Chapter 2

 

A/N there is another authors note as well after the story but I just wanted to say sorry for taking so long! It's school holidays and I haven't been able to get near the net… but I had lots of time to write this! So enjoy and read on xD

 

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 I don’t think I have ever woken up without being stiff and sore, well at least not after my mother’s death.  Wincing slightly as I woke up I prayed that my father was not awake. I don’t think I could take another beating this morning. Getting out of my bed a walked over to my wardrobe to get my clothes for school out. A pair of simple old jeans and a black t-shirt also my favourite hoddie. It was a plain black one but helped me blend in as much as possible.

 

Taking my clothes a snuck out of my room to check if my father was asleep or awake. He wasn’t snoring and I couldn’t hear the usual racket he made. Maybe he has gone somewhere. I could only hope. I walked to the bathroom which was across from my room and the second one from my father’s room. The room in between used to be my mothers and hadn't been opened since her death.

 

Opening the door I saw that he wasn’t in there either. I let a small thought of hope flash across my mind before I squashed it. I had given up on hope and happiness a long time ago, it was fools talk. Getting in the shower I winced as my muscles tensed, the stiffness making me wince. In the shower I relaxed my muscles and my body as best I could and when that was done I got out and quickly got changed.

 

Quickly walking into my room I brushed my brown hair and put it in a ponytail, putting my hoddie on i grabbed my school bag and headed downstairs. Maybe if dad knows I’m going to school he will let me go without hitting me. It was a small chance. As I crept into the kitchen to try and scavenge a quick breakfast I saw that there was a note on the counter.

 

‘Ann,

I am leaving for a while to get money,

Clean the house and make my guests comfortable.

They will be arriving tomorrow and I will be gone for a week or two.

They will tell me if you do something wrong and I will punish you if you embarrass me.

I swear you will be dead if you do

Dad’

 

I scoffed at the ending. Like he had any right to call himself a dad. But I knew that the police would believe him if I told. I had nowhere to go either. Sighing I was happy that he would be gone but was worried about these ‘guests’. Would they be as bad as him? I hoped not. Grabbing a bar from the empty cupboard I was glad that it was pay day today.

 

I had to work if I didn’t want to work and dad usually took most of my money for his beer. I worked at a dingy little shop that was on the bad side of town and hated walking home at night but knew I had to.  Walking out the door I grabbed my keys and locked the door, setting off for the 2 mile walk to school.

 

I was a half hour early today so decided I would sit outside against my favourite tree that had over hanging branches so I was partially covered from view. Relaxing I rested my head against the tree and didn’t really care if anyone saw me as everyone was inside, probably making out in the hallways or being buffoons in the cafeteria.

 

I knew my hoddie had slipped a little so it was showing half of my face but I really didn’t care as I was too tired. Closing my eyes I relaxed in the shade, feeling all of my sore muscles and bones. Imagining a life where I was happy and had friends and a family that was whole and cared about me.

 

My day dream was cut short as a shadow fell over me.  Opening my eyes I saw that it was the ‘it’ group, the s****y w****s with their man-w****s. I sighed and looked back down, waiting for the torment to start.

“Hey freak, what are you doing today?” the head cheerleader, Alexia said. I sighed and looked up at them all laughing in my expense. I saw that Ryder, the quarter back so of course he was the ‘king’ of the school was laughing along with them. I closed my eyes briefly and stood up walking away.

 

Of course they didn’t let me go the easily. The queen b***h grabbed onto my shoulder and I winced slightly as she griped onto a particularly large bruise. Brushing her hand of my shoulder I started to run away from them, slightly limping from my sore chest.

“run you no body mute freak. No one wants you here anyway” there raucous laughter followed me as I ran to my last refuge, the library.

 

Finding a peaceful stop at the back of the old library where the History section was I grabbed a book out of my shoulder bag and went on to delve into a world where everything was so much better than what was happening here.

 

Before I knew it the bell had gone and I packed away my book, walking out of the library I went across the field to enter my hell and haven. I looked at my timetable and saw what I had for the day

History �" Room 113

History �" Room 113

Science �" Room 142

Lunch �"

English �" Room 201

Art �" Room 154

 

The day didn’t seem to bad and the last class was the best. I was pretty good at art and would have been considered the best if anyone took any notice of me at all in class. In all of my class I was ignored by teachers and students until I was being teased, then all attention was on me.

