Ding

The bell rung signaling the end of first period only seven more to go I muttered I waited for the late bell to ring so the halls would be empty before venturing out to collect my abandoned backpack but once I arrived to the empty classroom it was nowhere to be found.

I walked up and down isles of desks looking to see if it was kicked around but came up empty handed.

Rubbing the back of my head I mumbled "Where the hell..."

"Looking for this?" came a deep voice i already know who was gonna be there, Fang.

I turned slowly to look at him he was standing in the doorway leaning against the frame swinging my backpack back and forth in front of him taunting me to see if i was brave enough to retrieve it, a rather stupid game to play with me.

I walked up to him making sure my mental wall was in place to put away all emotions of anxiety or fear and only show determination and a slight amount of irritation.

Just as I reached him and extended my hand to grab it from him he pulled it away just enough to keep it from me and leaned forward he looked at me with his black orbs I almost forgot to take a breath it felt like they were swallowing me, but not necessarily in a bad way they, like in a way that they would transport me to a better place where its always beautiful and the night sky always shown with a million stars.

I blinked a couple times to clear my head but stared back at him with interest.

"Tread carefully Max, I can only hold back for so long."

Then he extended his hand holding my backpack out to me, I took it but couldn't quite hold my tongue.

"Hold back? Is that what you've been doing my bad I haven't noticed"

Whipping out an arm in front of me to block my path he showed his full anger in his eyes.

"I have never hurt you Max but that can all change if you keep finding it necessary to publicly challenge me"

"Never hurt me?! I'm sorry were all those words and shoving me around and relentlessly teasing me suppose to be nice?!" My voice kept rising and loosing its volume control the more i talked.

"Stop pushing me Max, you don't know what pain is!" He yelled while leaning towards me so he was only a foot away.

Pinching the bridge of his nose with hand he turned and whispered so softly.

"They want me to do so much more, I can only protect you for so long." And with that cheerful note he walked away without looking back.

I was in a daze the rest of school thinking about what he said before I knew it, it was time to go home.

Kicking gravel with my worn out shoes every step of the way I trudged home not even bothering to hope Jeb wasn't there *sigh* he's always there.

I got home sooner then I had hoped staring up at the cookie cutter house it looked like the rest on the block 4 bedroom, 2 bath, white walls, dark secrets.

Opening the front door I walked int the living room and saw Jeb sitting with Ari doing homework.

Ari waved at me with a huge grin. "Hi Maxi" I nodded to him in reply with a smile knowing better then to talk to him with Jeb in the room, I couldn't risk him getting mad with Ari around that was still his father figure, his dad.

"Go to you'r room Maximum" growled Jeb "I will visit you later" and with that he went back to helping Ari without even looking at me.

I walked to the basement door and with a heavy sigh I opened it letting the feeling of the cold dank air welcome me home into it's loving arms as it wisps around my face letting me know it understands stroking softly but still unwanted.

Closing the door with a soft thud I descend the stairs into my own little part of the house to count the minutes until Jeb would inevitably come down with all his wrath and rage built up through out the day to release it all on me.

*drip* *drip* *drip*

I focused on the noise of the sink water from my bathroom to pass time to try and distract my mind from the inevitable, but like always here ... he ... comes.

I hear his feet moving with impatience and need, waiting for Ari to go to his room so he can finally have his fun then I hear his clunky footsteps on the stairs still picking up speed barely containing his excitement, rounding the corner at the last stair he runs at me full sprint and with as much force as he can muster punches me in the right side of my face, it whips sideways only to meet the wall I was leaning against.

He grabs the shoulder of my jacket a pulls me up with minimal resistance I know I should fight back, I normally do but I kept hearing Fangs words replaying over and over "You don't know what pain is."

As i'm pulled to my feet he lets go of me takes a step back and shoves his shoulder into my stomach making me double over but he already has my shoulder again pulling me to my feet.

This time he leaves me standing there for a second until I realize it's to get a metal pipe leaning against the wall unnoticed.

He swings it full force into my side I maneuver just in time to soften the blow and not crack a rib but just barely it still hits my hip with a thud.

Then its whistling back through the air at full speed for my head I look up just in time to see in make impact and everything turns black, my sweet relief.

I crack my eyes open and groan trying to turn to my side to give my stomach a break even though my body protests I force it to roll over and accept my pain.

Glancing at the clock it glared 7:28 in a blinding green glow pouting I dragged my body up the wall and used it to support me to the bathroom leaning on it the whole way I stood in the shower before starting it so I could suck up every second of its lukewarm glory.

Once done I just put on another pair of jeans and a sweater as always leaving my hair down to cover most of my face and concealer to cover the rest and I was out the door all within 15 minutes.

Risking making a dash for the outside door as my heart pounds through my chest I hear His voice as I get one hand on the door knob to freedom "We'll be having company tonight I have a friend who needs tips in disciplining his children so I expect you on time today understood?"

I nod my head in a short reply but he takes this as sign enough I have heard him and he dismisses me with a wave of his hand.

Now my head is swirling with emotions dread, fear, anger, remorse for whoever's poor kids were coming over but I tried to shove all these feeling into the back of my mind as school came into view.