Chapter 6

"How does it feel to be going home?" Emma questioned as Skaii stepped into the elevator. She pulled Skaii's packed suitcase behind her. She walked to the back of the spacious elevator and leaned her body against the iron wall and then blew out a sharp breath.

She was waited for Skaii to reply to her, but the only noise between them was the elevator counting down as it went past each floor. She looked up at her and realized that she was just staring blankly ahead.

"Skaii," she called out to her. Skaii sniffed and wiped her hand across her cheeks. "Skaii are you crying? Are you okay?"

Skaii's abruptly spun herself around to look at Emma.

"Does it look like I'm okay, my neck and my arm is broken Emma." She hissed.

Emma shook her head quickly. "I know that you won't be able to cheer for a while. And you're so used to being head cheerleader that you will not be able to stand watching someone else running your squad, but you have to try Skaii. You're hurt." Emma explained. While she slowly rubbed Skaii's shoulder.

"Cheer," Skaii scoffed at her. If only she knew that her squad was the last thing on her mind right now.

Emma rose an eyebrow at the one little word. Confusion was etched in her face and Skaii suddenly felt the urge to explain everything to her. But she bit on her bottom lip and said nothing further. She turned back around to face the elevator door.

The atmosphere thickened with tension, more than before. Skaii could still feel Emma's eyes on her.

"I didn't mean to hurt you by saying that." Emma apologized.

"It's okay, you didn't." Emma nodded. Even though she knew that Skaii couldn't see her.

Her eyes slightly widened when an image flashed through her mind.

She cleared her throat. "Skaii, I meant to ask you something for some time now."

"Sure, go ahead."

"The night I found you at the bottom of the stand, I thought you were dead, so I searched for a pulse. When I looked at your neck, it was bruised badly, those bruises looked a lot like handprints." Silence. "Did someone hurt you?" Emma's voice shook as she added the last part.

Emma knows. Was the first thought that crossed Skaii's mind.

Stupid, if she knew, she wouldn't be asking. She scratched her forehead, trying to rid herself of the full pain that had developed.

"Skaii, if I'm right you need to contact the police." Emma continued.

"Emma stop talking." Skaii whispered loudly.

"No!" She shrieked. "If I'm right, you need to do something. That is abuse and you need to stop covering it up."

"Emma!" Skaii screamed in agony. "I'm not covering up anything. Just mind your damn business. Visiting me in the hospital everyday doesn't suddenly make you my friend, just an acquaintance. You're still just a girl with a big fantasy that has you thinking that someday we'll be painting each other's nails. Leave me alone and back the hell off."

She spun around and pulled her suitcase from Emma's grasp and waited for the elevator to stop. When it did, she sped off, leaving Emma staring after her with her mouth hanging open.

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It was the first time in two weeks that Skaii decided to access her phone. There were almost three hundred persons who texted her on messenger and SMS. Most of them were get well wishes so far.

She stopped scrolling down when Ian's name popped up on screen.

New voice message. Was what it read.

She plugged her earphones in and started to listen.

Ian began talking after the beep. "Skaii, this is your brother, again, for the twenty sixth time today. It has been two weeks and I haven't heard from you. We're worried, a lot. Just please call me back and let me know that you're alright. Please call me, I love you."

Skaii dropped the phone on her bed at the second beep and made her way downstairs.

"Honey you're back. It's so good to see you well again." The chirpy voice of her mother greeted her as she reached the bottom of the stairs.

Skaii didn't bother to look where she was, she continued to make her way to the door.

"It's locked, by the way." Her mother called out.

"Why would you lock the door?" Skaii turned, searching for her mother. She was sitting in the kitchen isle on a stool, drinking from a clear glass.

"I thought we should talk for a while." She smiled, but Skaii knew better than to think that it was real.

"Wow really, but there's nothing to talk about."

"Don't get smart with me. You're lucky the boys aren't back yet. The doctor told me about your behavior towards him. What were you thinking? I raised you better than that."

"You raised me." Skaii scoffed at the small figure before her. Her mother seemed a bit slimmer than her usual self, or was it just the days playing tricks on Skaii's mind?

"Skaii please let go of your past. It's unhealthy." Her mother spoke calmly and sipped from her glass again.

"Are you f*cking kidding me here. I spent two weeks in the hospital and this is what my mother greets me with." Skaii raked her fingers through her hair in frustration.

"It seems you have been so busy doing your own thing that you seem to be missing some things. Let me fill you in baby girl." Sophie rose from the stool and walked towards Skaii.

"You are nothing but a mere object in our lives. The Shaws own you, do you understand me? So the next time when Matthew tries to get between those leg of yours, you open them as wide as you can."

"But you're supposed to be my mother. You should protect me from them." Tears welled up in her eyes as she spoke.

"Skaii, the day I left your daddy was the day I sold you. He was broke and I needed money. When I told Mr. Shaw about my family, he was willing to make a proposition. It's not as hard as it was then, now you're just a sad and angry little girl."

"Are you telling me that you, my mother, sold me when I was just thirteen?"

"Yeah, if you don't cooperate, it's less money for me. So I suggest you do, before I show you what I really am capable of."

"I think it's clear you conniving bitch." Skaii rose her right hand, and before she could stop herself, it was planted across her mother's cheek.