 

Grudgingly I put all the books I didn’t need until lunch in my locker and walked over to my first class. I liked the subject History but the old wart of a teacher seemed to be like all the other teachers and kids. I sat in my usual seat at the far back corner where I could go unnoticed.

 

Settling into my seat I set out my text book and note book with my utensils. Looking up I saw the teacher had already started the lesson and quickly started writing. The rest of the morning went like this. I was finishing writing my science notes for a presentation we would have to do when the bell rang. I packed up my stuff and walked out the door, being pushed around and barged by everyone.

 

Getting out of the classroom I headed to my locked and out my code in and put my books away. Grabbing some money that I had been lucky to find I headed towards the cafeteria to quickly grab my lunch and get out of there. Of course I wasn’t nearly as lucky.

 

I had grabbed my lunch which consisted of a sandwich and a bottle of water when I had been pushed over, falling to the ground with my food going everywhere. I saw my bottle of water roll around a trash bin. Wincing at my bruises I pulled my hoddie around my head, grabbing my sandwich of the ground I went to get my bottle but was cut short by a hand on my shoulder.

 

I flinched back and ducked my head even further into my hoddie, glancing up I saw that it was mar and Mrs queen bees of the school.  I looked up at the patiently so they could only see my eyes and waited for it to be over. I saw there disgusted looks and flinched at their stares

 

"oh look who it is everyone, mute freak" Alexia said it loud enough so the whole school could hear it. The cafeteria erupted into loud laughter and I closed my eyes holding back tears that were threatening to leak through my eyes. Sighing I bent down and grabbed my water from behind the bin when I was pushed down to the ground again.

 

I opened my mouth to yell in pain but of course no sound came out. Wincing I got up with my water bottle, putting my head down I clutched onto my chest, hoping to get rid of the burning pain in my chest. Looking up through my hoddie I saw that the whole cafeteria was laughing at me again so I quickly fled out of the hell whole and sat at my tree, away from the pain of society.

 

I sat down at my spot and leaned back against the trunk of the tree, swiping stray strands of hair that had fallen out of my ponytail. Looking around I saw that no one was around so I set my food on the ground beside me and gently lifted my hoddie and shirt. Looking down I winced as I saw the ugly, black bruise on my chest.

 

I wondered to myself why me? Why did I have to have a dead mother? Why did I have to be mute? Why did I have to have an abusive father? I knew the answer to all of these questions. I deserved it. I deserved it all. If I didn’t why would all of this have happened to me? Sighing I slowly pulled down my shirt and hoddie over my chest. Pulling my hoddie over my head I sat and quietly ate my lunch.

 

I thought over what I would do this afternoon and hoped that I had enough time to clean the house before my fathers ‘visitors’ came. They would most likely beat me if it was dirty. Finishing of me sandwich I saved my water for later and headed off to English. One of the few classes I enjoyed. I could sit in the back and be ignored peacefully as I had no people in that class that would constantly bully me.

 

Walking up to my classroom I headed to the back and pulled out my old iPod touch and pressed play. I did do work in this class but there really was no point if the teacher acted as if I didn’t exist. Today we were to read a book that we would have to write a report on. It was easy work. Zoning out I focused on my book ‘Fallen’. It was my favourite book and I was waiting for the library to get the latest 2 books.

 

Ignoring the world I didn’t notice when someone sat in the empty chair next to me, not un till my book was ripped out of my hand. Scowling I glared at the perpetrator and held out my hand for the book. I was not surprised when I saw it was Ryder and he was holding my book, smirking at me.

 

“what was that freak girl? Did you want something? Speak up” he mocked me. I gave him another death glare and reached to grab the book out of his hand but he put it out of my reach when I got to close. Me being 5’5 and him being 6’0 I was seriously disadvantaged. He smirked at me as if he knew exactly what I was thinking.

 

I sat back in my chair, deciding on just listening to my music and hoping he would leave me. My luck was obviously not that good. He sat down in his chair again and was careful to keep the book out of my way.

“it looks like I’m in your class now freak. We are going to have so much fun” he taunted me. I internally groaned and sunk further into the chair just wishing that I would disappear and never be seen again. no one would notice.

 

For the rest of the lesson I was pestered and annoyed so much that by the time the bell rang I felt like I was about to explode. I would have let out a scream of frustration if I could. Quickly grabbing my book from his desk I nearly ran out of the room when the bell went. Walking as fast as I could to my locker I stuffed my books into my locker and grabbed my sketch book and pencils, slamming my locker closed.

