[Chapter 10 - The Past and The Present]

- Riley -

It was now Friday, and the painkillers are really helping in school. Kayden has been my ride to and from school since I injured myself. He even finds the need to carry my bag in between classes, which means he races to my classes after his and ends up late to most of his.

I feel bad because it shouldn't be like that, I was fine carrying my things but Kayden disagreed. Right now I was walking towards math with Whinnie and Kayden since he was carrying my things. I noticed girls envying me and giving me dirty looks and gawking at Kayden.

For the first time in a long time, I was actually becoming self-conscious about myself and my image with Kayden. Do they think of me as a slut? Am I not good enough or pretty enough for them?

Questions ran through my head as I walked through the hall. Whinnie and I sat down in our seats and Kayden put my bag down, kissed my forehead and lips than left.

I sighed and maneuvered myself to grab my bag and get my things out. Starting on the warm-up I tuned everyone else out, only focusing on math and my pain. I think Whinnie could tell something was up because she didn't say much, which honestly I was thankful for.

By the time the bell rang, I was already done the warm-up and Whinnie turned to me, "So I'm taking you after school to go dress shopping!" I turned and gave her a weird look.

"For graduation duh! Why else would we wear a dress?" She asked and I facepalmed remembering, "Prom." She groaned with me and threw her head back. "Well, we can shop for that too!" She said with a smile and I looked at her with wide eyes, "Where do you think I have the money?" I half-shouted earning looks from others.

"Oh, yeah, the money I forgot about that...I could just pay for you!" Whinnie suggested I don't think my eyes can get any wider. "You can't just pay hundreds of dollars on a dress for me!"

She laughed which caused me to give her a weird look, I saw some students side glance at her as well. "Oh honey, I got daddy's credit card. And daddy doesn't care how much I spend." She said with an evil glint in her eyes. I gave her a weird look but nodded wanting to just focus on the lesson.

I noticed that as the day grew closer to lunch that Whinnie was getting antsy. I assumed she was just excited for lunch and food because I was too. But that wasn't normal for Whinnie than I assumed she was just antsy to talk to Brantley because they have been getting close recently.

I pushed the thought aside and focused on my next task which was escaping Kayden. I can carry my own shit, which is proven during baseball when I help coach with the boys, much to Kayden's lecturing afterward.

I don't even know what we are, I've pointed it out that we were unofficially official but we really weren't official. Lately, it just seems like I'm Kayden's next conquest and he is being nice and romantic just to get in my pants.

It makes sense, I'm new and he has had a taste of everyone else except for innocent Whinnie. So him putting time and effort into me makes sense, kinda like how you put extra time into cooking. You have to cook it just right before you get to have any of it, and that's what it feels like with me.

It also scares me because of Travis, he was the same way at first. Then after a year, he turned into a conceded asshole, even putting hands on me at times which we all know I didn't put up with - at least I didn't at first.

** DOMESTIC ABUSE WARNING, READ AT YOUR OWN RISK **

"What did you say to me?" He seethed getting in my face again.

I placed my hands on his chest and shoved him hard, sending him back a couple of feet. "I said you don't put hands on me."

He looked stunned at first but then rage filled his eyes, I felt the fear inside me but I didn't show it. I stood taller and fixed my stance, I don't take shit from no one. He stomped towards me and grabbed my left arm to try and yank me closer.

I socked him in the side of the jaw making his head twist, I was now enraged enough I didn't feel pain. His grip on me tightened as he threw me across the room, I fell on the floor landing on my side in a funny way.

He approached me quickly and kicked me in the stomach, that's when I finally felt some pain. I gritted my teeth but didn't let any signs out, 'animals can always smell the fear in you' I thought.

Once I was spitting blood on the floor he bent down to my level, "Never tell me what to do bitch." He seethed once more in my face. I took his position as leverage and headbutted him sending him back and I stood up with a limp.

I quickly made my way to an exit but he caught me before I could leave on my own. He turned my body around to face him, with a smirk on his face he dragged me out into his hallway and threw me down the stairs at full force, I hit my sides a few times hissing at the pain before blacking out.

I woke up in the hospital hours later, in the room sat my mother and father worried. I was informed Travis brought me here after I had a 'quad accident'.

** DOMESTIC ABUSE SCENE OVER **

I shook my head at the memories and raised my hand, we were doing independent work so the teacher quietly made their way over to me. I smiled at her, "May I take my things and go to the bathroom?" She nodded and walked away, I packed my things and walked out of the classroom.

Carrying my bag was a bit tougher than I imagined but I made it through and went into the bathroom like I said I would, before making my way outside and to the back of the school where the stadium and bleachers were.

I heard the bell ring signaling the end of second as I got under the bleachers. I sat down and rested against one of the metal beams holding the bleachers up. I took a deep breath exhaling a shaky sigh. I felt my phone buzzing beside me and looked to see Kayden calling and texting me, I put it on silent and closed my eyes.

Looks like we are skipping homeroom.

Chapter ten guys!

So what did you think of the flashback to Riley's past?

Sorry for being inactive as well, I went through a time where I not only had writer's block but just no desire to even read. I also am going through a breakup, my boyfriend left me three days ago (From publishing this chapter, so the twenty-ninth of aug. 2019) ending our two-year-long relationship....right before I started school too. (Which starts in two days from publishing this chapter, so the third of sept. 2019)