Chapter 5

Aria's POV

I wake up to the sun shining through the curtains. No I'm going to be late to make dad and Tyler breakfast. They'll beat me if it's not on the table by the time they wake up.

I'm in such a hurry I didn't even realise I wasn't in my room. I ran downstairs never once noticing my surrounding, blinded by my fear of another beating I felt like I couldn't get enough air into my lungs. I run round the corner straight into Isla.

"Woah, slow down there," She said, looking down at me, suddenly noticing my startled expression, "Aria? What's wrong?"

If I was fully awake I would have apologised for running into Isla.

If I was in my right mind I would have explained I thought I had over slept.

If I wasn't terrified I would have sat down at the table and had breakfast.

But as it was I was half asleep, I still thought I was going to get a beating for over sleeping and being clumsy and I was terrified.

I slowly backed away. Shaking my head and trying to sort fact from fiction. The walls were closing in on me. I was gasping for breath but the air wouldn't enter my lungs. The same questions kept rotating round and round my head making me dizzy.

Where am I? Where is dad? Where is Tyler? Am I going to be beaten? Is this person friend or foe?

I sank to the floor whimpering, breathing heavily. Tears rolled freely down my cheeks and to make matters worse I had a terrible headache making it impossible to think. I curled up in the corner crying to my self, unaware of anything going on around me.

I heard voices but they were jumbled in my head. I couldn't tell who was speaking and I could only hear snippets of their conversations random words were missing and I couldn't make sense of what I could hear.

"***** wrong with her?" "Is *** ok?" "She came ****** down the stairs, I ***** her what *** wrong but she ***** answer, think she's ****** * panic attack"

I couldn't understand what they were saying. I didn't know what it all meant. It was all too much to take in and my world went dark.

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When I woke up I was back in Forest's room. I remembered where I was now. I was staying a Forest's house. I would be safe here.

Last time I woke up I was in such a panic I forgot where I was. I don't remember how I got back up here, I just remember thinking I was going to be beaten and then everything went dark.

"There she is," Forest said from beside me. He didn't look like he'd slept for days. How long have I been out? I wrote on his palm.

"Three days," Forest said with a tight smile. "My mum said it was all a bit much for your body to process so it shut down for a bit." I felt much better than I did before. I felt much more stable and less asleep, less panicky. Better.

"Do you want to get up?" Forest asked. I nodded. We probably need to get back to school soon. It was the weekend before but now it must be Wednesday. I need to do well in school. It's the only way I can get away from my dad.

I felt slightly wobbly as I walked down the stairs. I had to hold on tightly to the banister so as not to fall, but Forest was there to keep my steady and slowly we made it into the kitchen.

In the kitchen I found Isla and Atlas making breakfast. Pancakes.

Although I made pancakes every morning I hadn't tasted one for years so it took me by surprise when a stack of towering pancakes was placed In front of me.

I looked at Forest with a confused expression on my face. " Do you not like pancakes Aria?" He asked, confusion evident on his face, "I could ask mum to make something else if you'd prefer."

I shook my head no I was confused though. Why were these people I barely know being so nice to me?

Seeing my still confused face Forest grabbed a pad of paper for me to write on. Why are you being so nice to me?

I could see Forest thinking about my question, "Because you're my best friend, you're the only person at school who is real, everyone else just shows a fake front."

I nodded, It made sense. I didn't agree with him fully. But he had a point.

"Aria, do you feel well enough to go to school?" Isla asked."You don't have to but you have missed a few days and school if going to get worried soon."

It's fine, I wrote, I'll go too school.

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This was a mistake.

As soon as I walked in the door people started whispering.

Who's that with Forest?

What does she want?

She's really ugly.

Why is Forest hanging out with a nobody like her?

"Just ignore them," Forest said, smiling down at me. "There just jealous"

I tried to ignore them, but it was too late. There words along with all the other heartless world spoken to me over the years were branded on my brain. Making it impossible to run, and impossible to forget.

I saw the girls lining the corridor. Glaring.

He said that as a joke, but it was true, they were jealous. Anyone who was anyone wanted to hang out with Forest. Half the girls would give up their left leg to even be his friend.

But Forest has kept mainly to himself, not trying to join the Populars like most people, or date half the cheerleaders like the other half.

He kept out of all the drama, he kept out of the friendship groups, and made friends with me, a little nobody who sat at the back at his maths class. I know I am blessed beyond measures to have him as my best friend.

But something inside of me wanted more. As much as I only saw him as a friend, a small part of me wanted to be more than friends. It was always there and I couldn't make it stop. So I ignored of most of the time.

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My first lesson was history. History with Tasha. It was torture.

She spent all lesson whispering to me. Taunting me. Teasing me. Pinching me and kicking me.

As soon as I stepped out of class my day got worse. Wait what's worse than the worst day ever, the very worstest day ever? The worst of the worst of the worst? Anyway, someone in the corridor thought it would be a good idea to leave their bag in the middle of the floor. So I tripped over it.

My books went flying everywhere and I didn't save myself in time so ended up face first on the floor. It hurt. A lot.

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I finally made it to the last class of the day. Maths with Forest. I slumped down in my seat. Tired but at least to torment would stop.

No one wanted to get on the wrong side of Forest. Forest came in and took his seat, offering a smile he gave out so readily. I just about managed to smile back, although it was hard.

The teacher wrote the date on the board and I went to write it in my book. Wednesday. Something was happening today. I can't remember what it was. Hummmm Nope nothing comes to mind, can't be important then.

But as the teacher started the lesson the realisation hit me like a ton of bricks. Wednesday. My dad and brother are back. They surly had people checking on me during the week. NONONO I'm screwed. They're going to lock me up until I'm fifty. They will beat me. They may even kill me.

I couldn't breath. I was sweating in my seat, and then my day got even better (note the sarcasm). Sitting in my window seat I looked to the left and saw my brother walking up the path.

I started gasping for breath and tears pricked my eyes. I felt my heart rate speed up and my instincts yelled at me to run.

As if he felt my stare he turned his head and gave me a devilish smile. All hold I had on my emotions was gone and I ran out the classroom.

I could hear voices behind me but I couldn't figure out what they were saying. I sprinted into the toilets and sat down with my back pressed against the cubical door, tears flowed freely down my face.

He's back and he is going to make my life hell. All the snide comments he has yelled, said or whispered to me over the years came flooding back. You shouldn't exist. All you do is make life hard for people. If you was gone maybe dad would be happy for once. Maybe one day you will realise no one really likes you. Maybe one day you'll realise all we have done for you. I could still hear the distant sound of voices but they were soon replaced by more memories.

Memories of every threat, every smirk every evil laugh my brother and Father do so often while beating me. No. I am better than this. I will not give in. I will not let them win.

Suddenly the door crashed open.