Six- The Ugly Truth

I approach the front door and I start making dinner. My dad comes home soon enough and complains the whole time I'm cooking. Once he eats, he goes through my bag and throws it on the counter when he's done. I slowly make my way to my room and as soon as I hear him snore on the couch passed out yet again from drinking beer. I lay on my bed just thinking… should I go through with dating him? I already admitted I liked him, and he makes me happy, but I don't want to drag him down. What should I do? I do like him… I mean I hated him but he kinda just has this way of burrowing his way into my heart. I hear the door to my room swing open.

"COME HERE YA LITTLE BITCH!" I feel him grab my hair and yank me to the floor.

He's dead drunk by the way he wobbles around. As I hit the floor and curl up just wanting it to be over.

"ITS ALL YOUR FAULT THERE GONE! It's yours!! If your brother didn't try to make you happy, he would be alive right now. Your mother just couldn't stand to look at you that's why she cheated!" I feel his fist soccer punch my lip and it bleeds down my chin.

"If you are going to ruin my life then get out of my house!" He drags me by my hair out to the living room while I'm clawing my way to try to stay inside

"Let me go!" I scream pleading for him to stop. He pulls my hair and I yank myself to the table to grab the pair of kitchen scissors and cut my hair away from his grasp with the so there's nothing for him to grab onto and try to bolt to my room before I feel a glass beer bottle thrown at my back knocking me to the ground. The shatter goes everywhere cutting my hands. My dad pulls and yanks me by the arm into the backyard and locks the patio door. I lay on the ground and curl up against the warm house window. I feel my head and hands bleeding along with my lip on the patio floor. My dad always takes it out on me when he's drunk, I was used to it but… I'm strangely comforted by beatings I had tonight as if to atone my sins. Maybe I just didn't deserve to be happy… I doze off on the patio steps slowly being consumed by my own mystery.

As soon as the sunrise comes up it flashes in my face gently waking me up. I check to see the patio lock but to my surprise it's unlocked. I wobble in slowly feeling pain all threw out my body. I sharp pain in my ankle makes me go inside slowly. There's a note on the table and I pick it up to read:

Ali pick up the glass shards and wipe off the blood on the patio.

Dr. Maxwell

A loving good morning letter to give to your daughter, he didn't even say "from dad." I guess I'm like a stranger to him. I start to get to work and clean as fast as I can before I get to school. I have to go if I'm going to keep up my grades I've been missing to many classes. I can't get beat anymore or else I probably will die … I chuckle at myself a bit.

Death.

A release from suffering … I pick up the shards of glass on the floor with my hands. I leave the patio to wash this afternoon when I have more time.

Afterwards I make my way to my room changing because I had no time for a shower. I covered up the bare minimum bruises on my face with makeup. I throw on a jacket and a long sleeve shirt with long pants. Lastly, I put in my mask and gently put my backpack over my shoulders. I put the only hat I own on the counter in the kitchen as I get my keys for the door.

It looks hot outside, thank god its a sun hat I guess.

I put on the hat to hide my hair and walk out to see Eli's car outside a couple parking spaces away.

Oh no…

I slowly turn to go back inside, but I see him run out to me smiling. I try to go down the stairs to greet him because it was too late, but my ankle gives a sharp pain and I fall to the bottom.

"Ali! You, ok?" he runs and tried to help me up and then pauses "Ali... your hair what happened?"

Oh no.

No.

No.

No.

I see the hat flown off from the fall laying upside-down in the grass.

I pull my hood over my face and turn away from him "I'm fine can we go now?"

"Ali… what's wrong?" he gives me such a worried look I can't lie to him.

"I-…. I'm sorry." I manage to get myself standing and clutch my ribs as I look away from him.

"I'm not going to school today I gotta stay home I'm sick." I turn to walk towards the door, and I feel Eli's hand grab mine

"Ali, you can tell me what's wrong. Did your dad cut your hair? Was he mad at you?"

"I cut it! Now please I got to get inside go home Elijah." I push his hand away and open the door to the house. Elijah sticks his foot in the door so I can't close it behind me, and he comes into the house and shuts the door behind him. I've never had anyone in the house. I didn't know what to say. He comes closer to me, but I keep backing up. He reaches to touch my face, but I flinch scared he will hit me for dogging him. My body unconsciously starts to shake. He moves his hand away and bends down to the ground hugging his knees

"Ali… my love I promise I'm not going to hurt you. Can I take off your mask?"

I look at him and slowly sit on the floor to see him at eye level and nod slowly.

I need help… I want Elijah to help me. As soon as I come to the realization tears naturally come out and I start crying. Elijah comes over slowly and hugs me gently and I burry my face in his chest unable to stop crying.

