I look up to my dad as tears fill my eyes from the cuts and how he is feeling. 

"This is all your fault! It's your fault she's gone!"

I stand up and my dad rushes over to me grabbing my arm and pulling back a fist. I duck down making his fist go through the wall as Jenny shrieks at him to stop. I pull away from him and race down the hall to my room on crutches. I slam the door behind me as thundering footsteps come my way. I lock the door and pack my backpack with my phones, money, extra random clothes and a toothbrush and hairbrush. I quickly slide on a jacket and some shoes along with slinging my backpack over my shoulder and open my window next to my bed. 

I throw my backpack down as carefully as possible and follow by jumping out the window into the backyard. I run around to the front and race down the driveway. I hear the front door open.

"Get back here you little w&^$*!"

I continue to run when I hear a bottle shatter and see it shatter behind me almost hitting me.

I run as the icy air fills my lugs cooling the burning sensation as I continue to sprint. My hair makes me colder as it is soaked from the beer. I continue to run, scared he is after me. I have never seen him like this. 

I eventually make it to a bridge over a river and run down the rock path to under the bridge limping on one leg. I drop my crutches and lean back putting my hands behind my head.

"Beth?"

I look up scared from the surprise of someone being here making me take a step back before seeing who it is. It's the guys. They each have a cigarette in their mouths or in their hand. They look at me, surprised.

I lean back under the bridge against one of the braces.

"You alright?"

"Yeah. I'm good."

"Were you drinking?"

"Poice found you or something?"

"I wasn't drinking. So, no, police are not after me."

"Well, you have to be drunk because you smell like beer. Did not take you for a beer sort of person."

"I'm sober. I can walk in a straight line and everything."

"So why are you here, strongly smelling of beer?"

"That's family stuff."

"The beer?"

"It's in my hair. I did not drink any."

Gray flicks his cigarette in the river and they all continue to look at me. I run my hand back through my hair and finally start to slow my breathing.

"Mind me asking why you have beer in your hair?"

"I had a beer bottle thrown at my head. And I ran. This just so happens to be where I am taking a break from running."

"Dad not handling it so well?"

I put my head back then nod.

"Yeah. Not well at all."

"Do you need a place to stay? Or a ride?"

"No, I'm gonna just go the hotel down the road."

"C'mon, we'll give you a lift."

"I ran here on a broken leg with crutches and a bag on my back. I'll be okay. Thanks though. How did it go with the Tori girl?"

"Got her number."

I pull out my phone and look to them.

"Your worried about us getting a date while you smell like beer, your arms are bleeding and are on the run from your parents?"

"It's easier now than later when I'm three hours late to school."

"541-634-####"

I quickly enter it in and put it back in my bag.

"I better get to the hotel before it gets any later."

"You sure you don't want a ride?"

"Yeah, thanks though."

I began to grab my crutches and go to walk back up.

"Hey, Beth?"

I turn to look at them.

"Thanks."

I smile at them. "Payback for what you guys have done for me."

I walk back up and across the bridge. The cool air sends shivers down my arms and legs despite my jacket and warm pants.

I finally make it to the hotel and let the warm air consume me as I step in. It is silent and one guy at the front desk. Since I am a minor, smelling like beer he might turn me away.

I walk to him and stand there for a moment before he looks to me.

"How much for one night?"

"Sixty. One bed or two?"

"One."

"Fifty, then."

I hand him a hundred and he hands me a fifty back along with a key. 

"Second floor. Name?"

"Beth."

"Your good to go."

"Thanks."

he turns his attention away looking back to his computer. I walk to the elevator and go to the second floor, easily finding my room. I put the key in and turn it, allowing me to go in. I pull out my key and close the door, locking both of the locks. 

I head to the bathroom first and take a shower, washing the beer out of my hair and cleaning the blood off my arms. I found a few plastic bags to protect my cast as well. I soon get out of the shower, freezing from the cool air of the vent. I change into a pair of yoga pants and a big t-shirt. I find a first aid kit and clean up my cuts after getting dressed.

 I grab the blow dryer off the wall and dry my hair trying to make sure any scent of beer is gone. I grab a plastic bag from next to the coffee machine and put my dirty clothes inside after.

I grab my homework after and finish it quickly, not going into detail on answers that don't need to be explained. I wash my clothes in the sink, not about to go to the washing machine room downstairs. I leave them to dry and go to bed after setting my phone to wake me up at six AM.

OoOoONext MorningoOoOo

I wake up to nails on a chalkboard next to me and quickly get up already understanding the situation. I change into a fresh pair of clothes and clean up my mess, putting all my clothes in a plastic bag then hiding it in my bag. I brush my teeth and my hair. 

I pause for a moment looking at the huge band-aid still on my face. I pull it off and see the thin line of a scab replacing the blood. I throw away the bloody band-aid and are careful about it. I make a free cup of coffee as I finish cleaning up my nighttime mess. 

When I am ready I grab my coffee, pouring a cup and filling it with five packs of sugar and one cream. I grab a small spoon from the cup on the wall and stir it as I grab my bag and brush my hair. I drink the majority of the coffee and get out of the room before seven thirty.

I grab my crutches as my leg is sore from me hopping around on it and running last night. My stomach actually still hurts from the ice cream from yesterday. I chuckle thinking about it as I head out of the room, trying to distract myself.

I drop off the keys at the front desk and head out quickly. I put on my hoodie before I start walking to school and think back to yesterday and all that's happened this week. 

I begin to walk through the foggy, cold air. My fingers freeze as I hold my crutches. The breeze doesn't make it any better. I start seeing white dots ahead of me and look up. It's snowing. I smile at my misfortune. Although it is beautiful, I am freezing. I pull my sleeves over my hands as much as I can and continue a bit faster so I can warm up and get there faster. I soon see a car pull up next to me and the horn honks. I stop and look over. The passenger's window rolls down and so does the back seat window and I see L.J and Mason sitting there with a fake annoyed look.

