Chapter 16

Aria's POV

I woke up to the irritatingly loud alarm clock currently blaring on my bedside table. I groaned and rolled over, pulling my pillow over my head, trying to block it out.

"You can't escape it Aria," Forest laughed from beside me, turning off the alarm clock and pulling the pillow from over my head. I turned to him and slumped against him, my head on his chest. Still half asleep.

"But it's school," I wined, "And it's cold. I don't want to get up." I pouted, and Forest laughed before quickly pulling the duvet off me, causing me to shriek as I was hit by the cold air.

"Oh, you are so for it!" I yelled, sleep forgotten as I grabbed the nearest pillow and pummelling him with it, giggling as the feathers flew through the air, I felt arms round my waist as Forest pulled me down, stopping my pillow rampage, he hugged me tight, kissing me on the forehead and laughing with me.

I heard a knock at the door and saw Isla in the doorway, she had a big smile on her face and she was laughing, "As fun as it was to watch my son being beaten with a pillow, breakfast is ready, and you don't want to be late for school."

We followed her down stairs and into the kitchen, were a pile of pancakes already sat in the middle of the table. I grabbed a plate and pilled it high, still grumbling about having to go to school. Atlas grinned at me from across the table, "You sound happy." He observed laughing at me.

"You have no idea," I countered, sprinkling the sugar on to my pancake and squeezing the lemon before looking up. "Who on earth thought putting a load of teen in one place for seven hours a day was a good idea and would lead to anything except cat fights?" I muttered.

Atlas just snorted at my outburst, a smirk on his face as he sarcastically said, "Well enjoy."

"I won't," I deadpanned before eating my pancake.

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After breakfast was finished and cleared up Isla went to a jar on the book shelf and handed us both a 10 pound note. "Lunch money." She said before going to do the washing up. I just stared at the note in my hand. I had never been given lunch money before. Why do these people I have known a small amount of time so obviously care about me more then my actual family every did.

I said thank you before heading upstairs get dressed for school. Forest went for a shower and I grabbed a random top from the dresser, not caring what I wore. Today of all days, I just wanted to be alone, I didn't want to go to school.

Why of all days would they choose today as the day we go back. Which person decided they hated me enough to make today the first day back.

Today. The first day of school. The anniversary of all things bad in my life. The anniversary of my mum leaving. The anniversary of my dad and brother beating me. The anniversary of the day I was born.

I felt tears run down my face at the memories of the last 11 years. "Happy birthday bitch," My brother sneered at me, grabbing me by my hair and throwing me to the ground. Laughing as I hit my head off the radiator. I felt blood flow down my neck but of course he wasn't done yet. He kicked me in the ribs, grinning at the 'satisfying' click of broken bone rang out in the air. I thought my day couldn't get any worse. I was wrong. At that moment my dad came down the stairs. Drunk. He smiled down at me. He kept smiling. He smiled as he punched me in the face. He smiled as he kicked me in my already broken ribs, laughing as I screamed with pain. They left me curled up on the floor with the instructions to have my blood off the floor by the time they got back. Happy birthday to me.

I was pulled out of my thoughts as I felt arms wrap around me from behind. Pulling me into a tight hug. "Hey, it's ok, don't cry." I just cried harder, safe in the arms of my mate.

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After my tears had finally stopped flowing and Forest had stopped searching for answers as to why I was crying, we set off to school. Hooray! Note the sarcasm.

We pulled into a parking space and I ducked my head down, not wanting people to see me. But of course, this is school. Everyone is too nosy to keep out of your business. Forest must have seen the worry written all over my face because he leaned close to my ear, whispering in my ear, "Just ignore them."

I walked to class followed by whispers. Hurtful whispers. "You see the girl over there, that slut was seen with Forest." And, "Forest must be getting desperate to go to her," Even better "I wonder what she's paying him to shag her, I wouldn't even for a million pounds." I tried to ignore them like Forest told me too, but it was hard. The whispers followed me around school and to my lesson, I couldn't get away from them. I wished I was invisible again.

To make matters worse I was still stiff from the car crash and I had odd bruises everywhere. A simple brush against someone in the corridors made me wince in pain.

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I finally made it to my first class, oh kill me now. History. Sitting next to Tasha. I sighed deeply before sitting down at my desk. Maybe, just maybe, she will leave me alone? Oh, who am I kidding. As if.

As soon as she sat down, in the seat right next to me, she sneered. Then she turned to me, and what she said sent a chill down my spine and made me quake in my seat.

"I have a message from your brother," Oh no, please no, she slipped me a note and my hands shook as I read it. Happy Birthday bitch, sorry I couldn't be here to 'celebrate' it with you, but I gave Tasha and my friends my gift to give to you, so you won't miss out.

My teacher was talking at the front of the class, but I couldn't hear what they were saying. All I could focus on is the note, my brother's note. This isn't over, far from it in fact. I will be back and one day, one day soon you will pay dearly. So, dear sister, sit tight and live in an illusion of safety, the fact of the matter is you are far from it.

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The rest of the lessons were a blur of looking over my shoulder and shaking in fear, I didn't talk to anyone, I didn't want them to find out that I was talking again. There would be too many questions to answer.

I walked through the back door to get out of school, I had to see one of my teachers after school, so most people had already left. As I walked across the field I suddenly noticed I was no longer alone. There were people all around me, not normal people, Tyler's friends. I tried to get away but before I could I was surrounded with my hands pinned behind my back.

I tried to wriggle out of the death grip, but it was too tight. "Happy birthday bitch." One of the boys said from behind me before the sky rained down with punches and kicks. I couldn't move. I couldn't breathe. All I could feel was pain. Not just physical pain, but mental pain. The pain of 11 years of painful memories all crashing down in one moment.

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"Hey dad," Six-year-old me ran up to my father and engulfed him in a hug, "Daddy, can I go to the park tomorrow?" I asked, not fazed by the fact he wasn't hugging me back. He just glared into the distance, not looking at me.

"No" He gruffly told me, "It's your fault. ALL YOUR FUCKING FAULT!" He screamed at me. I cowered away from him. Who was this strange man and where had my loving father gone. I whimpered as he turned his gaze at me, if looks could kill I would surely be dead.

It was my birthday, every year on the nearest Saturday to my birthday my dad would take me to the park. It was tradition. I didn't understand what had happened. I didn't know my mum had left a few hours ago, or that my dad blamed me. How could I. I was only six.

"It's your fault. It's your fault." He repeated, again and again, his voice rising in volume until I had my hands over my ears and tears streaming down my face. What had I done wrong. I didn't understand what I had done. Why did my dad suddenly hate me?

I whimpered again and tried to run from the room. He grabbed the back of my tee-shirt and pulled me back, stopping me in my tracks. He glared at me before raising the glass bottle in the air and crashing it down on my head. Glass sprayed everywhere, and I screamed in pain. My dad laughed.