The Hanging Tree

I groan and sit up. Another day with my abusive dad and my ghost mother. I look at the mirror looking at my mother who is clearly a ghost. "Hey mom..." I say yawning tiredly. My mom's death was ruled a suicide, yet she tells me that my father planned it. That she was just doing dishes and he attacked her and hung he by the ceiling. She feels guilty for letting him drink so much that night.she knew it was going to happen and didn't even try to prevent it. I sigh and look at my phone, there was an announcement for the entire school. Meet in the auditorium, principal wants to introduce new science teacher. I groan and get up, my emotions were nonexistent at this moment. i dress in normal clothing... or well, the uniform... black and blue suit jackets and black dress pants. my white button up seemed to squeeze my body which also means it is shrunk or I've grown bigger... i hope it isn't the second one. i cant grow any bigger than i am. for a small school we sure as hell got enough money... for my family... our money goes into gambling and alcohol for my father... i on the other hand refuse to be such an asshole and work for the food that used to be in the cabinets. now my father sneaks into my room and takes my money, mom isn't here to stop him so why not huh? "you atleast have enough for lunch right?" she said looking slightly worn out. "nope...." i open my now broken safe and sigh, "i don't have any money..." i look at the now empty safe. "but you saved up so much!" she was angry. she can't do anything but scare the s**t out of her husband. Even if he won't do as she commands in this ghost form. I sigh. "I will do fine without lunch today...." I say exiting the room seeing my father sucking faces with a w***e who he used my money to get her in his bed. "don't talk to yourself...." my father looked at me with daggers. I roll my eyes and hurry out the door with my backpack slung over my shoulder. the school was about a mile from my house and i am being forced to walk because i don't have any money for a cab. i sigh when a truck pulls up beside me, two girls eying me with a smirk. "wanna ride sexy?" the driver sais looking at me expectantly. I shake my head no and continue walking. "awe come on, it is too hot outside to be walking...." the passenger said smirking. "actually it is thirty degrees fahrenheit and i prefer to walk than get a ride by the two well known whores..." i walk faster as the girls continue to pester me. finally the jock known as Ray comes walking around the corner and noticed the girls trying to get me to ride with them. "ladies, he promised to walk with me..." he but in. his eyes scan the ladies as if looking for some reassurance. they both smile at me, "you know what, be nice to him or you are dead..." are they serious right now... they sped off. Ray smiled and watched them speed off. "they like you..." he smiled, walking along side me. i groan and continue towards the school. he smiles, "did you get a change in style?" "f**k off..." ***** I groan and continue to my destination. after school the dumb jock kept bothering me. nonstop. i decide imma hang out in the woods by seven eleven. the woods isn't much but it is calming enough. I sit down by a tree and look at the setting sun behind the trees. i am not going home tonight... dad said he is doing some important stuff and would like it if i would stay out all night. I sigh and almost start crying. this tree is my little hang out. it was cold and the air started stinging my face. i sigh and listen to the wilderness. suddenly something warm and dark covered my head. i growl and listen as it was suddenly quiet. "don't tell me you are homeless bro..." the owner of this jacket, in which i threw on the cold ground, said sounding concerned. "sometimes, i wish i was..." the words slipped my lips before i could even think. "why is that?" he asked as i look in his direction. it was Ray. the black haired jock who is supposedly nice to everyone. i didnt wanna say anything. I just looked away and kept watching the woods around me. the area seemed to quiet down when the brute standing against a tree decided to sit down. "thirsty?" he asked sitting on the ground beside me. I make a grunt to say no but felt my instincts kick in as a bottle of pepsi is flung at me. catching it i look at the drink in my hands ignoring the growl of my stomach. I sigh not knowing how to react to the male beside me. "I see you hang out here when you have nobody to talk to..." he interrupted my thoughts. "you do the same don't you Ray..." the words slipped my lips causing me to look over at the male. "yea..." he looked as if he was going to cry. "talk to me..." the words seemed to make him look at me scared. "wait really?..." "yes" i smile at him reassuringly. "well.... it probably nothing much compared to you, but my girlfriend is cheating on me with my best friend, my sister says i am nothing but a burden and i have to hold many secrets of others that don't even care about anyone but themselves." he started crying as i listened to him, shivering. he was babbling on and on about what his life is doing to him. pouring out his heart. i smile and listen to him. his story is so real compared to mine. "hm... seems like you really needed that..." i look at him from the corner of my eye, sighing at the big man now in shambles. "what about you?" he smiled at me, his tears drying up as he scooted closer to me. "i have an abusive father who my ghost mother says killed her." i just blurted it out sounding crazy. i sigh. "continue..." Ray said putting his jacket back over my arms. "and my dad took all of my savings and my money i was gonna use for my lunch... just so he could get a w***e in his bed..." i say, sighing, "my Mom said she could guilt trip him into giving it back but i doubt he would do it." "you talk to the ghost of your mom?" i knew i shouldn't have said anything he probably thinks i am crazy. "kinda..." i sigh, "she hates it when i cut myself and gets annoyed when i don't listen to her warnings. she still acts like my mum" i grunt at the sudden heart wrenching feeling, i can't seem to get rid of, takes over and i am holding back tears. "i wonder if mom can't pass on because of my dad..." the words barely audible. a warm feeling engulfs me as i am pulled into a hug. "you cut?" he was hugging me to him. tightly holding me as if to protect me from the things i can't protect myself from. "yes..." i show him the slices along my arm. the low glow of the moon giving a good example of it. his breath hitched at the newer looking ones. i sigh and try to pull away from him. tears fill my eyes. he tightens his grip around me, growling in a protective tone. "where did that bruise come from..." he looked at the purple on my skin under the glow of the moonlight. "um..." i wanted to make up a lie and get out of his grip. from what i could tell he wouldn't let go. "it is cold..." he said hugging me tighter, "you are cold." he hugged me like i was his.