CHAPTER 9
So when the deed had been done, he picked up his clothes and looked at the crying me.
"I do not want to see you with Abraham from now on. No more walking to and from school, I'll take you there and bring you back myself. Oh, and I stopped you from going to his house. You must obey me or else, you know the consequences". With that, he left the room. Shamelessly.
He had shoved me to the wall earlier so I had a questionable bump on my forehead. That night, I cried myself to sleep. I began to doubt if God exists because my faith was shaken so terribly.
The next day, I was forced to go to school even though I didn't want to. I felt sore between my legs and a bump on my forehead...
Dad dropped me off and immediately I stepped out of the car, along came AB.
"Hey, pumpkin, uh, what's on your forehead? ouch!.. Good morning Mr. Peters... Hey, what happened to your head?"
The atmosphere was becoming awkward. I was avoiding eye and body contact with him. I felt dirty. He understood that I wasn't in my best of moods and as usual, he threw his arms open for a hug. That was tempting. I turned to look at dad and the look he gave me... It sent shivers down my spine. I ignored him and walked towards my class. AB followed and was saying something but I wasn't even listening. I wasn't ready to listen to anyone. He suddenly grabbed my hand to pull me back but I got angry and lagged out on him.
"Damn it! Abraham! Leave me alone! Can't I breathe without having you hover above me every second?! Please, don't talk to me... And don't touch me"
"I'm sorry", he muttered and walked away. He looked very hurt. Did I just drive my best friend away?
I turned to see dad looking at us very closely. He nodded his head in approval and zoomed off. I made sure he was out of sight and immediately, I ran to AB who was walking away. He turned and me a very big hug. Then we burst into uncomfortable laughter.
A heart-to-heart connection doesn't hurt to try once in a while, does it? When we were kids, we always knew when either of us needed the other to pretend or blend into a situation. Great acting, if you ask me. And we could each tell when the other didn't mean a word said.
"So Ruby, tell me what is going on? I didn't see you in school for two weeks and your dad wouldn't let me come in whenever I came to your house. One time he said you had traveled, which I know is the biggest lie of all. You hate traveling"
"Oh, haha uhm... I... I was sick actually and the doctor said I needed a lot of rest, I'm sorry. But you should have known. He came to school and spoke with the principal a week ago"
AB was staring right into my eye and I felt uncomfortable, so I looked anywhere but at him.
"Ruby, what's going on?", he asked again. His voice was very calm and all the playful looks bad disappeared.
I tried to smile, "Nothing is going on. Why do you think something is going on anyway? Maybe dad is just being over-protective. And you know, mom isn't there anymore and..." I looked at them with pleading eyes, begging to be believed. I wasn't ready, to tell the truth, I wasn't ready to die.
"Ruby, do you trust me?"
"Of course I do! You know I do!"
He smiled and shook his head. Then gestured for me to walk to my class. He winked and blew a kiss and I smiled and walked in. I didn't want that moment to end.
After school that day, AB came to wait for me so we could walk home together like we always did. I had to start explaining how my dad didn't want to see us near each other, I wasn't allowed to walk home or walk to school either. He nodded and gave me a peck and a hug. I held him tight like my life depended know that hug. I wanted to tell him what was going on but the path...
I felt bad. Here I was lying to the one person that would take a bullet for me, my best friend. He knew I was lying about almost everything, but he never made me feel bad about it.
"Ruby, I don't know what's going on but, no matter what it is, I'm always here. And even if you can't trust me enough to tell me, I'll always be here for you. I love you", he stretched his hand to wipe a teardrop on my cheek.
"AB, can we run away and never come back?"
"Huh?"
I opened my mouth to spill everything... Everything. But then came dad's car. I spotted it from Africa. And I froze. AB saw the car as well and because neither of us wanted to get into trouble, AB walked back into my class in order not to be seen. I felt like running away immediately. I didn't want to go home because I knew what awaited me.
Days rolled by, some fast, others slow. I was molested continuously by my father... For months.
One morning, I woke up feeling unwell. I thought I was hungry or that I was having a fever. While I was still in my thoughts, I felt a strong urge, and without thinking what the urge was or what was prompting it, I ran to the bathroom...to throw up. I felt dizzy.