The school hallway sometimes has a bad smell, I always wonder why the school hasn't done anything about it. I walk across the hall on my way to the bathroom.
What is going on? I saw Chloe sitting on the floor of the bathroom, she's trying to skip classes again.
"Chloe," what are you doing out here are you not supposed to be in class, she stood up and just walked out without even looking at me.
I went after her, Chloe can you please slow down, to think she has shorter legs than me, but she walks so fast am shocked. I got close and grabbed her hand.
"Chloe, what?" She turns around, her eyes were red and she has a bruise on her forehead. I take my hand and turn her head around, to take a good look at her face.
Chloe, what happened? I ask am now worried.
Nothing, she takes a step away from me and move back.
Chloe what happened to you, you ask like you care, she starts walking away from me.
Chloe please stop, she stops but doesn't turn to look at me, so I walking around to see her face.
Let's go home I tell her, she agreed. She always looks hurt and in pain I could see it in her eyes.
We walk to the car and I started driving us home quietly, I was watching her while driving she looks sad like a little pup. Her head was down and her gaze was stuck to her feet.
You okay? I asked she nods carefully.
You are not going to talk to me? are you, she shakes her head.
You know I am missing soccer practice right now so I suggest you talk to me, I think I deserve an explanation or anything of that sort she shakes her head no again. It makes me sigh, I park the car behind dad car when we got home. She steps out of the car before I can even take out the keys, I grabbed them quickly and follow her in. Dad was looking at us from the sofa, Chloe went upstairs.
"Chloe, what happened to you? She didn't reply she continued walking upstairs." Instead taking two stairs at a time.
Jason, what happened to her? Dad asked me, I can see he's worried about her.
I don't know too, I was on my way to the bathroom, saw her sitting on the floor outside the bathroom. Then I saw her cheeks was blue and her eyes red, I don't know what happened to her she didn't tell me anything.
No one from school has called, I think she might be hiding from something did she say anything, I replied no.
I tried asking her several times, she refused talking. I was also worried it's starting to frustrate me now.
Okay, well at least you tried, let's give her some moments to calm down, the you or me can go inside to talk to her he says, before walking off towards the porch door. By the way, mom will be home late, I replied ok before he went outside.
I wake up to the sound of someone walking downstairs, I step out of bed then went downstairs. The light in the kitchen is on, I went in and saw Chloe trying to open the fridge, she stands there with her pajamas and messy hair, she turns to look at me.
"You okay? I ask her and she nods.
Hungry, she answers yes. Chloe skipped dinner this evening, she opened the fridge and take out the pizza we kept for her if she got hungry. She turns around, I can see the blue mark was still visible on her cheek, I feel awful. If I had been there maybe she wouldn't get hurt, because I would have done something.
Still, she doesn't want to talk about what happened. Dad tried but she refused to say anything, she put the pizza in the microwave and start it. I move closer to her by leaning on the counter. She turns to look at me with the same shy smile, it makes me feel warm. I don't really know but I love when she smiles at me. She looks tired, she looked tired since the day she moved into the house.
Good night, I tell her and went to bed.