 

Storming of to my class I got there before anyone else and sat in my usual seat at the back. Glaring at the desk like it was the desks fault that my life was like this I didn’t take notice when the class came in. As usual no one sat near me as they didn’t want to be nice to the ‘mute freak’. I looked up when everything had quietened and saw that there was a man at the front who looked nothing like our art teacher and the principle next to him.

 

Looking at him curiously I saw that he had long black hair swept over his forhead in that ‘just got out of bed’ that only few people could master. His clear blue eyes pierced through everything he looked at like he was looking into their soul. He had sharp chiselled features with a strong jaw line that structured small plump lips. I saw that his mouth was fixed into a smirk and I immediately rolled my eyes as all the s***s in the from pulled their shirts down and skirts up.

 

“class this is your new art teacher Mr Calevier he is replacing Mrs Bonny as she has moved to America for personal reasons and may not come back” he looked at every student but as usual missed me.

“you are all to treat him with total respect, is that clear?” he stood haughtily and stared at us as if daring us to disobey him. The whole class but me chorused back a ‘yea Principle Bagart’. Yes, our principles last name was Bagart. But you would want to be caught laughing about it. He had spent 5 years in the army and seemed to hate kids. No one knew why he wanted to be a Principle of hormone raged teenagers, maybe it was the control he wanted.

 

I rolled my eyes and opened my sketch book and started working on what I had been working on since yesterday. It was a little girl standing on a cliff staring into the over cast sky with her hair and dress blowing around her widely. Right now I was trying to perfect the little girls dress and hair but I couldn’t seem to get it right. I was a bit of a perfectionist when it came to my art.

 

“okay class you can continue with what you were doing with Mrs Bonny” a resounding deep voice said. I glanced up briefly to see that it was Mr Calevier. I looked over to queen bee and her s****y minions to see that she had her hand up and trying to get the teachers attention in all the wrong and disgusting ways. I scowled and glanced back to my work, listening in on everyone’s conversations to see if I heard anything interesting.

 

“Sir, my name is Alexia and I was wondering if you could help me with this artwork? I seem to be having a bit of trouble with the face” Alexia’s sickly sweet voice travelled across the room. I mean sure I had my hormones and all, I was a teenager girl to but at least I could control them. It seemed that most of the girls in this school had no control over there hormones or they just didn’t try.

 

“Sure Alexia but I just have to call the roll first” He answered to her. I dreaded when we had new teachers or subs and they didn’t know me, roll call was always the time for ridicule for me. Sighing  waited as he went through the roll and waited till he called my name out. I was the last on the roll with the last name ‘young’. As he got to the person before me ‘Ruby Walker’ I waited for him to call out my name and for the teasing to start.

 

“Ann Young?” he called out. I raised my hand still looking at my sketch book and heard him call my name again

“Ann young?” I looked up and saw that he was looking around the room to only just see my hand up.

“oh Sir that’s Ann in the back, she’s mute so don’t waste your breath on her” Alexia sneered in her squeaky voice. I looked back down dejectedly and put my hand down staring at my paper with my hands in my lap as the whole class laughed at me. I had tears in my eyes and held them back as best I could but one traitorous tear fell down my check.

“Ann young? David young’s daughter?” I looked back up curious. How did my teacher know my dad? I hoped that he was not one of his ‘friends’ they were nearly as bad as him. I nodded at his question and a look of understanding flashed across his face

“ah, your father told me of your… condition” I looked down blushing furiously and checked to make sure my hoddie was held in place.

 

The class had erupted into laughter and my expense once again and Mr Bagart quieted down the class.

“ok, ok class quieten down and do your work” the sound of scratching pencils and pens and low murmurs of people was immediately heard. I let out a sigh and started working on the little girls hair again. I couldn’t seem to get the right strokes of the pencil to put enough detail in. rubbing furiously at my piece of paper I erased the whole head and started again on it.

 

30 minutes later of me drawing and little taunts at me by the rest of the class the bell rang. Most people would be glad that it was home time. Not me, I was nervous about my dad’s ‘visitors’. I hoped they wouldn’t hurt me to much but I knew I wouldn’t be able to escape it. I slowly gathered my things and headed out to my locker.

 

Before I could reach the door a voice called out to me

“Ann, come here” Mr Bagart said. I wondered what he could possible want with me. I headed towards his desk and he held out his hand as if he wanted something. I looked at him confused, he sighed seeming slightly annoyed and said

“I want to see what progress you have made today with your art work. Like all the others had to show me there’s” he spoke as if I was dumb and I guess you could call me that, because I was mute. I nodded and opened my sketch pad to the page I had been working on.

