In The Arms of You

Chapter 2: New School, New People | EDITED

“No, she can’t be gone! She just can’t be!” My eyes flew open and my heart hammered against my chest as if I was having a panic attack. Tears flew from my eyes as I remembered my dream. No, not a dream, a memory. It’s like I’m living that horrible day repeatedly in my dreams.

After calming down a bit I glanced over at my phone which laid on my side table. I picked it up and looked at the time. Four fifty-two in the morning. I placed my phone back down and stared up at the ceiling. Ever since that accident that took my mother’s life happened I’ve had that same dream. Every time I feel eat up with guilt like my conscience is reminding me that it’s all my fault and that I deserve the pain that’s happening to me.

A few more minutes passed—okay more like fifteen minutes—before I got up and decided to go and take a shower. No point in wasting time in bed when I can get ready for the school day without being called names or being hit.

I rummaged around for a towel in one of the bags downstairs and grabbed the box of bathroom items. I headed back upstairs and placed everything in the bathroom before heading back to my own room to gather some clothes to take with me. No way was I walking in the house in only a towel.

As I looked through my box of things I pulled out a black sweater that said ‘Don’t Mess with Me’ across the front and a pair of dark blue jeans. I’ll get my shoes and socks after my shower.

I headed back to the bathroom and locked the door behind me. I took all off my wet clothes I had worn to bed and let the warm water droplets hit my cold and achy skin. I shampooed my hair with a strawberry scent before I rinsed it all out leaving my hair clean. I was in there for about ten minutes before I hopped out, dried off, and got dressed in the sweater and blue jeans. I combed through my hair, so it wouldn’t be tangled when I blow dried it.

Once I was done I left the bathroom and headed back to my room. I shut the door behind me and went in search through my box of stuff for my favorite shoes, my old black converse. Sure, they were worn but they were my favorite. I found a pair of socks and then I slipped everyone onto my feet.

I pulled out a hand mirror from my box along with my hair drier. I plugged the hair drier up and combed through my hair as I dried it. When I was done I placed everything back in the box and searched for my bookbag.

I rummaged for my bag for about twenty minutes for I finally found it shoved towards the bottom. I pulled it out and noticed that under it was a picture frame. In the frame was a picture of mom and me when we went to the carnival when I was eight. I smiled at the picture before picking it up and placing it on the desk.

Spotting the small amount of makeup, I owned, I pulled it out and began to work on making my face presentable and to cover up any existing bruises that may have surfaced from previous beatings. Once I thought I was covered I snapped my makeup bag shut and shoved it into my bookbag just in case.

I grabbed my bag and my phone. I glanced at the time and saw that it said six thirty. Wow, didn’t think I spent that long on myself in forever. I commented in astonishment. I shoved my phone in my back pocket before heading downstairs.

I knew my father and Mack would be awake soon, so I had started their breakfast. It was a rare occasion when I cooked for myself. Having a meal on a day like this is a good thing. Maybe something good would happen to me after the last few months of torture. Just maybe.

I had their breakfast done in thirty minutes. I grabbed myself a few bites of food from the bacon, eggs, and sausage piles I had left for them before I grabbed my bag and slung it on my shoulder. It was around seven now. I headed out of the house before Mack or my father could spot me. I really don’t want to see them this morning and even though I’ll see Mack at school, any time of peace I get from them is the best thing ever.

The only downside of going to school was that Mack was going to be there. Once your brother has touched you in ways that they should never do then you’ll fully understand what I’m going through. Our father doesn’t know what he is doing to me though because when Mack wants to torture me he makes sure our father isn’t home. It’s not like he would call Mack out on it, in fact, he would probably be proud of what Mack has done, but in reality, who knows how he would react. Certainly not me.

I shook all the thoughts of Mack and our father out of my brain. There was no need to give them my attention when I have a chance at escaping the wounds they inflict on me daily. Not paying attention to my surroundings I ran into someone in front of me.

I backed up a bit scared of who I ran into. When I looked up to see who it was I saw it was the girl from yesterday standing in front of me. My hand flew to my chest in relief. “Sorry, Iza?” I said but it came out more as a question on her name. The name sounded right but I wasn’t completely sure.

The girl smiled when she looked at me. “It’s okay Lena.” She said waving me off. After that small invention, we began to walk down the sidewalk which I assumed would eventually lead to the high school. “So, I’m guessing you're attending West Fields High with me?”

“Yeah is there any other high school around?” I asked.

Iza let out a small laugh. “No, but for all, I know you could have been homeschooled. Most students don’t come to school in the middle of the year.” She responded.

“Oh,” I said slightly embarrassed by my question. “Sorry,”

“It’s cool,” Iza said. “So, do you have any other siblings?”

I flicked my eyes around the neighborhood and sighed before I turned my focus back to Iza. “Yes actually, my brother will be coming to school with us. He’s a senior.” I told her and let out a breath I hadn’t realized I’d been holding.

Her face lite up a bit. “You never said you had a brother.” She said excitedly. Boy crazy much?

“Yeah well, when you are moving boxes into a new house you don’t typically tell the first person you meet about your family,” I told her.

“Fair point I suppose.” She said with a shrug. “But you better introduce him to me. For all, you know he could be the one.”

I wanted to laugh at her statement. No way is my brother a perfect match for Iza. From what I’ve seen she has been a perfect little innocent angel, everything Mack is not. “I wouldn’t do that if I were you Iza. My brother is a heartbreaker and trust me, he isn’t worth your tears.” I told her truthfully.

