My Missing Puzzle Piece

Chapter Eleven

Arielle-

"Arielle! Arielle, wait! What's going on?" The sounds of Abby's worried voice made me turn around, now facing the concerned look on her face. I shook my head, tears falling down my eyes, "I'm not sure."

"You have to be sure, Ari! Tell me!"

"It's nothing!" I snapped, not even sure if I meant to do that. I noticed she looked offended but I really didn't know how else to shut her up. I put my books in my locker and slammed it.

"I'm worried about you. girl. You're like..wasting away. You're not the same girl anymore. You're depressed, you hardly talk, you never call me...nothing. Why won't you tell me what's wrong?"

"Why don't you just drop it, Abby? You obviously never cared in the first place, why all of a sudden now?"

She seemed confused. "I've always cared about you, Arielle..but you just hardly talk to me so I thought you were mad and I don't know what to say or do to cheer you up. Why don't you tell me?"

"Because." I started, my voice more serious. "You'll go around and tell people, because that's what you are, a little blabber."

"I won't!" She said, almost desperate in her voice. "Tell me! We're best friends, right?"

"It doesn't feel like it anymore." I muttered. "But you have to promise not to tell anyone."

"I won't! I love you and care for you, okay?"

I nodded. "Remember how I said my dad..wasn't..the perfect dad? How he'd sometimes say things and hurt my feelings?" I stopped, waiting for her to answer and all she did was nodd and waited for me to continue. "Well..it's not just that. Um.."I stopped, trying to find the words. I felt more tears pour down and I was thankful no one in the halls were looking. "He hurts me....emotionally and recently..physically."

All Abby did was gasp, her mouth hanging wide open, her eyes wide in surprise. "What? Arielle, he abuses you?"

"Well not...that much but..I just..."

"He's hurting you, Arielle and it needs to end!"

"How?!" I said, almost desperate. "He's been doing this for so long now, I just..give up."

"Don't give up, never give up. Girl, I am so sorry for saying you aren't the same girl, I just thought it was something else and-"

I cut her off. "Just forget it, alright? Be lucky you have a good family and I'm stuck with a almost dead mother, abuse dad and run away brother."

"Ari, you can't just forget it, you have to do something!"

I shook my head, more tears falling. "I can't! My dad said if I ever told anyone, he'd hurt me more then ever and I just don't want that. I mean it was so bad my own brother ran away! How am I suppose to act? Happy? Normal? Okay? I'm not. I'm literally depressed and on the verge of wanting to die, okay?"

"Arielle, this isn't healthy. I just want you happy and I don't know what to say or do to help you. I just want you to know that I'm here for you and I am so sorry.."

"It's okay." I said simply, sighing and wiping my teary eyes. "It doesn't matter. We're going to be late for class." Sadly, Biology was next so I had to see him and I didn't know how things were going to be..Awkward? Cool? Nothing at all? I sighed and we walked off to class.

Justin-

I sat here, waiting and waiting for her arrival. She was usually here before me, where was she? I wanted to ask her about last night but I didn't want her to get upset. I didn't know what to say about it, but I was just confused.