exactly on time. You know the consequences,” Wil calmly threatens. “You’ve better have befriended him by then. You know the consequences for that, too. Do I make myself clear?”
“Yes, Wil.”
~Chapter Five~
“You’ re making my job awfully difficult,” Fate murmurs as she works on my face. I feel like she’s spackling over my bruises. “You really should have called the police,” her voice quivers with worry and fear, fingers affectionately gliding over my skin.
“Everyone gets mugged, it’s no big deal,” I play it off , like I’m not hurting something fierce. A mugging was the only thing I could think of to cover my ailments. Add four hours of walking to my sore muscles and I could barely move. I hate that Wil has us meeting that far from my home, and after my bedtime. I didn’t get home until half past one in the morning. I spent the next few days recuperating from sprained muscles, and praying that my wounds would scab over and my bruises would fade. I didn’t heal up as good as I’d hoped before school started for the new year. It’s a great way to make a second impression. So much for my theory that Wil can’t whore me out if I’m bruised up…Wil just don’t care.
“Everyone doesn’t get mugged.” Fate looks at me like I’ve lost my ever loving mind , makeup sponge extended an inch from my cheek in her frozen hand. “There aren’t even any muggings from where you were raised. I just don’t understand how you could get mugged on your way home from the library.” I’m sure you could if you tried, but my God, Fate’s gullible. She’d know the library isn’t open at two a.m. if she’d ever gone to one.
“ Are you alright?” Her concern makes my heart hurt about our fight a few days back. Fate really is a genuine person when she looks outside of herself. She’s soft and caring. Fate gives undivided attention. She’s spent every waking moment with me since I came home banged up. She tended my wounds and slept beside me in bed. I don’t want to know what it would feel like to lose her. Wil was trying to get me to understand what was at stake. I get it now.
“Where I come from, it’s ju st called taking a licking,” I tease to ease her fears. Fate loves hearing my West Virginia-isms. She ooos and aahs and cowers in fear. I tend to overexaggerate for her benefit- but usually, I just tell the truth. “We don’t call the cops there, either. You just gather some help and beat them back. Aunt Amelia’s boyfriends usually did that for me or Daddy did when he came home.”
“This isn’t the first time you’ve been hit like this?” Her hand freezes again, this time it’s eye liner dangling from her fingertips.
“Not even my tenth. Mind you, I prolly started the majority of the fights , and I always finished them.” My sister just stares at me with her mouth agape. “What? You know I can’t keep my mouth shut or my fists to myself.”
“I… could ne ver… I could never do that,” Fate mutters. Fearing she’s judging me, all pleasant thoughts flee me. “I’m not strong like you. I wish I could be more like you and Dad.”
“ You don’t wanna be like either one of us. We aren’t good. Daddy’s never gonna see the light of day and I’m trying to be good so I don’t end up in there with him. You really don’t want to be like me. Trust me.”
“Really,” she stresses and flashes me a pretty smile. “You’re so brave. I wish I was even a little brave. I’m working on it. Between you and Regina, I’ll be independent in no time.”
“I liked what you did with the toast this morning, that made me proud to call you sister,” I praise her. Yes, it was only cinnamon toast, but she did it all by herself and she did it just for me. She may be blind, but she’s sweet.
“I enjoyed it. I never realized that cooking could be fun. Seeing Regina’s baby made me realize that I’m not a baby anymore. My little sister shouldn’ t know more than
“Yes, Wil.”
~Chapter Five~
“You’ re making my job awfully difficult,” Fate murmurs as she works on my face. I feel like she’s spackling over my bruises. “You really should have called the police,” her voice quivers with worry and fear, fingers affectionately gliding over my skin.
“Everyone gets mugged, it’s no big deal,” I play it off , like I’m not hurting something fierce. A mugging was the only thing I could think of to cover my ailments. Add four hours of walking to my sore muscles and I could barely move. I hate that Wil has us meeting that far from my home, and after my bedtime. I didn’t get home until half past one in the morning. I spent the next few days recuperating from sprained muscles, and praying that my wounds would scab over and my bruises would fade. I didn’t heal up as good as I’d hoped before school started for the new year. It’s a great way to make a second impression. So much for my theory that Wil can’t whore me out if I’m bruised up…Wil just don’t care.
“Everyone doesn’t get mugged.” Fate looks at me like I’ve lost my ever loving mind , makeup sponge extended an inch from my cheek in her frozen hand. “There aren’t even any muggings from where you were raised. I just don’t understand how you could get mugged on your way home from the library.” I’m sure you could if you tried, but my God, Fate’s gullible. She’d know the library isn’t open at two a.m. if she’d ever gone to one.
“ Are you alright?” Her concern makes my heart hurt about our fight a few days back. Fate really is a genuine person when she looks outside of herself. She’s soft and caring. Fate gives undivided attention. She’s spent every waking moment with me since I came home banged up. She tended my wounds and slept beside me in bed. I don’t want to know what it would feel like to lose her. Wil was trying to get me to understand what was at stake. I get it now.
“Where I come from, it’s ju st called taking a licking,” I tease to ease her fears. Fate loves hearing my West Virginia-isms. She ooos and aahs and cowers in fear. I tend to overexaggerate for her benefit- but usually, I just tell the truth. “We don’t call the cops there, either. You just gather some help and beat them back. Aunt Amelia’s boyfriends usually did that for me or Daddy did when he came home.”
“This isn’t the first time you’ve been hit like this?” Her hand freezes again, this time it’s eye liner dangling from her fingertips.
“Not even my tenth. Mind you, I prolly started the majority of the fights , and I always finished them.” My sister just stares at me with her mouth agape. “What? You know I can’t keep my mouth shut or my fists to myself.”
“I… could ne ver… I could never do that,” Fate mutters. Fearing she’s judging me, all pleasant thoughts flee me. “I’m not strong like you. I wish I could be more like you and Dad.”
“ You don’t wanna be like either one of us. We aren’t good. Daddy’s never gonna see the light of day and I’m trying to be good so I don’t end up in there with him. You really don’t want to be like me. Trust me.”
“Really,” she stresses and flashes me a pretty smile. “You’re so brave. I wish I was even a little brave. I’m working on it. Between you and Regina, I’ll be independent in no time.”
“I liked what you did with the toast this morning, that made me proud to call you sister,” I praise her. Yes, it was only cinnamon toast, but she did it all by herself and she did it just for me. She may be blind, but she’s sweet.
“I enjoyed it. I never realized that cooking could be fun. Seeing Regina’s baby made me realize that I’m not a baby anymore. My little sister shouldn’ t know more than
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