Chapter Eight Bruises Don’t Lie
1140 Words
Abby’s POV
I keep my head down as I walk into class. It’s early enough that the lecture hall isn't full yet, just scattered students, low chatter and the soft scrape of chairs against the floor. It’s normal
It is painfully normal here
Like I didn’t spend the entire night crying myself empty or like I didn't wake up with a face I barely recognized
I slid into my usual seat on the middle row, pulling my hoodie tighter around me. The fabric brushes against my cheek and I flinch.
God…even that hurts
I carefully reached into my bag , pulling out my notebook and burying myself deeper into my chair. I’m certain if I stay like this, half hidden, no one will look too closely and hopefully no one will notice
“Abby?”
My fingers freeze over the page
Oh no, not today bestie
“Hey,” I say, forcing a small smile as I glance up
Harper stands beside my desk, her brows drawn together, her lips parted slightly like she is trying to figure something out or she already has
She drops into the seat next to me without asking, her eyes scanning my face
“What happened to you?”
School isn’t even worth the interrogation session I was about to go through?
Arghh!
“I…what?” I let out a soft laugh “Uhh,nothing…yeah”
She sharpens her gaze. “Nah, don’t do that,” she says
“Do what?”
“That thing where you pretend everything is fine when it’s clearly not.”
I look away, flipping open my notebook again not like I cared the slightest about whatever the professor was about to say
“I’m fine, Harper.”
“Abby?”
Even though I’m the one being difficult, I sigh
“I walked into a wall, okay?”I mutter“See right, no big deal.”
I can feel her staring hard at me. “Say that again,” she says slowly
I frown. “What?”
“You walked into a wall,” she repeats. “Seriously? That’s what you’re going with?”
I shrug, forcing nonchalance into my shoulders. “Yeah, I wasn’t paying attention and…”
“Okay, please stop.”
I blink at her
Harper leans close. “Turn your face properly.”
“Harper, it’s really not…”
“Abby.”
There’s something in her tone this time
Reluctantly, I shift toward her
“Listen, it’s just a bruise…”
“That’s not from a wall,” she says
She lifts her hands to touch my face, then stops mid-air
“Who did this to you?”
My heart skips a beat
“No one.”
“Abby!”
“No one, f**k!”
Her eyes search mine waiting to crack my lie
I don’t tell her the truth and even if I wanted to, I can’t “it was an accident.” I add, offer now. “I’m just…clumsy.”
Her jaw clenches. “God, you really are a terrible liar.”
I let out a small breath, trying to smile again
“Good thing I'm not trying to win an award then.”
She doesn’t smile back.
Instead, she leans back in her chair, crossing her arms, still watching me “Was it Jordan?”
For some reason, the question hits like a slap, I stiffen. “What? No.”
Her eyes narrow on me. “Abby…”
“God Harper! It wasn’t him okay” I cut in. A few heads turn briefly before looking away again “Was it Jordan?”
I lower my voice, forcing calm into it. “It wasn’t Jordan.”
“You’re sure?” She says, studying every detail on my face i could tell
I nod. She exhales slowly, dragging a hand through her hair. So tell me exactly what happened.”
I told you,” I say quietly. “I walked into a wall”
She let’s out a short laugh. “Because walls now come with perfectly shaped handprints, right?”
I press my lips together, looking away again
“Can we just drop it…please.” I whisper
There’s a long pause. “Fine”
Thankfully, the professor walks in then, saving me from whatever she was going to say next. The room settles as the lecture begins. I focus on the board, or at least, I pretend to
I hoped I would be present enough to find any meaning to what my professor had been saying but it all just past me. As for Harper I could tell she had all of her attention on me instead of our professor
The class finally comes to an end and I move quickly, shoving my things into my bag before anyone can stop me.
“Abby,wait.”
Of course. I close my eyes for a second before turning around
“Um, I have another class.” I say before she can speak
I force a small smile. “Maybe I just really like school.” She doesn’t react. “Come with me.”
“Harper…”
“Now!”
Reluctantly, I follow her out into the hallway, away from the crowd until we reach a deserted corner near the stairwell.
She turns to face me fully
“Now, try again.”
I blink. “What?”
“What happened to you?”
I shake my head, already stepping back. “I told you…”
“Girl, you lied.”
“Why does it matter so much?”
Her expression softens. “Because you matter!”
I look away. “I’m fine, Harper.”
“You’re not fine.”
“I am.”
The repetition makes something in my snap
“I said I am fine!”
We both freeze.
I swallow hard, my hands trembling again. “I just…l my voice breaks. “I just need you to believe me.”
“I don’t believe you,” she says. “But I’ll stop asking.”
Finally
“Thank you.”
She steps closer, lowering her voice
“But if someone is hurting you , Abby. I swear I’ll find out.”
A chill runs through me. “And when I do, it won’t end quietly.”
I try to laugh it off but it comes out weak. “There’s nothing to find.”
She holds my gaze and then nods. “Okay.”
I knew the conversation was far from over, I knew I was about to get monitored and questioned for a rally long time. I didn’t want it and I wasn’t even ready for it. This is a phase I am more than happy to keep buried
I let out a shaky breath, pressing my hand lightly against my bruised cheek.
How long was I going to keep this a secret for?
- Writer
