Adriana P.O.V.

I woke up with a pounding head-ache and dry mouth. I was curled up against the wall and the back of my head throbbed. I raised a shaky hand and placed it on the back of my head, wincing at white hot pain flashed through me. When I opened my eyes the dirty living room lurched and my head spun with dizziness. After I hauled myself to my feet I shuffled to the kitchen and opened the medicine cabinet. I threw back a Tylenol and washed it back with a cool glass ice water. I groaned and rested a hand against my sweaty forehead and wondered,

"What happened last night?"

I was still in my black party dress and Madison's black heels. My feet ached as I slipped off the shoes. I pulled out my phone and sent a quick text to Madison.

"What happened last night Mads?"

I clicked it shut and slipped it into my bra since I had no pockets. I made myself a cup of black coffee and was slowly sipping it when a loud cough sounded at the kitchen entrance. I stiffened and whirled around. Dad stood there glaring balefully at me. He took a step forward and I involuntarily took a step back. I remembered screaming and him throwing me against the wall. Tears welled up in my eyes. Dad lunged forward and grabbed me by my shoulders and shoved me against the wall. I screamed in agony as my head slammed against the wall. Dad leaned forward, his rank breath raking across my face. He growled,

"You need to go to school. You will return home right when it finishes. Am I clear?"

A tear slipped out of my wide green eyes as I nodded. Dad leaned forward and slowly kissed away the tear, the stubble on his jaw scratching my cheek. I gagged and shoved him away with all my strength. He snarled rabidly and punched my eye in anger before I ran to my room. I panted and rambled desperately to myself,

"He is just drunk, he is just drunk, he is just drunk..."

Un-shed tears in my squinting swollen eye made the room swim around me as I dragged myself to my feet and got ready for school.

~~~~~~~~

I slowly walked down the hallway, my eye completely swollen shut and black. Madison saw me and gasped,

"Oh my God what happened to you?!"

I sniffled and gave a limp smile,

"It was an accident at the party last night."

Madison nodded, believing me. She draped an arm over my shoulders and walked down the hallway with me. Hushed whispers and stares followed me and I whimpered in embarrassment. I pulled hair down over my eye and rushed to my locker. I shoved my face in my locker and took ragged gasps of air. I hated being the center of attention. I was already bullied enough as it was. The sound of giggles and a single deep chuckle were coming closer. I sighed. It was Jake Collins and his harem of girls. My heart pounded slightly and I shoved my face deeper into my locker so he couldn't see me. I didn't want him to see me. The giggles stopped right behind me and a single hand rested on my shoulder, making me flinch. A high-pitched voice sneered,

"Oh hi there Adriana dear. What's wrong? Why are you hiding you face? Common turn around I think we all need a good laugh."

The girls behind her snickered with cruel amusement. Tirana's nails dug into my shoulder as she made me turn around. The girls actually gasped with horror when they saw my face. Tirana's face momentarily looked concerned and guilty. Then her sneer came back and she mocked,

"What happened did you try to kiss your crush and he rejected you? As expected."

I remained silent as they all laughed and walked away, Tirana shoving me into my locker for good measure. A concerned voice asked behind me,

"Adriana?"

I stiffened in terror. I couldn't let Jake make fun of me! I slammed my locker shut and ran to class, ignoring him calling out to me.

~~~~~~~~

The teacher glared at me as I ran into class five minutes late. She snarled,

"Adriana Layman you are five min-."

She stopped talking when she saw my face. I had silent tears squeezing out of my swollen eye and my face bright red from running. She ran to me and grabbed my shoulder gently.

"Oh my goodness whatever happened to you?"

I silently shook my head and sniffled. She wrapped an arm around my quivering shoulders and glared at the gawking class. She snarled,

"Do your bell-work while I take Adriana to the nurse's office. Do any of you know what happened?"

When everyone remained silent she sighed heavily,

"Very well."

She half escorted half carried me out of the room.

~~~~~~~~

I really like Nurse Rosa. She was really nice and would let you take a nap in the bed if you were too tired for class. She also gave out free vitamin-c drops and ice. I smiled gratefully when she lowered me on the bed. Nurse Rosa crouched in front of me and examined my eye. She clucked her tongue in worry and handed me a bag of ice to put on it. She sat down in her chain and sighed heavily before turning to me. Nurse Rosa asked seriously,

"That is a serious injury. May I ask what happened?"

I silently shook my head. She raised an eyebrow and frowned. I sighed and said,

"It was an accident. I am fine."

I wasn't totally lying. My dad would have never done that if he was sober. Somewhere in there was the old care-free Dad I loved. Nurse Rosa shook her head and leaned forward,

"Don't lie to me Adriana. That,"

She paused and pointed at my eye,

"is no accident. So I ask again, what happened?"

Again, I shook my head and whispered,

"It was an accident."

She sighed and leaned back in her chair,

"Very well. But I want you to go home. Do you want me to call your parents?"

I felt bile rise in the back of my throat and I hurriedly stood up and said cheerfully,

"I am fine Nurse Rosa! I don't need to go home! No need to call my parents!"

Nurse Rosa looked doubtful and she reached for the phone,

"Still. Your parents need to know what has happened. I'm sure they will be very worried about you."

I lunged for the phone and pulled it out of her grasp,

"I want to tell them myself and explain what happened. I want them to hear it from me."

With every "them" I said I felt fresh tears pricked my sore eyes. Nurse Rosa looked thoughtful for a heartbeat then relented,

"All right. But I want you to work in the library. No classes. The Mrs. Snow, the librarian will watch after you. This matter is closed."

She turned to her computer and began typing. I stood up and walked out munching on a cup of ice.

~~~~~~~~

I reached up on the top shelf of my locker for my trigonometry book, straining. Suddenly a pair of hands grabbed the book and placed it in my hands. I looked around to see Jake's charming smile. I felt unworthy of such a smile. I hurriedly hid my face and whispered shyly,

"Thank you, Jake."

Jake ruffled my hair and chuckled,

"No problem Bookworm. Guess you are rather lacking on the height aren't ya?"

I spun around at glared at him with my good eye,

"Well compared to you I am!"

He was almost 6' 2'' and I was 5' 4''. His blue eyes widened when they saw my eye. He looked worried as he leaned forward and asked,

"Hey what happened?"

I remembered my eye and whirled away from him whispering,

"It's nothing..."

He lightly brushed my hair away from my eye and I stiffened. Jake examined it and frowned,

"That's really bad, Bookworm. Did someone hit you over with a book?"

He let out a light chuckle. I frowned and he ruffled my hair again. This time I let out a pained yelp when he touched the throbbing bump on the back of my head but I quickly changed it to an indignant shout. Jake frowned and I winced at my slip. I gave him a shy smile and quickly said,

"I gotta go to the library. See you later, man-whore of San Diego High!"

He laughed and my heart clenched happily. It had to be the most beautiful sound to ever grace my ears. Jake gave me a full-toothed smile before walking away with his hands shoved in his pockets.

~~~~~~~~~