My secret lives

Chapter 48

I don't really know what to say so I just hold his hand, comforting us both I think and when I finally know what to say I hear Atlas call out my name.

I look up startled as I see Atlas run up the bleachers.

The second he is close enough, he wraps me into a hug.

A small gasp leaves my body by the sudden impact.

"Oh my god, I-..I thought you were gone, I thought you left because of yesterday until I saw the note" he whispers

Slowly my arms wrap around him as I see Blaze stand up in the corner of my eye.

'See you at lunch' he mouths

I nod my head and he leaves.

Calmly Atlas sits down next to me.

"Atlas I wouldn't just leave you okay" I say giving him a small smile, "I promise I wouldn't do that to you"

He nods his head and pulls me closer to him while wrapping his arm around my shoulder, "you better don't" he whispers.

"I promise" I say once more.

We stay quiet for a few minutes until I decide to ask the question I've been stuck with since yesterday, "Atlas?"

"Yeah?"

"Why does Valerio hate Blaze?" I ask him.

He stays quiet for a few seconds, trying to figure out how to say what he's about to say, "honestly Ena- I have no clue. Valerio and Blaze were really good friends when they were younger but then one day they suddenly just stopped talking. No one knows why or how it happened." He says, "neither of them ever mentioned it" he continues.

I nod my head, "Ena you can be friends with anyone you'd like okay, don't worry about Valerio" he tells me.

"Okay, so I can sit at lunch with who I want" I say

He smiles, "sure"

"So how did you get here? No way did you walk for more than an hour"

"Ares brought me" I tell him

He nods his head

We stay quiet just enjoying each other presence for the next few minutes until we need to head of to class.

————

I'm back at the house.

Ares just dropped me off after having picked me up from school.

Valerio luckily didn't bother me at school and just let me sit with my new friends at lunch.

I talked to them and the only concern about yesterday they had was if I was okay.

They've even put me in their group chat and stuff.

I really like them and I'm happy that they're my friends.

The day at school was okay I think, I haven't gotten any homework which is good but I have P.E. tomorrow.

Which is not good.

In P.E. we have to wear these blue shorts and a short sleeve white T-shirt.

I don't want that.

I still have a lot of bruises and cuts on my body, that's not even mentioning all the scars that litter my skin too.

The self harm scars and the ones made by John and that girl. There are also a few scars from fighting and stuff but those aren't as visible as the others.

It's really obvious that the scars on my body are either from self harm or from abuse, that's something I don't want the whole world knowing.

Teenagers are brutal and I might not show it but if they comment on it, it will hurt.

I'll probably beat them up too if they say anything about it- about me.

Anyway I have to go to the hospital now.

Since my wounds weren't cleaned yesterday because I didn't show up for it, I don't think the doctor will be very pleased with me.

The second I walk inside the house, I see all my brothers standing there next to the stairs.

Okay?

I don't say anything and just stare at them like they are staring at me.

I awkwardly clear my throat.

"Let's go" Angelo says.

I nod and follow him to the garage.

Slowly I get in the car with Angelo and head of to the hospital.

I look out the window as it starts raining cats and dogs.

I like the rain.

It's pure and honest like nothing else.

"How's school?" Angelo asks after a while.

I shrug my shoulders, "it's nice, I have friends" I tell him.

He smiles and nods his head, "that's good, if there's anything bothering you there feel free to tell one of us" he tells me

"Well...there's one thing" I say.

He takes a small glance at me before focusing back on the road, urging me to tell him.

"I have P.E. tomorrow and we have to wear this outfit that shows a lot of scars and bruises, do you think that there might be a way so I don't have to wear that?" I ask.

"I'll call the principal later, I'll see what I can do" he tells me.

I nod my head, "thank you" I say and turn to look outside again.

The rest of the ride is quiet.

I'm a little nervous for what the doctor will say.

There's still a big chance that my ankle will have to get put in a cast again and I don't want that.

————

My cast is off.

My leg and foot still feel a little numb but it doesn't hurt.

I smile.

I wiggle my foot a little and hear a couple of cracks.

I stand up and start walking on it.

"Can I start sporting again?" I ask the family doctor who now also knows everything about my abuse by now.

"You have to take things easy but yes you can start working out again" he tells me.

I nod my head as he starts talking about my injuries and some more shit.

————

I literally run into the house when Angelo stops the car.

On instinct I run into the living room where I quickly see Atlas, "look, the cast is finally off" I smile wildly and I hug him.

The smile on his face doesn't reach his eyes and it's only now that I'm feeling all the tension in the room.

"What's wrong?" I ask him slightly worried.

Atlas looks at me, he looks on the edge of bursting out in tears but at the same time also in the edge of killing someone.

"Atlas?" I say

A throat gets cleared so I turn around as Atlas keeps me close to him.

A man

An older version of Vincenzo.

Fucking hell this is our father- my father