TWO weeks. Two weeks out of school due to the beating I received. Two weeks I spent cleaning and cooking and healing my wounds. My father noticed how harsh he was and died down, but that didn't stop him from shoving me against stuff and slapping me. After two weeks I walked out of the house as if I've never been outside before, hurrying to the bus before I missed it.

I missed school, the teachers, the shit heads all of it. I missed my getaway from home. I walked through the doors greeted to a noisy hallway and a sea full of kids. I welcomed in the noises and the shoves and whatever else they could give me. I walked into my first hour and sat in the back exactly looking forward to what the teacher had to say.

The room begins to feel up more with students until it was half full. I began to write down all that the teacher had to say, yet I felt a pair of eyes staring at me. I turn to see the same blue eyes that I dreaded seeing, the same blue eyes that stared back at me before turning back to face the board. I almost felt guilty for not being here, but then again it really wasn't my fault. If anything I should be mad at him, he was the reason I was gone so long, he was the reason I barley could move the first two days.

But I couldn't be mad at him, even if I wanted to I couldn't. My mother always taught me to forgive those for myself and not for them, to give myself a peace of mind. The bell woke me from my thoughts and soon the room begins to get less crowded. I walked to the door Only to be stopped by a white hand. The same scent that filled my nose almost if I was in the nurse's office again.

I turn to see the same blue eyes that stared at me minutes ago. "Bebita" he begins. I noticed his hair wasn't in his face like last time and instead of anger in his eyes there was worry. "Ya haven't been here in two weeks Kinsley where've you been". I couldn't tell him the truth.

I couldn't tell him that the pass two weeks I spent healing myself so I looked like less shit. I couldn't tell him that my father beat me black and blue because he assumed I slept with him. I gave him the same excuse my father gave the school when they question my absences.

"I was visiting my mother's side of the family, they haven't seen me in a while and I decided to see them," I said looking elsewhere other than his eyes.

"Bullshit kin, bullshit and you know it" he grabbed my chin to look at him in the eyes. "You really think I believe you went to visit family for two weeks huh"? I snatched away, growing irritated with his pestering. "Believe what you want to believe white, I don't have to prove you shit of my whereabouts" I turn to walk in the hallways greeted to the late bell and an empty hallway.

I was pushed against the lockers gently, but I still winced at how the healing, yet tender bruises pressed against the locker. Brian noticed and pulled up the front of my shirt revealing the long bandages wrapped around my ribs. I ripped my shirt from his hands pulling it down while looking to see if anyone noticed. "Does your father hit you bebita" he whispered standing closely. I stiff up against those words and tried to move from his grasp.

"Answer the question Kinsley does he" I looked at him, but not in his eyes. "I don't have to tell you shit white, stay out of my business" he grabbed my chin again to keep my eyes focused on his. He wasn't angry, his eyes softened and they weren't hard and cold like they usually were. His hand went from hold my chin in place to caressing my cheek. His hand was slightly rough yet soft and reminded me of mothers touch.

How she would caress my cheeks whenever she told me she loved me before I went to bed. I couldn't stop the tears from falling. I couldn't stop the sobs from being heard. I no longer cared where I was at and who was around. I finally let go. His arms wrapped around me gently almost as if he was afraid to touch any of my wounds yet still he held me while I cried and confess.

"He's been doing it ever since my mom died, he wasn't always like this he was a good man with a good job and a family that supported him" he pulls his arms from around me and cradles my head. "And that doesn't justify what he's doing to you is right bebita, bearing you to help with his pain isn't the way to go about it" I took in what Brian was telling me and he was right, my father's pain didn't give him the rights to abuse me. "It's not like I can do anything about it, I can't leave until graduation, I have to stay". "you don't, you can stay with me until then" I look at his to only see that he was serious. I couldn't stay with Brian I couldn't bring my problems on him, he probably had his own and who was I to put mines on him.

"I can't do that Brian, you don't know my papa he is a very dangerous man, you have seen my wounds I don't need you caught up in my mess". " I want to help, if you'll let me I won't have to worry about this anymore" I looked away in thought, it would be selfish of me to put Brian in this mess though on the other hand if I don't leave I'll be right where my mother is. The warmth of Brian's hand rubbing against my cheek brought me from my train of thought. "Okay, but on one condition white if he finds out about this I want you to leave me alone okay, I don't need anyone where I'm at, I don't know what I would do if you were in a dangerous situation because of me" he looked at me and nodded his head. "I have to get to class before they call home again and I don't show for another two weeks," I said leaning off the lockers.

I curse under my breath in the thought of what'll happen if my father found out I was skipping classes. "Here," he reached toward his pocket a pull out a stack of pink hallway passes. "I grabbed them before I left the class, we don't need anymore incident" I nodded grabbing the pink note writing down the time and excuse why I was late. "At lunch sit next to me so we can talk about the plan to get you out of the house alright"? I nodded my head once more and began walking to the class that was almost over. I felt a foreign feeling that I never felt before, like a weight that was on my chest lifting off of me.

I felt relief.