Safe and Sound by Lindy Zart

Maybe she could have a night with no worries, maybe she could forget for a while. You can’t.
      Rachel leaned closer, eyes widening. “ What happened to your face?”
      Lola’s pulse picked up and she averted her face. “Nothing. Why?”
      Rachel fell back, but when Lola continued to walk, she caught up. “It just looks…swollen or something.”
      “It’s nothing. I have to go to the bathroom. I’ll see you in class,” she said in a rush, sounding a lot like Rachel, and veered toward the bathrooms .
      Lola was relieved to find the restroom empty. The walls were pink and there were three stalls. The room smelled like soap and paper towels.
      She rushed to the mirror and stared at her reflection. Her bones were so prominent they were almost skeletal. Lola flinched at the realization. She needed to eat more.
      Hard to do when everything comes right back up.
      Lola turned her head to the side. The flesh near the corner of her right eye was pink and puffy . Lola leaned closer, dismayed to find a small purple bruise already forming.
      “Great,” she mumbled.
      Lola fought tears. She just wanted this to be over. Some days she could accept that she had close to a year to get through before she could leave. Other days, like today, Lola didn’t know if she could do it.              
      She just wanted him gone . But even if he was gone, what would that mean for her and her mother? Lola didn’t know how things could ever be normal between them again, be how they used to be.
      Lola didn’t know if she could forgive her mother for the year of hell she’d subjected her to. Especially when she didn’t even seem to care . The mother she knew and loved wasn’t there anymore and Lola didn’t know if she would ever come back.
      A cry of frustration and anger and pain erupted from her. Lola glared at her reflection, hating what she saw, hating what she had become.
      She gripped the sink so hard her knuckles turned white. Lola closed her eyes and took deep breaths.
      Get a grip. Don’t lose it.
      Lola turned the water on and splashed some on her face, hoping it would take some of the swelling away. The bruise she could do nothing about. She arranged her long hair so that it partially covered the right side of her face. It was the best she could do.
      The hallway was empty. First period had already started. She was late anyway. All that for nothing.
      Art was one of her favorite classes. There were fifteen kids in the classroom, all busy on their projects. They talked and laughed to one another, their biggest concern what they would be doing that night after school. Lola had been like them too, just last year.
      She inhaled the scent of paint as she went to her easel. Lola hoped the teacher, Mr. Roberts, wouldn’t notice she hadn’t been there when the bell sounded.
      No such luck. He immediately made his way to her.
      “Miss Murphy. You’re late.” He was a big, towering man with white hair and glasses. His voice boomed throughout the room and conversations halted.
      Her face burned. Great. I’m sure I’ll get a nother detention.
      Lola looked at the outline of a butterfly on the 8 X 10 canvas, keeping her face curtained by her hair. “I’m sorry.”
      Mr. Roberts paused. “Is everything okay, Lola?”
      Her breath hiccupped and it took her a moment to find her voice. “Yes. Everything’s  fine .”
      “Okay then. Get to work.” He moved away and voices picked up where they’d left off.
      Lola looked down at her tennis shoes.
      No one cares.
      She pushed her hair behind her ears and stared at her unfinished art project, not sure where to begin. Usually able to lose herself in her painting, Lola felt uninspired and emotionless.
      “Look at her. She doesn’t even realize she only put eye shadow on one eye.” Snickers followed Roxanne’s words.
      She seemed to be the biggest target of her malice and yet it didn’t immediately register