Chapter 1
1274 Words
Myrcella's POV
I woke up feeling a lot of pain in my body, but it was Monday and I had to be in school. I managed to get out of bed to take a shower. The hot water eased off the pains a bit and made my muscles relax. One day, I really hope this will be all over.
I got dressed for school in a casual hoodie and jeans in order to cover the bruises on my arms and knees, but I couldn't cover my head enough to disclose the bandage around my head.
Unlike Lloyd and Olivia, I had to take a bus to school because I didn't have a car. I'm grateful they even let me attend college in the first place.
While I got to my faculty, I heard my name across the quad. I raised my head to see my best and, frankly, only friend Emily running towards me.
"Hey girl, I texted you all weekend, but you never replied. I was worried as f*ck," she said, a little out of breath.
"Oh really? I'm sorry I was super busy the entire weekend. I barely found time to even study for the quiz we have this week." I felt bad for ghosting my only friend.
Lloyd and Olivia had a party over the weekend, and they made me scrub the whole house before and after the party and make all the food and snacks.
"Why is there a bandage around your head?! What did they do to you this time?" She queried, her voice a bit raised.
"Relax Emily, it's nothing serious. Just a little cut. I slipped and fell while I was cleaning and hit my head. That's it I promise." I lied.
"You're lying!" She could always see through me.
"Okay okay. I don't want you to get upset. Lloyd and his friends spilled oil on the stairs and I slipped and fell on my way down." I told the truth this time."
"I've told you to move out of that house. I'll support you in any way possible. You're way above legal age and can certainly live alone," Emily said, showing true concern.
"I can't, you know I can't," I said, looking down at my feet.
Emily was a very beautiful girl, with a calm personality. And she's rich too, a bit, not wealthy anyway. She's been my best friend since we were kids. She stood up to Lloyd and his friends when they were picking on me in 3rd grade. We've been best friends ever since.
"I really think you should move out before they really hurt you," she said, a bit upset at the bandage on my head.
"Thanks, but no, thanks," I said playfully.
"How's your head? You could have called me, I'd have kicked their asses. Not like they even had a big a*s like yours, so it would be easy to s***k", Emily jokes. She always finds a way to make me laugh whenever I'm down.
"I'm good and stop joking around. Honestly, it doesn't really hurt that much anymore."
"I take the bandage on your head to be fashionable. Right?" She retorted.
I laughed, though I hate being emotional, this sweet soul always hits a spot.
"Myrcella, you should leave that house," she said for the third time, with a rather serious tone." You might die at this rate. Please come and live with me. You'll do just fine."
" Emily, I've told you countless times, I can't run. It's my father's house, my mother's house! I was born there. Some strangers can't take that away from me" I answered.
"If you are going to just stay there, and you don't want to leave, why aren't you fighting back?"
"It's not time yet, Emily, it's not time. I'm weak, and I don't have money. If I fight this way, I'll loose, just like my mother lost me. I'm not ready, but I will be soon. Once I graduate and get a great job, for now, I'll just endure." It was sad to say, but it was the truth, I had to continue to endure it. We walked into the faculty and made our way to our first lecture hall for the day.
Walking down the hall, I noticed everyone's eyes on me and their phones. I tapped Emily and asked, "Is it just me or is everyone looking strangely at me?"
"It's definitely not you. Wait a minute…." She checked her phone. "Oh my God!"
I looked at her as she stopped walking and stared at her phone with eyes wide open in shock.
I thought you said the fall was not serious?" She half yelled.
I took the phone and saw a video of myself falling recklessly down the stairs and Lloyd's friends laughing at me.
Well, this wasn't the first time he posted my video online. I wasn't surprised at his childish behavior. I gave the phone back to Emily and walked straight to my lecture hall.
I got a text from Emily later "Don't worry too much, people will soon forget. There's always something new on the internet".
Indeed, after class, people seemed to have moved because nobody gave me so much as a second glance.
I left the faculty and was on my way to the refectory because I had missed breakfast and was starving when a car sped by, splashing my entire body with muddy water. It even got into my mouth, which was open out of utter shock.
I looked up to see my devilish step sister and her friend Chloe laugh right before they zoomed off. I held the tears that threatened to roll down my cheeks. I must not cry, at least not here. They can't find me weak.
I found the nearest restroom and texted Emily to help me with a change of clothes. After rinsing my face, I looked into the mirror and saw how messed up I was. I'm a total loser. I shouldn't even be living.
We headed out and begged Emily to take me to her house. The ride was silent because I knew I would break down if I talked about my feelings at that point.
It was quite unfortunate my boyfriend Dylan was out of town. Seeing him right now would take all this sorrow and pain away.
I broke down the minute we got into the house. My tears flowed like a dam that had broken loose. Emily just held me and patted my back and assured me that everything will be fine.
When I was done crying, I went straight to the bathroom and had a proper shower. After changing my clothes, I sank into her bed and dozed off.
I woke up hours later to my phone ringing. "What time is it?" I asked Emily, who was on the couch with her headphones on.
"What time is it?" I asked again as she removed her headphones.
"Oh…uhhhh ….just a few clicks past 5 pm" she replied with a shrug.
I stood up and went for my phone on the reading table and picked up just before it stopped ringing.
"I've been calling you!" Screamed the voice at the other end of the line.
"I'm sorry, I didn't hear it." I answered, totally not in the mood for drama.
"Come home immediately", Irene barked, and the line went dead.
What have I done this time? Well, there is nothing more they can do to me that hasn't already been done.
"Can you drop me off at home please?" I asked Emily.
"Anything for you, girlfriend." She smiled and picked up her car keys.
- Writer
