Misery Blues

Chapter 1 - Unfamiliar ground

I wake up the morning after in my room, my body naked on my bare mattress. I stand up and walk toward the mirror on my wall, it's long enough to see my whole body from the front. I sigh as I open my eyes, taking in the sight of my bruised and battered body.

There is a mix of new, dark bruises all over; adding to the ones already there - the ones that were greenish purple, still in the process of healing. I run my left hand all the way up my skinny right arm, up my shoulder, across my neck, down my chest and let it rest on my stomach. I breath in, watching as my chest rises and falls are I let the breath out. I feel a familiar prickling sensation in my eyes, but close them, now is not the time to cry. I scan my body, trying to count my wounds - but eventually loose count somewhere near thirty. I turn my neck to the side, looking at a new pinkish purple bruise on my neck. This was the ugliest of them all, a bruise not given to me by a punch or object. This bruise was given to me by that mans lips, by sucking on me - breaking blood vessels in a moment of blind lust.

I let out a shaky breath as I head to my closet, I pick up some underwear and throw it on - not caring if my bra really matches my panties. Then I pick up my Sleeping With Sirens band 'T' that I got a few months ago from my brother. I throw it on and a long, baggy Columbia College sweatshirt over it and then slide on a pair of my distressed grey skinny jeans. I put on a pair of black and green striped long socks over my cold, slightly bruised feet and tied my knee high converse up.

I hear my front door open as soon as I'm finished and actually feel proud of myself, proud of the fact that I knew he would be here and I hid myself up just in time. I put on my best smile and wait for him to call me. I lean against my dresser trying to calm my nerves, trying to look as if last night was just a normal night. Well, it was some what normal. But, things like that aren't supposed to happen so much that it should become a normal routine. I feel the bile rise up and force myself to squash it down. I wont let it effect me.

"Veronica!" My older brother finally calls, calming me down. I smile and walk out of my room and down the stairs to greet him at the door. He just had his eighteenth birthday a few days ago, making him a little more than two years older than me. My sixteenth birthday is actually in two weeks, thankfully. That means I can legally get a job and not have to be home as much. Last night my brother, Denton, spent the night over at his friends house. Lately, it seems as if he is over there more than here - he practically lives at his friends house. The only time I really get to spend with Denton is when he brings me to and from school.

If he knew what was going on....Would he take me with him to where ever he goes? Would he save me from my own personal hell?

"Denton!" I smile, wrapping my arms around him tightly. Feeling his warm body against mine is a blessing, he hugs me back - washing away my fears from the night before. I look up at him, my handsome older brother - the senior in our high school who brings the girls to their feet. We, of course, look nothing alike. Seeing as how we aren't even related.

Denton is the son of my mother's first marriage, her first husband already had a son. He died soon after they wed, leaving Denton in my mother's care at the ripe age of one. Then she married my father, who was her best friend - and I was born. He died when I was ten, and mom met another person and married him. She hated to be alone I guess. Well, this time she was the one who left. Leaving me in my step father's care.

Denton looks just like his father, starting from his shaggy brown hair, going to his vibrant green eyes and even his build. It just screams his father. I on the other hand, got all of my mom's looks. I'm happy though, my mother was a beautiful woman.

"Holy sh- Roni, what happened to your face?" He asks me, putting his fingers under my chin and lifting my chin so he can get a better look at my eye. Crap, I forgot to put on my cover up. I knew I was forgetting something. My hand flies up to cover the newly forming bruise and I shy away from Denton's touch.

"She was in a little fight at the park, Denton." David, my step-father, say coolly as he walks down the stairs behind me. A cold shiver runs up my spine as I feel him put his dirty hands on my shoulders. It takes all my will power not to grimace, I look up at Denton, hoping he notices.

"Again?" Denton sighs, running his hand through his hair. "You weren't always such a trouble maker. It's the girls on the cheer leading team again, isn't it?"

I swallow, wanting to scream 'lies, lies' out at the top of my lungs. I feel myself open my mouth to protest, to tell the truth. But, David's hand squeezes on my shoulder, hard, as he silently watches me. I knew that I would have yet another bruise later and end up not saying a single word.

Denton sighs again and gives me a sad smile before picking up my book-bag from the ground. "Let's go, kid." He says, heading over to his old Nissan pathfinder.

As I run after him, I dare to take a look back at my step-father, who is waving with a sadistic smile on his face. More than anything, I do not want to go home tonight.

"Don't be so hard on David." Denton tells me as he starts to drive, I tense up at that. Denton doesn't know, he doesn't understand anything. David is a monster. I sigh, letting it go. I'm just glad that summer is finally over. No more long days, no more being home alone with him. I go into my bag and pull out my concealer. I dabb at the nasty bruise over my left eye expertly. Bruise? What bruise? It looks as if it was never there. I smile at my self in the mirror before putting my make up away.

I let out a long breath and watch Denton as he drives. This is a new town for me, we only moved here last month. It's only about thirty minutes from our old town, but it's in a completely different school district - meaning Denton and I are the new kids. At least Denton knows the kids here, he has always been popular. He was the captain of the football team and a track star in our old school, this school has been begging him to come here for ages. Me, on the other hand, I will just be some random new sophomore. Hell, to some people I might even be 'Denton's little sister'.

When we pull into the gravel of the school parking lot I suck in a huge air of breath, ready to begin the day. As he parks, I open the door and step out. The hot New Jersey air slams into me, wishing that I didn't have to wear this stupid sweatshirt. I walk carefully on this unfamiliar ground until my brother walks over to me. He sees me looking around confused and smiles.

"Come on, kid. I'll bring you to the guidance office." He chuckles, handing me my backpack. I follow him uncomfortably, trying to ignore all the eyes on me. He leads me to the guidance office, where the counselor and I quickly go over my new schedule. She tells me that my grades are better then expected and that I am actually ahead of the sophomore class. It's a surprise to not me, but Denton, who is listening in the whole time - even though he had gotten his schedule a few weeks ago during one of his football practices. He looks rather interested so I didn't say anything.

I was put in a few honors classes, being English and History. The put me into a Junior science and math, which happens to be pre-calculus. Thanks to some bribing from Denton, I was put into his gym class, which is usually a mix of all four grades and his lunch period. When asked which elective I'd like, I immediately asked for band. Ever since I was a kid, I've loved instruments, and have had experience in that area. Even though thanks to David, who sold all of my previous instruments, I have nothing - so she said I can work a deal out with the band teacher to get one. I smile as I walk out and Denton walks me to my first class, which is my English. I wave goodbye and take a seat, ready for this day to start already.

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Well, here's chapter One of my new story :) Tell me what you think?

Comments and Votes are appreciated.