Chapter 33: Chapter 33
Jordan knows something is up. I ignored his call last night before bed, and when he asked me if I wanted him to pick me up I answered way too quickly. He's texted me twice since I got in my truck asking me what's wrong.
I'm a bundle of nerves as I sit in the small amount of morning traffic. Between my dad's attitude to me, Jordan's inevitable freak out, and what Dominic said yesterday, I just can't think straight. I find a little comfort in the traffic as it delays Jordan's reaction. I know he's going to be angry, and hurt. He's going to be mad it happened, and upset that I kept it from him.
Knots form once again in my stomach. A wave of nausea hits me like a ton of bricks. He's going to be devastated that I kept this from him. I don't even know why I did. Fear? I didn't want to upset him. Embarrassment? He's seen scars but nothing this fresh. I doubt it'll matter why I did it, he'll still be hurt.
Fuck!
Cars start honking at me and I see the light has turned green. I need to get my head out of the clouds and stop feeding my anxiety. He'll be mad, but because he cares.
The closer I get to the school the more nervous I get. I pass the hardware store, then the library, my nerves get the best of me and I circle the library a few times. I pull into their parking lot, deciding to walk the last block, even if I'm late because of it.
I see a new message from Jordan as I climb out of the truck, it kills me that I actually hesitate to read it.
"Please respond... Did I do something wrong?"
My heart aches. I should have told him by now, he doesn't deserve this. Yet the thought of telling him, and him knowing what really happened makes me sick. It doesn't help I won't see him until after class. I type a response before waiting makes the situation worse.
"No. You didn't do anything wrong. I promise."
My feet drag over the gravel as guilt eats away at me. Even though I don't want to, I find myself thinking about Jordan's reaction, and what Dominic said the other day. If people at work stared, what are kids at school going to do. Is someone going to see my eye and report it to the school? I should have stayed home, but it's too late for that as I walk past chattering people and see the school get closer and closer.
I'm not the only person who's late, I watch other students walk across the parking lot to the front office. I keep my head down as I go to collect my tardy slip.
The front desk lady is on the phone when I walk in, she barely glances at me as she keeps talking on the phone, only pulling away to ask my name and first period teacher. With that she scribbles my note and waves me off.
Other staff in the office can't help but stare, but I try not to react. I remind myself that to the rest of the world, this was an accident, reacting to the stares would just raise suspicion.
I need to take a few deep breaths before ducking into math. Initially no one notices me, but all it takes is one kid seeing my eye and gasping in shock for everyone else to pay very close attention. Ms. Morrison watches me all through class, the staring makes me nauseous, the whispers make me nervous. Jordan will probably be waiting at the door when the bell rings, or waiting by my locker.
I jump at the sound of the bell, I can see Ms. Morrison approaching me to talk but I quickly make my way out the door. Keeping my head down I try to rush to my locker before Jordan can get here.
"Rhea!" A defeated sigh escapes me at the sound of his voice, I can hear concern laced in.
I mentally prepare myself for what's about to come. I don't turn to face him until I feel his hand on my shoulder. Finally looking at him, I watch his small smile fade into an angry sneer.
"What the fuck happened!" He takes my chin gently in his hand to examine my eye, "When did this happen, Rhea?"
"When I got home from the dance," I see people staring and whispering, "Please calm down, people are staring."
He swears under his breath and looks around, hesitantly takes a step back, lowering his voice, "Did your dad do that?"
"Yeah, after I got out the shower, he was mad that I went out to the dance. He thought I was lying about where I was, he knew I was out with you and twisted my arm behind my back. When he was done he pushed me into a wall and well..." I gesture to my eye.
"You've has this since Saturday night and didn't say anything?" He's fuming, I feel my eye throb as tears sting.
"I was scared, I didn't want to worry you. I didn't know what to do."
"You should have called me! Why the hell didn't you?"
"Jordan..." I glance around us again. Students stare, a couple teachers have come out to see what's going on.
He notices the attention we're getting and mutters something to himself, he gently takes my hand, "We're not done with this, alright?" He doesn't seem as angry, definitely hurt and worried, but not as angry. I nod and watch him walk away slowly.
English class is full of wide eyed stares and pointing. I try to ignore it, avoid making it a big deal so people won't question it.
I see Dominic watching me with a twisted smile.
"I sure hope no one gets the wrong idea at school when they see your eye."
His words haunted me all night, now his smile tells me he's up to something. Class starts and everyone turns their attention to the lesson, but Dominic's eyes never leave me. I feel him watch me the entire period, but I try to ignore him and focus on my notes.
The bell brings a welcome escape as I hurry to Spanish, eager to get through this hour and go to lunch. I want to talk to Jordan, apologize for not telling him, explain everything to him.
My teacher tries to ask me what happened, and I tell him the same thing I've told Mr. Marsh and Dominic, I tripped and fell. He seems to buy it and gets the class to focus on the lesson instead of me. A couple people still stare and whisper but I pay them no mind.
I'm knee deep in Spanish adverbs when the bell rings. Nothing holds me back as I dart out of the room and to the cafeteria. I want to see Jordan, I want to talk about what happened and fix things. I want him to hold me to comfort my anxiety from all the staring.