 

Our old teacher had made us do this but she always excluded me and I thought that he would do the same. It’s not like he exactly stopped the class when they made fun of me, oh it didn’t bother me, I was used to it but still. He seemed transfixed with my work and I wondered if there was something wrong with it. Why would he be looking at it like that?

 

“Miss Young this work is amazing, the amount of detail to the finite things is amazing” I blushed at his words but of course he couldn’t see it with my hoodie covering my face. I nodded my head so he could see it. He looked up at me and stared through my hoodie and I was worried that for a moment he would be able to see my face. So I ducked my head so there was no chance he could see my face

“Ann has your father let you know that my brothers and I will be staying at your place until we can find a place?” ah so he and his brothers were my fathers ‘visitors’. I nodded again and held my hand out for my sketch book.

 

He grudgingly put it back in my hand and asked me

“why do you where your hoodie in class?” I looked at him annoyed. How was I supposed to answer that without words. I felt like screaming at him ‘I can’t speak’ But I would probably get in trouble and I couldn’t anyway, so I just shrugged and turned around, walking out the door to my locker. Grabbing my bag from my locker I headed out of school and of to work.

 

 I was thankfully not hassled as I walked out of the building and started walking to work for the day and stretched out slightly wincing as my bruises ached. It was spring but we were still getting storms and rain. As if the sky were reading my thoughts the heavens opened up and it started raining on me. I put my hands in my pockets and walked quickly to work.

 

When I arrived to work the rain had finally let down with the clouds parting. Heading into the dingy little shop that I worked at I saw that Dave was already there. He was my boss and was a pretty lazy one at that. I headed into the back and went to the toilet as usual. Picking out the makeup I had stashed in there I covered all of my visible bruises and marks so that I could show my face at work.

 

By the time I was done I looked like a cake face. I put on eyeliner and mascara so the foundation didn’t look to out of place. Getting out of the toilet I saw that it was time for me to clock in. the shop was called 'Grunge' it was supposed to be a grunge shop but I was sure that Dave sold more than clothes and grunge things. If you get my drift.

 

Putting on one of my many fake smiles I took my place at the cash register and waited for the first customer.

 

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Authors note

Hey guys thanks for the comments and all! I hope you guys like this as it is 8 pages long in word… I just couldn’t stop writing >.< So again all comments are welcome! So tell me what you think and what do you think of Mr Bagart? Hehe as usual with my storied this is NOT planned so I have no idea where this is going! I am just as clueless as you guys XD Please tell  me what you think and if I should continue it XD Love you all!

Tanaya

P.S Hope you had a very good Christmas and got heaps of pressies and hugs and kisses from your family XD

Author's Note

Ann has lived with her abusive dad for 6 years. She has been beaten and starved not to mention she's mute. She is a loner at her school untill the new boys come in town and her father has left her alone in the house with them... What will become of the absued mute girl? Thats the blurb and please comment and tell me what you think! Thanks XD

Reviews

[jimmy]

Another interesting chapter leaving us with only guesses as to what could happen next. Keep going.

[olla]

an engaging story.. I hope you continue with it..

[No name]

I am loving it. please please please post more soon.

[Robbie~xoxo~]

Oh THIS is getting good, girl!! I like this story! Very orginal and hard to write when your main character is mute. I love this... Great Job!

[Cassie Fraga]

interesting... cant wait for more!!!!!!

[Rose of Gondor]

When I first read this my thoughts were these:

:'( So sad...

And


OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOH!!! New teacher........

This is utterly engrossing. :)

[Sophie]

I have to know, how old is the teacher? If she falls in love with him and he's like 30...... ew. But other than that I really like it, shouldn't she have a whiteboard or something to write on?

[patricia]

a good chapter, could be re-thought a little just to strengthen the plot...e.g. how the father knew the teacher etc. It looks like this may turn out to be a good triumph over tragedy story with a nice hero...(knight in shining armour in the guise of a teacher?) coming to the rescue.. it will be interesting to see how this story develops. Thankyou ...a sad story but totally engrossing to read.

[Coyote Poetry]

A very good chapter. I like how you made the simple things important. A new teacher and she like art. I like her attitude. She goes forward and doesn't give in. Thank you for the excellent chapter.
Coyote