"Get in the car nerd."

I smile at them. "Gladly."

I walk over and Mason scoots over, opening the back door. I come in and sit down bringing my crutches beside me and close the door.

"Once you turn sixteen and get a car, you owe us a lot of rides."

"Even if I get a buggy?"

"You wouldn't."

"I would slap you."

I chuckle at them as they smirk with serious looks. Gray, in the driver seat, turns back around and continues to drive.

"Your dad know where you are?"

"He's probably asleep. He won't wake up till I'm already home."

"Hey, since we are giving you a ride and you won't have a license for a while longer. You have to come with us after school."

"Where to?"

"You'll find out later."

"Alright, that's fair," I say sarcastically.

"So, you think they gonna show today?" L.J. asks.

"Yep, just to try and get revenge."

"What do they have against you?" Gray asks me.

"They take my stuff and my homework to get good grades. When I stopped handing over my stuff they go after me to give up my stuff."

"That's brutal."

"Yep."

We continue to talk and they tease me about where we are going without telling me where it is. I look through the fogged window after rolling my eyes at them from taunting me. I see the school as we pull into the parking lot. He soon pulls into a parking space away from the school zone.

"Why here?"

"If they are here today, they will slash my tires and key my car like b*^$#> if they see my car."

I smirk and step out of the car, getting on my crutches in the cold air. We all walk in together meeting A and Trever inside. First class is normal except the teacher changes Gray's seat next to me in the front and the others don't mess with me. The rest of the day goes the same until last period. I am coming back to the gym after picking up some extra dodgeballs that I carry on the side of my crutch.

As I walk I can hear people talk about me.

"I hear the cut on her cheek is to show off how much she cuts herself."

"I heard the guys had to cut her cheek because she went psycho on them."

"I saw her get into a knife fight with A."

"I watched her copying work off the teacher's answer sheet."

High school stinks.

I walk past the girls again, but this time they grab my arm.

"Where are you going?"

"Let go of my arm. Now."

"Or else what?"

"I didn't say 'or else' Lela. I said get your hands off me. That's not a threat."

"Are you telling me what to do?"

I turn around fully and look her in the eyes.

"Stop acting like 'the bomb' when you're being a stuck up snob and let go of my arm."

Ooh's and oww's come from the silent hallway. 

"Says the one who is telling her what to do." Courtney retorts with puffing out her chest a bit.

"Oh drop the act, everyone knows you stuff your bra."

They all look at me with disbelief. 

"How did you-" Courtney starts.

"Courtney! You listen here. Just because you are buddy, buddy with the bad boys does not make you the queen. And everyone knows you are really are gay."

"Oh no! My biggest secret! Exposed by a girl who had to become friends with plastic surgery barbie and hair plugs to become somewhat popular because she's jealous of the nerd." I say the first part as dramatically and fake as possible.

"You don't want to start this."

"No. You started this when you hire bodyguards so it looks like you are actually were in love once. Oh, and when you stole my hard work, and when you start trying to make me look like dirt and when you spread rumors about me. Yeah, I may be the nerd but at least I have real friends and I don't lie to become popular." I pull my arm away from her and all eyes are on us. 

"Don't try to play ino-"

I hold my hand to her face to stop her from talking and turn, walking away.

"Don't you walk away from us."

I continue to walk. They run up behind me and pull my crutch from beneath me making me fall but I catch my self on the wall, still hanging onto my crutches.

"Oops."

They smirk at me and begin to walk away. I grab my crutch and use the bottom of it to hit behind the knee just enough to get a reaction from her but not hurt her.

"For the record, I meant to do that."

I stand back up fully and walk away. The hallway is silent now. I turn around again though.

"By the way, I didn't smack her with my crutch, she is standing fine. Stop telling rumors to make yourself feel better."

I get called a few names with that last part but I smile, proud of myself. I walk in the door and kids rush at me to grab more dodgeballs. I let them at it. No one has peed themselves. They deserve it.

"Miss J?"

I look to a little girl who is standing beside me.

"Yeah?"

She looks down.

I take it back. Only one pee incident.

The mothers pick them up sooner than usual today so me and the gym teacher get off early even though we still need to pick up the dodgeballs. We put on our latex gloves and pick up the booger covered dodgeballs. The janitors clean them while we pick up the rest of the gym. The bell rings when we finish and I go into the storage room to grab my backpack I hid from them. 

The gym teacher already left. I head into the back uncovering it from the yoga mats. I sling it over my shoulder and stand up but when I do the door closes. I head over and see the foot stop is missing. I go for the doorknob. Locked. 

"Who's really the cool one now Beth?" I hear Britney say.

"Still me because I have my phone. Unless you guys want to guard this door for a good while, I'm out of here in five minutes tops."

"Not with us here."  A guy voice projects through the door.

"Really? You guys have the guts to show up when last time Daniels face was colored red and Jace peed himself?"

"Without those guys you are nothing. Calling them will prove our point. Later Little B."

I hear the key clatter on the floor and they do a really bad impression of walking away. I sigh at how dumb they are. I grab the zipper to my bag and stick it in the door's lock. In just five seconds it unlocks and opens. I step out, putting my bag on my shoulder. I see them all look at me, their smiles turn. I take a bow and walk away. I feel a pull on my hair and turn seeing Courtney tugging in my hair. She goes to throw a punch at me and I grab it twisting her arm and pushing her back as she lets go of my hair. I steady my crutches again and walk out. They don't follow me.

I head into the parking lot seeing snow cover the ground. I smile as I look at the snow still falling...that is till I feel a cold hit to my face.