I stare up at the dull cream ceiling, bits of mould making home in the corners of the room. My body aches and groans, pleading with me not to move, even the slightest fraction.

It's gotten slightly easier over the past week I've spent in bed. I told everyone at school I was sick again and avoided my parents at all costs. I don't know how much more my body can take. It whines, pain seeping in through the cracks in my bones. I just need it to stop.

It had gone on for hours, every time I'd regain consciousness again he'd be straight back to hurt me again. I wince thinking about the hazy recall of that night.

It was my fault, I shouldn't have gone to that stupid party and let myself fall asleep. I bought that on myself. I lied and I shouldn't have, I don't blame him for being mad. Any parent would be.

I lean slowly over to my side table, exhaling the sharp pain in my ribs. I pick up the book I was reading, the final book in the Flynn series by Sophie McKenzie. These books hold a special place In my heart, it was the first book I bought on my own. I'd just come first in a ballet competition and my mom took me down to a tiny bookstore we used to love, she gave me ten dollars and I bought that. It's the modern-day Romeo and Juliet, eat your heart out clichè romance.

I get lost in the series, an escape into another world where love is love and the rawness of it. I've re-read the series more times than I can count. The pages have a yellow hue to them, the spine is bent and damaged and there are small tears on some of the pages but the best thing is a small note my mom wrote in the back of the last book.

It was the last thing she's bought me, the last book in the series, her scrawny writing covers the bottom of the blank page.

'My bounty is as boundless as the sea, My love as deep; the more I give to thee, the more I have for both are infinite' I love you, my little ballerina, look for your Romeo, someone who deserves you. One day you'll love him more than your need for me. Momma x

That could never be true, I'll always need you momma.

The books are based around the play Romeo and Juliet and I knew what my mom meant, she was telling me not to settle as she did, find someone who loves you to no end. Don't settle for what you think you deserve, settle for what you actually deserve.

I run my finger over the smudging ink, savouring the last piece of her.

My phone buzzes under my butt startling me slightly. I replace the bookmark and pull it out.

I'm picking you up we're working on the project.

My palms grow sweaty as I read the message. Even though my bruises are healing and the cuts are hidden by clothing it's still pretty noticeable I'm hurt.

Can't I'm sick, don't want you to come down with it.

Chance I'm willing to take.

He's persistent today.

you've been ignoring my messages all week.

I let out a defeated sigh, it wasn't just him I'd been ignoring. I hadn't spoken to anyone. It makes me feel guilty, I'm lying to my friends and they'd hate me if they found out why, they wouldn't want to be friends with me anymore. I've just lied to Blaze especially after he let me in- sure it was only a bit but it was progress and I understand how hard it is to talk about your past.

Was it coz of what I said at Carrie's? About NY?

I immediately type back feeling even worse.

Omg no Blaze. I told you I don't care what happened in your past :)

I just thought that's why you might have been ignoring me? You were kinda cagey the next morning too

I've just been really sick I haven't spoken to anyone, I'm sorry about that morning I just had to get home- Family things I would have missed :/

The message dots swim across the bottom of the screen for a few moments and I feel my heart in my mouth, then they disappear.

Pick me up in twenty?

I reply quickly. Kicking myself.

Alright Blondie.

I breathe a sigh of relief and carefully start making my way to my bathroom to put on a better attire than sweat pants. I need a shit tone of concealer and full coverage clothes. Mom was out and dad was at work so it shouldn't be too hard trying to get about.

After finding the most covering clothing, slipping on Blazes' jacket and applying a lot of face make- up I hobble towards where he's picking me up, his car's already there when I limp onto the street.

My dad has done something to my ankle, I can't quite remember what happened but it's swollen to the size of a golf ball and a black bruise still sits on the ankle bone.

I open the car door and slowly slide into the seat feeling my body protest.

"Hey," I mumble, pulling my hair in front of my face.

"You feeling better?" He doesn't start the car just sits there watching me.

"Yeah, a bit." I don't elaborate, the silence fills the car, I know he doesn't believe as much into my lies as everyone else but I still can't tell him.

