some real fun." Quinn said.
Rachel noticed the cheerleaders and football players were all holding a box of matches or a lighter.
"HELP!" Rachel screamed at the top of her lungs.
Santana stepped forward and covered Rachel's mouth."Screaming won't help you."
Santana pushed Rachel to the ground and everyone stood around her. Rachel desperately tried to get get away from them by hitting, kicking and screaming. The football players held Rachel's arms while the cheerleaders held her legs. Quinn got duct tape and covered Rachel's mouth with it. The football players held Rachel's hands over her head and they taped them together. The then taped her ankles together. Rachel looked to see two football players guarding the door. Quinn stepped forward and pulled Rachel's sweater over her stomach. None of them took any notice of the bruises they caused.
One of the football players kneeled down next to her and lit a match.
"Do it!" Santana said.
Rachel watched in horror as the football player put the flame torwards her stomach. She started crying in pain when she felt her skin being burned. They were too strong for her. Rachel moved around trying to get away from them. Brittany watched from the other side of the room while Rachel screamed in pain. They all took turns to light a match on Rachel's stomach. Rachel tried to fight them off until she had no energy left. Brittany watched as Rachel lay back and sobbed they continued to burn her. This went on for nearly an hour.
"Remember Rachel. You tell anyone you'll feel worse pain." Santana said before everyone left.
They left Rachel there tied up. Rachel just lay there and cried. Brittany went over to her and kneeled next to her.
"Rachel?" Brittany put her hand on Rachel's shoulder. Rachel started screaming.
"Shh Rachel it's okay." Brittany said as she stroked Rachel's hair to calm her down. "I'm going to take this tape of your mouth. Okay?"
Rachel nodded and Brittany slowly took the tape of Rachel's mouth.
"P-please don't hurt me." Sobbed Rachel.
"Shh. I'm not going to hurt you." Brittany said. "I'm gonna go to my locker to get my nail scissors."
"Don't leave me alone!" Cried Rachel. "What if they come back?"
"They won't." Said Brittany. "I'll only be a minute."
Brittany ran out. Rachel lay there shaking in fear. After a minute Brittany came back with nail scissors and tissue.
Brittany got a tissue and wiped away the tears on Rachel's face. "I'm going to got the tape off your ankles and then I'll do your hands. Okay?"
Rachel nodded. Brittany got her nail scissors and started to cut through the tape. The only noise that could be heard was Rachel sniffling.
"W-why are you being so nice to me?" Rachel asked, as Brittany took of the tape.
"Cause they used to hurt me too." Brittany said as she helped Rachel sit up and started cutting the tape on Rachel's hands.
Rachel looked up at Brittany. "Your best friends with them."
"They use to hit and kick me." Brittany said. "I think it's because I have Dyslexia."
"When did they stop?" Asked Rachel.
"When I joined the Cheerios." Brittany said.
She got the tape of Rachel's hands and Rachel started crying again. Brittany pulled her into a hug.
"Nobody knows about them hurting me." Brittany said. "They still threaten me sometimes."
"Why didn't you tell anyone?" Rachel asked, still crying.
"Same reason as you. Fear." Brittany said, letting go of Rachel. "I'm right handed. That day I hit you in the bathroom I hit you with my left so I wouldn't hurt you as much."
"Thank you." Rachel said.
"We better get you home." Brittany said as she helped Rachel up.
"It's hurts." Rachel said.
"I know." Brittany said as they walked out of the locker room.
They walked home in silence. Brittany carried Rachel's things. Brittany told her what to do to treat the burns on her stomach.
Rachel wasn't surprised that her dads were fighting when she arrived home. She went into her bathroom and treated the burns like Brittany told her too. She lay in bed that night and cried until she fell asleep.