“You never know. I could change his heartbreaker ways.” Iza said in a sing-song voice.

“This isn’t a movie Iza, not even the worst of guys can be changed,” I commented.

Iza gave me a weird look but didn’t comment against my words. I turned my attention back to the sidewalk in front of us. As we walked I noticed a school appearing in the distance. “Welcome to West Fields High, home of the Golden Dragons!” Iza said throwing her arms spreading them wide in the air excitedly.

I rolled my eyes and shook my head. This is one interesting girl. I thought. As we walked up to the school many students stopped talking and looked at me. My shyness that I’ve developed over the last two months appeared with each passing person. I looked at Iza. She was smiling and waving at people unaware of their stares on me, studying me like an insect.

“Will they stop staring at me anytime soon?” I asked getting Iza’s attention as we entered the building.

“Give it a few weeks, but hey you haven’t even talked to any of them and you already have their attention,” Iza said. “Nice.”

Not nice. Not at all. “Not nice. I don’t want to be noticed and acknowledged as the new girl.” I told Iza.

She gave a small laugh. “Well, it’s too late for that.” Iza then looped her arm through mine. “Come on you need to go to the main office to get your schedule.”

I didn’t say anything but that didn’t stop Iza from talking all the way to the office. This girl is a chatterbox but maybe that’s not a bad thing. Just maybe she’ll bring me out of my shy shell I’ve been in for the past two months. Maybe.

Iza took a seat in front of the main office as the secretary sent me back to the principal’s office as soon as I said I was the new student. I took a quick look as Iza who mouthed “Good luck,” in my direction.

I knocked on the door and heard a “Come in,” before I entered the room. I made my way over to a seat in front of a big dark wood desk where a plump woman sat with short brown hair and blue eyes. “You must be Lena Mercer.” She said.

“Yes, ma’am,” I said to her politely. I didn’t want to get on her bad side.

“I’m Dr. Farris and you will call me Dr. Farris as I earned that title, so it will be used understood?” She said. Yes, I didn’t want to get on her bad side now, she is strict just from that one statement.

I nodded my head. “Good.” She said. “Now here is your schedule, map of the school, locker number, and combination.” I took the items off her desk she laid out for me. “I expect you to behave as you did at your last school and under no circumstance do we tolerate bullying or violence of any kind do you understand?”

“Yes, ma’am,” I said and smiled a fake smile towards her. “Anything else?”

“I’m aware you have a brother attending here as well.” She said. “Where is he if he’s not here with you?”

“I wanted to get here early and look around unlike him,” I told her. I wanted to escape the torture that is my home life. I thought but didn’t vocalize. “He’ll be here later.”

Dr. Farris nodded her head. “Now I know of the reason why you and your family moved her Miss. Mercer and even though I’m sorry for your loss, I don’t expect anything different as I do any other student, do I make myself clear?”

I nodded my head. “Crystal.”

“You may go.” She said. I grabbed my bag—which I had placed on the floor when I came in—and headed out the door.

I met Iza in the office. She was texting away on her phone. “Finally, you took forever.” She said. I smiled. “A little strict, isn’t she?” Iza asked as we made our way out of the office. Students walked down and up the hallway when we entered the traffic.

“Just a little bit,” I said and that got Iza laughing.

Before I could tell her my schedule Iza took the paper out of my hands and read over it as we walked in the crowded hallway. “We have second, third, and fifth period together. I’ll walk you to your first period it’s all the way across the school.”

“What about your first block?” I asked. I didn’t want her to be late because of me.

“I’ll be fine.” She said. “Now onward to U.S. History my friend!”

I groaned I hated history, but it was mostly because history reminds me of my mom and that her death is now history. “You okay?” Iza asked bumping my shoulder to get my attention.

“Yeah,” I said softly. Iza looked at me concerningly but didn’t say a word. We soon arrived at my first period.

“Here’s your stop. I’ll find you after first, so we can head to second.” She said. “Oh, and if you want you can sit with my friends and me at lunch if you’d like.”

I gave her a smile. “Yes, I’d like that very much. Better than being alone.” I told her.

“You know it!” She said loudly and we both laughed. I waved good-bye before I turned and entered the classroom.

Inside the classroom, there was a bunch of kids sitting on desks and chatting. Most of them are probably juniors like me but there’s probably a small mix of seniors in here as well. I headed over to a desk near the back hoping I wouldn’t be noticed but that sadly didn’t happen.

A guy with long blonde hair and blue eyes came up to my desk. “So, you’re the new girl huh?” He said in a deep voice.

“Yes, who are you?” I stuttered a bit as I talked. Talking to guys had never really been my thing but especially these last few months as my shyness has gotten the best of me and because of how I am treated at home.

“I’m Isaac and you are?” He said with a bright smile.

“Lena.”

“Nice to meet you, Lena.” He said and hopped up on the desk in front me facing my direction. “How about we go skip and have some fun. This class is boring anyway.” He said smirking in my direction.

Memories rushed to the surface, but I tried my best to push them back. I don’t need to think of that right now. Not of him anyway. He’s gone and in the past. I gave Isaac my own smirk. “Sorry, Isaac but no. Not in a million years.” I said to him.

His face changed from a smirk to a shocked expression. He hopped up off the desk and stalked off back to his friends. I heard sentences like “Dude she just rejected you! Now you owe me $10.” and “I knew you would never get with the new girl dude.”

I rolled my eyes and did my best to ignore them. I heard the classroom door slam open. I glanced to see who it was and saw it was Mack. I laid my head down on my desk with a thud.

This isn’t going to end well.