"Why were you limping... I watched you as you came down the road." This time he starts the car and we drive off slowly, his eyes occasionally drift over to mine.

"Oh...that... just a little dance injury." I lie, rolling my ankle in an attempt to stretch it our a bit.

"But how did you acquire that in the week you haven't been to school... you haven't been in the studio." He murmurs sceptically.

"I dance at home," I say flatly, letting the silence worm it's way back in.

He shakes his head subtly and says nothing else.

When we reach Blazes, we're both quick to jump out of the car. There's this thick sheet of tension around us like he's put this barrier back up and so have I. I can tell from the quick glances he knows I'm lying to him and he's more shut off than when we first met.

He leads me into the house, the flourish of hot hair hits my slightly cold face as we wander through into the open-plan living-kitchen area and take a seat on the kitchen stools. I pull my pencil case out of my tote and fish around for my notepad containing our ideas.

Blazes foot taps repeatedly against the floor and his hand cups the back of his neck, he looks overly... nervous.

"Are you okay?" I breathe, nearly a whisper- unsure of where my voice has gone. He looks away from me, searching the kitchen cupboards.

"Are we okay?" He replies, I stare at him blankly, "After what I told you? You've just been a little off." He sighs, guilt trickles all the way to my toes.

"Blaze I promise it wasn't what you said, I'm really grateful you told me and it would never change anything about the way I see you. I'm sorry if I've made you feel like that. I've just really not been feeling great lately." His eyes fall from the nervous frown into a grateful half-smile.

"Now you're making me feel bad for dragging you out." He chuckles. I'm not. I think. I'm glad to be out of the house, wallowing wasn't doing my muscles nor mood any good.

"You? Feeling bad? Jeez Beckett I didn't realise you were capable of such a feeling." I giggle lightly. He bows his head with a shake chewing on his bottom lip.

"Shut up... I feel... sort of." He straightens up and puffs out his chest trying to be all macho making me chuckle, "Tell anyone though..." He warns with a humorous glint in his eyes.

And just like that the tension evaporated and I felt calmer, happier sitting in Blaze's company. I just wish it could be like this all-time time. He's more relaxed and different when he's on his own but It's like he always has his guard up around others.

We spoke about what I'd missed at school that week as we started working on the project.

"You know it's uh... it's not the same without you. The group feels out of balance." He scribbles on a notepad, my cheeks flare red.

"Don't exaggerate." I giggle.

"I'm not, I don't have anyone to pester in French, Blondie." He nudges me with a cheeky grin and I can just imagen his whole week spent with his face on his desk either on his phone or half asleep.

A pitter-patter of feet enter the kitchen and I swivel to see Gemma stood in a purple leotard and tutu, her black hair slicked back into a tight bun on the back of her heart-shaped face.

"Atlas!" Her eyes light up as she runs to tackle my legs. I stumble back slightly but Blaze's hand on my back steadies me. I bend down to give her a brief hug before she pulls away and does a little spin right in front of me.

"Look! I started ballet lessons. Do you like it?" She holds out her tutu and my heart squeezes.

"You look beautiful! Like a real ballerina!" I gush watching her toothy smile brighten her face.

"I've already learnt how to do a Demi-Plie!" She runs into the space in the front room and executes it with a sparkly smile.

Blaze and I clap, "Wow, that was amazing!" I say as Blaze's mom walks into the kitchen, she stops abruptly a mixture of emotions running across her face but settles with a smile.

"Atlas, it's nice to see you, honey." She says with a slightly shocked tone.

"It's nice to see you too Mrs Beckett," I say quietly mustering a smile, she sighs and her eyes warm slightly.

"Helen darling," She smiles and leans down on the kitchen counter, "She wouldn't stop going on about you and what you'd taught her last time you were here... neither he." She whispers in my ear.

My neck flushes as I lean back against the counter, I'm sure he talks about all of our group. I look at him briefly, his eyes focused on his little sister prancing about in the small space she has.

