The Rain's Tears

Chapter Two of When The Rain Comes

            I woke up feeling better than I had in months. I was well rested, having slept peacefully with no bad dreams or thoughts. To my surprise the smell of fresh rain was gone from my room when I woke up. Unsure of where it had even come from, it didn’t really bother me at all. I showered and dressed before running downstairs for a quick breakfast before the bus came. My mom came downstairs while I was waiting for my toast to pop out of the toaster. “Hello honey,” she kissed me on the cheek, “Did you sleep well?”

            “Yes,” I smiled at her before learning over and kissing her on the cheek. The toaster came up with a loud Pop and I found myself jumping in fear.

            My mother laughed, “A little jumpy are you?” She took the toast out of the toaster and put it on a napkin, “You better hurry or you’ll miss the bus.” I took the toast from her and hurried to get my backpack from upstairs. As I was on my way up my younger sisters were on their way down. The older of the two, Jessica, was ten years old.  The younger of the two, Emma, was eight. Both of them spent much of their time together, though Jessica seemed to be breaking away from Emma and wanting to do things on her own. My brother, Davis, was probably getting ready. He was a senior and could drive himself to class and my half brother, Brad, was probably at work already.

            “You’re going to miss the bus,” Jessica said as she pushed past me and hurried down the stairs. I rolled my eyes and hurried to my room. The people in this house could sound like broken records. I grabbed my bag from beside my desk and checked to make sure all of my homework was in it before running downstairs to catch the bus.

 

            Justin was waiting for me at my locker. He smiled at me, which was usually a sign he was in a good mood. I walked over to the locker, “Good morning,” I say with a forced smile. Lately it was getting harder and harder to be nice to him, mostly because I wasn’t sure the mood he’d be in.

            “Morning,” He leaned over and kissed me. “How are you?”

            “I’m good.” I replied with my normal answer. The few times I had a problem and wanted to talk about it, he’d growl at me and tell me how much he didn’t care about my problems.

            “You want to skip school and go sit by the creek?” He asked. He took my hand off the locker, “We could go up to the store and pick up some food for lunch? Just spend the day together.”

            “I have a test in Math today,” I looked at him, “I can’t miss it.”

            “You don’t need a math test.” He rolled his eyes, “It’s not important,” He smiled and pulled me to his chest. “Just meet me outside in ten minutes, ok?” He kissed me again before letting me go, “Ten minutes” Before I could tell him I wouldn’t be able to make it. He had turned and walked off already. So there I was… trying to figure out what I was to do. The five minute warning bell went off. With a sigh, I hurried to class.

 

            I wasn’t surprised to find Justin wasn’t on the bus home. Justin only lived a mile or so away from us but his parents often picked him up from school so there were few times he was on the bus. Since he wasn’t on the bus in the morning, there was a good chance he wouldn’t be on in the evening. So I thought nothing of it when I got on to find him not there. The bus ride home was uneventful. My friend, who lived behind me, spent most of the ride talking about her date for this weekend. Lain wasn’t what you would call a best friend. She was more… a friend that was only a friend when it was right for her. The week I started dating Justin she had been so mad at me because she liked him and now… I guess it didn’t matter anymore since she had found someone else. The bus dropped me off at the end of our lane. The lane was about a fourth of a mile long and usually took us ten minutes to walk home. Since the lane was narrow and a dead end, the bus would only drive us to the edge of the houses if the weather was so bad we couldn’t walk in it. The bus dropped me off and with a wave to the driver I started up the lane.

            About five feet up the lane was the sign for the lane. A little off the main road, the sign was hand carved by someone who had lived on the lane most of their lives. In warm weather we would sit on the sign and wait for our siblings to get dropped off. My sisters were usually first to be dropped off but since they weren’t there it meant they were probably already up the lane. As I walked past the sign a hand came out and grabbed my wrist. Before I knew what was happening I was laying flat on my back, Justin over top of me. “Where were you?!” He growled at me. I was shocked to see him there. He lived a mile away and for him to come all this way out. “Where were you?” He growled again, “I was waiting for you.”

            “I told you I couldn’t make it,” I whimpered trying to get up. He shoved me back to the ground, my head hitting with a loud thud.

            “I told you to meet me.” He slapped me hard across the face. “Why don’t you listen?” He slapped me again, “You are so stupid.”

            I whimpered again trying to put my hand up to protect my face. “I couldn’t miss my test” He slapped me again.

            “God, everything you do is stupid.” He snarled at me, grabbing a fist full of my hair.

            I couldn’t get my hands up to protect my face. I wasn’t able to protect myself at all. I felt helpless, I felt like I there was nothing left for me to do but take it. I closed my eyes, unsure of what was going to happen, but knowing it was probably something bad. I take a deep breath, my body ready for whatever was coming, and take in the smell of fresh rain.

            It’s ok. His voice was cold this time. He sounded as if he was angry about the situation. It’ll be over in a minute. I won’t let him harm you.

            Justin punched me in the chest and the breath left my lungs. My eyes snapped open and I gasped trying to pull air into my lungs.

            It’s ok, just breathe. Justin punched me again and I whimpered in pain.

            “Stop… please” I begged him. “I’m sorry.”

            “You’re such a stupid girl. Everything you do is stupid, stupid girl. No one is ever going to love a stupid girl like you.” I wanted him to stop, my head was spinning and my chest hurt. Why wouldn’t he just stop?

            “Say it!” He growled at me.

            “What?” I sobbed. I was willing to do anything he asked me to do. “What do you want me to say?”

            “You’re stupid”

            “I’m stupid” I closed my eyes again. “Please… just let me up”

            “Everything you do is stupid.” He snarls at me, his fist tightening around my hair.

            “Everything I do is stupid.” I start to cry. I just wanted a car to come by and see us. I just wanted someone to see what was going on and to stop it. I wasn’t able to do this anymore.

            “No one loves you,” he snarled at me.

            “No…. no one loves me.”

            It’s not true. You know it’s not true. Just do what he says, he’ll leave, I won’t let him hurt you.

            “No one is every going to love you,” He forced my chin up. “Say it!”

            “No one is every going to love me.” My body was shivering. I couldn’t do this anymore.

            “God, you’re so weak.” He let go of me and stood up. I didn’t dare move, afraid his attention would be back on me if I did. “Aren’t you?” I give a weak nod. “Say it.”

            “I’m weak.”

            He stood over me, glaring at me as if trying to decide if he wanted to do something else to me. I waited, afraid to move or breathe.

            It’s almost over. Just relax, he’s going to leave. It’s ok. The voice had grown soft and soothing. It felt like hours, though I know it was only minutes if not moments… before Justin finally turned and walked away. I closed my eyes, tears falling.

            I’m sorry… it sounded like he too, was crying.