"Ali... does your dad hurt you? … you can tell me princess."

I slowly nod my head in his chest wrap my arms around him. I take off my mask and look at him. I'm sure I never looked worse; my makeup was being washed away with all my crying. My lip is still busted from last night and my cheeks where swollen. When he saw me, I could see the hurt in his eyes. His tears came out and I felt his hug tighter around my shoulders being careful not to hurt me.

"Ali … my love I'm sorry I couldn't protect you." I feel him kiss my head gently as more tears come out of my eyes.

Ugly.

I am ugly.

This ugly side of me.

My messed-up face, my lying, my crying into his arms begging to help save me. He cups my swollen cheeks in his hands and wipes away the tears with his fingers.

"Ali, I love you more than anything… you're so strong and beautiful... I want to help you, will you let me take care of you?"

I nod again and whisper "yes... help me."

I tell him everything about what my dad does, it came out like word vomit, and I couldn't stop. I explained everything from sleeping outside last night to what happens when I'm "sick" from school. He calmly listens to me and holds me comforting me in the warmest embrace I ever felt. Afterwards I feel him pick me up off the floor and carry me to my room princess style being careful not to harm me. He sits me on my bed on the floor.

"Can you show me what he did to you?"

I slowly pull up my shirt to reveal my black and blue stomach. It had gotten much bigger than it had been. I slowly take off my jacket and reveal my fading choking marks for a week ago.

Eli balls up his fist in anger on the ground and stands up.

"It's ok Eli… I'm fine."

"What part of this is fine? …" he looks at me and I look at the floor realizing he's getting mad at me.

"Please done hate me." I feel Eli put my head on his and he looks at me dead straight.

"Ali, I would never hate you.... do you have anyone you can stay with besides your dad?

I shake my head no.

"Sweetie, I want to take you to my house and show my mom what happened. You can stay with us… I want to ask if it's ok that I tell my mom what happened, and she can treat you. But I will only do it if you want me too. Tell me honestly if you want me too."

Tell his mom. But then everyone would know. I don't know. But I trust Elijah… "ok let's go to your house," he smiles at me and starts packing my things to bring to his car before carrying inside. Once I'm inside he drives to his house and calls over his mom and Alexander. I could feel my palms sweating with nerves to explain what happened.

"It's going to be ok baby girl I'm going to take care of you," he tells me as he arrives at his house.

I feel a lump in my throat when I see all the cars in the driveway. I put on my mask that I was wearing before out of sheer embarrassment. He gets out of the car and opens my door holding my hand as I wobble inside. As soon as Eli opens the door, I see Alexander and his mom run to see what happened. Alex looks worried and looks at me "are you guys, ok? I heard something happened to Ali."

Eli looks at me "Ali do you want to explain what happened or do you want me?"

"Elijah sweetie-" his mom interrupts. "let's get her sat on the couch first, ok?" She looks at me and gives me a sweet smile "I got your favorite drink out. Your dad told me it was orange juice" I chuckle and bit and tell her I'm actually allergic to oranges and she quickly changes the drink. I sit down and they all stare at me and I could feel myself trembling "I'm sorry I'm a little nervous…"

"Take your time we are all here for you." Elijah's mom says to me in her comforting voice.

I pull down my mask and I see horror written on both of their faces. Eli grabs my hand and encourages me to continue. I explain about my dad again and tears fall out from my already swollen eyes. I didn't think I even had any more tears after crying earlier. I look down while explaining to help get myself together. They all listen so patiently intently listen to everything I say.

After I'm done explaining Alex and Mrs. Edison gives me a hug each.

"I would like to take a look at your wounds if you don't mind, so boys get out!"

"Yes ma'am," I hear them both say as they go into Elijah's room together.

Once me and Mrs. Edison are alone, I get a little nervous.

"I'm sorry to intrude like this... I'm sure you had things to do today."

"Nonsense I have nothing to do today but look after my new daughter, now lift your shirt."

I blush at the word daughter. Come to think of it I wasn't actually dating Eli like I was now. I take off my jacket and shirt and lay down while she exams me. I show her my hands and ankle and the bruises on my stomach and neck.

"I-I'm sorry you have to do this."

"Don't apologize especially not for this, it's horrendous to think someone, let alone a doctor, could do this to their own child. I swear if I get my hands in that man." I could see her face anger up and it reminds me of Elijah's, and I chuckle a little. She calms down hearing me laugh and looks at me. "Stay as long as you like here, our home is your home. I'm sorry but I'm not allowing you to go back there." I start crying again and she panics

"Ali darling are you ok did I hurt you? What hurts?"

"Thank you… thank you so much," I could feel myself sniffling and she just smiles at me warmly and hugs me again.