'I've been learning how to do a pirouette!" She sets herself up, her tongue hanging out of her mouth when she concentrates. She tries to complete it but she keeps wobbling and I can see her frustration turning into tears, she looks so disappointed in herself.

"Here, take my hand." I hold my hand out to help her with her balance, "Keep that foot turned out and keep that leg straight." She does as I say and successfully does a pirouette, her face full of joy and shock. "There you go! That was brilliant!" I say, she does it a few more times, each time she smiles even brighter before she hugs me again and rushes back to her room to grab her dance bag.

"She's been trying to do that all sodding week, getting all stressy." Helen hits Blaze on the shoulder casting him a warning glance to not be mean about his sister.

"It's hard, cut her some slack," I say, whenever I learnt something new I would force myself to get it right before I left practise or the studio. My momma always said I was a perfectionist like her.

"Do you dance Atlas?" Helen asks.

"Yeah, I do." I smile slightly looking down at the floor, she smiles brighter and asks me about what I did and whether I did it when I was her age. We spend the next couple minutes talking about dance, Blaze intently watching me with every answer I give.

"Hey, Atlas?" Gemma comes bouncing back into the kitchen, "We're going to see the lights turn on after Blazey's game in a few days, do you want to come with us? Can she come with us Blaze?" She pleads between us.

Each year the town holds a lighting ceremony where festive lights are switched on from the centre of the town, it's a tradition that happens a few weeks before thanksgiving.

I look down at Gemma's little face, her hands attacking Blazes jean-clad legs.

"Please, please, please!" Helen chuckles at her pleas.

"She can come... well if she wants too." Blaze turns to me, nibbling on his lower lip.

"Oh uh sure, I'd love too." The same charming smile ignites both their faces.

A little while after Blaze's mom takes Gemma to her ballet class before she goes to work and Blaze and I get going on out project. We'd spent a good hour or so on it before my stomach embarrassingly rumbled. Loudly.

"You got a whale hiding in their Butterfly." Blaze laughs watching my face turn a beetroot shade of red.

"Sorry! I haven't eaten yet." I mumble.

"It's nearly five Blondie!" I shrug, I hadn't eaten that much this week anyway since I was trying to keep out of my parents way. Suddenly Blaze gets up and picks a frying pan off the counter, "You're not veggie or allergic to anything are you?" I shake my head.

"You can cook?" I smile, he squints down at a piece of paper hanging on the front of the fridge, it looks like a scrawled out recipe.

"Don't sound so shocked." The corners of his lips turn up then frown quickly sighing, "I've got to get something but... you can't laugh... okay...?" He struts back to his room and reappears with some black thick rim glasses sat on his face. He scowls at me.

"You wear glasses?" I bite on my lower lip.

"I get headaches, probably from all the concussions I've had during football season but they get worse at the end of the day if I don't wear them. I know they look-"

"I like them, they're cute..." I mumble.

.."Who'd of thought... you'd look more like a nerd than me." I grin at Blaze as he whips a dishcloth at me. I shriek and duck behind my work at the sound of his deep chuckling.

I mean it though, he didn't look cute... they make him look so gorgeous, his icy eyes more prominent on his face. He scoffs with a smile before turning back to the stove, I watch him throw a few ingredients into a pan, we chat about football and he tells me about the season and more about what he wants to do after school, I know he wants to go to Alabama but he still hasn't heard back, I told him its still early days.

"Oh by the way are you busy on Saturday?" He turns briefly to ask.

"I'm working in the morning...."

"I'll do it. I'll teach you how to fight but no actual fighting okay?" He points his finger at me, I only wanted to learn how to throw a better punch so that if worst comes to worst I could protect something really bad from my dad.

"Really? Also... you know that's so contradictory right?" I giggle, excited.

"Yeah. After this weekend...I just... I don't want to see you in a situation like that again, at least if you know how to punch someone properly you can..."

"Thank you!" I jump off my chair in a burst of energy.

"Don't thank me yet Blondie." He says with an evil smirk.

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