Hidden Beauty (Under Reconstruction)

Chapter 7

Two chapters in one night? You guys have to love me even more now! (: Thank you all. I really mean it. Now enjoy the show :

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I grabbed Casey hand and started to pull. Wow, major Deja-vu. That was until she stopped. "At least let me say goodbye." She pleaded. I nodded curtly. I watched as she skipped back over the Jake, mumbled a few words and kissed his cheek. His face heated and he touched the place she kissed him.

Good, there was some normality. Besides the fact she still had her hood on. I glowered at the ground on the walk home, feeling crappy. Casey repeatedly hammered me for answers, after the seventh time I told her.

By the time I finished, we reached the house. "But, you like him don't you?" She asked as she stepped in behind me. "Yeah but that's not the point." She sighed and pulled our hoods down. Casey then spun me around and looked me in the eyes. "Then what is?" She questioned, gently.

"I like him enough to let go. He deserves better." Casey tightened her grip on my arm. "No one is better than you idiot!" She snapped. Whoa. Casey barely ever got this upset. "Your beautiful and thoughtful. Smart and you love me enough to throw yourself in front of dad. You like him or maybe even love him enough to let him go. Who's better than that?"

I didn't have an answer, she let me go. "Don't push him away too hard Kat. You won't be happy." I gave her a slight smile. "When did you get so smart?" She laughed and shrugged. The night passed in a neutral blur, dad didn't come home that night.

He didn't come home the next 2 days either though. It didn't worry me. What did worry me though was the fact it seemed like I actually made Cain angry. He avoided me those two days and it made me upset. I didn't want him to hate me.

I would swallow those words if I could. I would go back and make myself not say them. On the third day I sat in first period next to Cain. He didn't spare me a glance the whole period. As I entered 2nd period I noticed we had a substitute. Mrs. Alex, her name was. I took my seat in the back and zoned out. She started a lecture on history then stopped.

"Excuse me?" She questioned, waving a hand in my face. "Please take your hood off." She said. "I'd rather not." I responded in a calm tone. "Take your hood off." She demanded. "No." I protested. "This is the last time I'll ask Miss Herald." I rolled my eyes under my dark hood. "And for the last time, No."

I was already in a crappy mood and this ignorant old lady was making it worse. "Detention!" She hollered. stomping back to the front. "NO!" I shouted, panicked. Your parent has to sign those things! I would get it really bad. "Did you just shout in my classroom?" Oops. "Sorry" I muttered.

"I will excuse it, if you remove your hood." Mrs. Alex insisted. "I can't." Was my quiet response. "That's it! I'm calling your guardian for you to be excused for the rest of the day." "Please Mrs. Alex. No!" She didn't listen. I watched as she lifted the phone for the office to call him. Him. The one who might actually kill me tonight. My father.

Around 10 minutes later, a voice boomed over the intercom. "Katerina Herald, Your father is in the courtyard waiting." It was like the final sentence. The words that would condemn me to hell.

Mrs. Alex smirked at me as I gathered my things. I gave Cain a sorrowful look. He watched as I left the room. Before I shut the door I pulled my hood down so only he could see the bruises. I mouthed, 'I'm sorry.' He kept staring though now he looked angry and sad. Each step I took near the courtyard was a step closer to my own demise.

Time to face to music. My father's figure stood in the middle of the field. I stepped closer to him and he didn't move. "I'm sorry Fath-" I didn't finish my sentence before I was slapped across the face. I fell to the ground, backpack flying off. There was a metallic taste of blood in my mouth.

"You disgust me, you waste of space." He yanked me up by my arm, pulling my hood down. The bruises were nearly healed.. Well, he was going to change that. "You selfish child." I received another slap. "How dare you misbehave." Punch in the stomach. "I thought these beating would have taught you better." He dropped me the ground. Really Dad? Here? He stepped around me and kicked me in the back.

I gasped in pain, that seemed to fuel his anger. He grabbed me by the throat, pulling up my aching body. "Think you can disobey me?" His grip tightened and I tried to pry his fingers off. Black smudges danced across my vision. He let my throat go and I felt relief until he grabbed my hair.

I dropped to my knees and he slapped my face. Hard. By this time I had almost passed out. He let go and I fell to the ground trying to breath. He then kicked my leg so hard I'm surprised it didn't break. Now he was bent over me slapping and hitting. Once. Twice. Three times.

I was in great pain but, I didn't give him the satisfaction of knowing it. He pulled his arm for a forth, his shadow looming over me. "Leave her alone!" A masculine voice shouted. My father stumbled back a few steps. I saw Cain, in all his handsomeness, step between me and my father.

"Get out of my way." My father seethed. "No." Cain dictated, standing directly in front of me. "You'll have to go through me." My dad looked miffed. "Don't be stupid boy. She's my daughter." Cain gave humor-less laugh. "You treat her this way? How sick." He spat. My father glared at me with pure hate. "This isn't over, sweetie." Then he stormed off to his car.

Cain dropped to his knees and looked at me, frightened. I tried to sit up and only managed when Cain helped. I pulled my shirt up and wiped the blood from my mouth. Cain watched with a mixture of anger and pity. "You shouldn't have come Cain." I said trying to sound mad, but it came out breathless and full of agony.

My head throbbed and my body was screaming in protest with my every move. My jacket was sitting next to me on the grass and my light green t-shirt was going to stained with the blood I wiped on it. "What?! He would've killed you!" Cain replied in a defensive way. I shook my head slightly. "No. He wouldn't let me die. But, now it's going to be a lot worse when I go home." Now he looked guilty and seriously depressed.

"I had no idea." I gave him a smile. "It's okay." His head started shaking No. "No Kat," He began. "It's not alright! It will never be alright! There's nothing I can do? I mean I was here this time but what i-" I cut him off by pressing my lips to his. It was a soft reassuring kiss, to let him know I was fine. I pulled away and his face looked dazed.

There was bit of blood on his lip and I reached up and wiped it off. He caught my hand and held it in his, playing with my fingers. He mumbled something. "Huh?" I inquired. "You could stay with me." He repeated, not looking up from our hands. All the thoughts that were floating in my head disappeared.

"Ha, As if." He looked up, determined. "I, Cain Liam Masters am sincerely asking you, Katerina Elizabeth Herald to stay with me at my humble abode." He smirked at me playfully. I thought about it, my brain was still foggy though. It would be better wouldn't it? Me and Case would be safe. We could have our relationships and no more dad. The most important thing was that it was safe.

"Okay." He looked surprised and ecstatic. "I thought you didn't like me." He said with a sad smile. "No. I said it was better if YOU didn't like ME. But, it seems like you hell-bent on protecting me." I received a smile. "Oh and Casey can stay too. You know her and Jake are getting along pretty well." He implied with a wink.

"Good old Case." I laughed but, stopped abruptly when it hurt. "It's getting harder to stay awake." I told Cain. The rest of my strength was fading fast. "Come on." Cain said, trying to help me up. I stood and put some weight on my left leg, then howled in pain. A disturbed look came across Cain's face.

The ground turned slightly spinny and blotches danced in front of my eyes. "Cain," I breathed, gaining his attention from whatever he was looking at. "Thank you." Was the last thing I said before my vision completely blacked out.