I see him sitting down at one of the tables, bouncing his leg nervously as he settles into the seat. He visibly calms at the sight of me, scooting to make a spot for me next to him.
"Hi," I whisper as I settle next to him.
"Why didn't you tell me? Why didn't you call me that night? I would have come and got you."
I quickly hug him, "Oh I know. I'm sorry. I was scared, I was embarrassed, I didn't know what to do. My dad said some really scary things that night, I... I didn't know what to do."
"You could have called me!" He looks at me dumbfounded, "I don't understand why you didn't call me, why you didn't tell me!"
"He threatened to kick me out if he ever saw you at the house again! I didn't know what to do Jordan! He had my arm twisted so far behind my back I thought it would snap off! I was scared, I was embarrassed! Yes you've seen scars and you know how he is but you've never really seen it that fresh. It's a hard thing to be open about Jordan," I keep my voice in a harsh whisper as I look down at my hands.
"You don't have to hide this stuff from me," I watch his hand wrap around mine as his voice levels and calms, "I know it isn't easy, but you can tell me when this stuff happens, I'm not going to run off. I love you, I will be here for you in whatever way you need me. Next time, tell me, ok?"
I nod gently, I can still hear people whispering. Something someone a few tables over says catches my attention almost automatically.
"Do you think he hit her? That's what I heard."
Panic rolls through me as more people start saying similar stuff.
"I heard he got pissed she wouldn't put out after the dance so he freaked and slapped her."
"Do you think he's done it before?"
"Maybe that's why he's not fighting anymore, he's got her to beat up."
I grip Jordan's arm, "Jordan, we have a problem..."
I don't get to elaborate before the principal and a police officer come into the cafeteria, "Jordan Mars? Could you come into my office please?"
He stands up, not letting go of me, "What's going on? Did something happen to my parents?"
The principal shakes her head, "Now please."
I grip him harder. I don't like this, I don't like cops, they ask too many questions and usually the wrong ones.
He starts to pull away, but I tug him closer, "It'll be ok, I won't be long," He reassures as he pulls his arm away.
I'm left sitting there as I watch him go, people stare at me and continue to whisper. I doubt this could get any worse.
Without much of a second thought, I grabbed my stuff and hurried down to the office after Jordan. I could see him sitting in the principals office, looking absolutely pissed.
A hand on my shoulder stirs me to reality. It's the counselor Miss Abigail.
"Is everything ok Rhea?" Her voice is level as she stares at me with wide, brown eyes. She doesn't think I notice the sideways glances she gives Jordan while he talks to the principal.
"I just want to be here when they let Jordan out. Why is he in there? He hasn't gotten in any fights," I shrug her hand off my shoulder.
"Why don't you wait in my office, I'm sure they'll be done soon," She calmly guides me to a small room with large windows.
I sit in a tall, green bean bag chair while she takes a seat at the desk by the window. She stares at me as if waiting for something from me, she stares far longer than I'm comfortable with.
"That's quite the bruise you got Rhea. What happened?"
"I tripped. After I got home from the dance I tripped and hit a picture frame."
"That must have hurt. It had to hit hard to leave that big a mark," She leans forward in her seat.
"I tripped, I hit the wall pretty hard. Why does that matter?"
"It doesn't. It's just normally a bruise like that, it doesn't just happen by accident."
Then it clicks for me, "Do you think Jordan did this? He didn't even know about it until today!"
"We received an anonymous note from a student saying he seemed to be verbally abusing you in the hall and that they were concerned he hit you."
"I sure hope no one gets the wrong idea..."
"Dominic," I grumble to myself before turning back to Miss Abigail, "Look, Jordan didn't hit me. He never touched me. We went to the dance together, we had an amazing time, he took me home, and I was so tired that I tripped and fell on my way to bed. I hit a picture frame and it gave me a black eye. He doesn't even know how I hurt my eye. So can he and I please be done here?"
She watches me for a few moments. I can't tell what she's looking for but I try not to waver, I'm not lying. Jordan didn't do this. She won't find any lying on my face. I've gotten very good at twisting the truth, I'll lie to high hell, but with one truth... You'd never guess I'm lying. Jordan didn't do this, that's my truth and I'm praying it's enough.
I watch as she picks up her phone, quickly punching in some numbers, "Hey, yeah. She followed him in, we talked, yeah she says he didn't do anything. I don't think she's lying."
I quickly march out of the room and sit in front of the principals office to wait. Within a few minutes he's coming through the door, clearly still mad. I watch the anger melt at the sight of me.
"I'm so sorry," I mumble as he pulls me into a hug, "I'm so sorry I got you in trouble. This shouldn't have happened."
He cups my face in his hands and smiles at me, "You didn't do anything. Its not your fault. Honestly I don't care that they dragged me in here, if someone had hurt you I'd want their ass to burn," There's a twinge of suggestion in his voice, as he starts petting my hair, "As long as you're alright. Are you?"
I nod, "Yeah I'm alright."
"Ok, let's get out of here. We can still get some lunch in you."
He takes my hand and we walk out of the office together, the counselor and principal watching us as we go.
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