Save Me From the Dark Read Online Free

out of the room, slamming it shut and locking it.
    It is then and only then that I start to cry. My phone starts to vibrate. Grabbing my phone quickly before my father hears. I try to end the call, but answer it instead. Of course, I can’t stop the tears.
    “Bella, are you okay? What’s wrong? What happened?”
    Still unable to stem the tears, I tell him what will keep me safer. “You can’t call me for a while. I’ll see you after the concert.”
    I hang up the phone and cry some more. Grabbing tissues from my desk, I blow my nose then go back to work on my homework. Folding up a tissue, I hold it to the cut below my eye to stop the blood from dripping on my books.
    A couple of hours later, I turn my monitor on. There are several messages from AJ. Everything in me wishes I could ignore them, but I care about him too much. He’s too important to me to do that.
     
    AJ: Bella, what happened?
    AJ: Why can’t I call you?
    AJ: Something’s going on because you were crying. Talk to me, please.
    AJ: God, Bella, please answer me. I’m going out of my mind.
    AJ: Please Bella!
     
    The breath is knocked out of me as I read the messages he left. There is someone that cares about what happens to me. It causes the tears to start again. I didn’t think anyone would ever care about me.
     
    Bella: I’m sorry AJ. I’m fine. Don’t worry about me. Hugs, Bella
     
    I wasn’t sure what I expected his reply to be, but I definitely wasn’t expecting the reply that I got. Today, I yearn to be near him so bad. Someday, I tell myself, I will be able to meet him and see if our chemistry continues in person as it has over the phone and internet.
     
    AJ: I wish I was there to hug you right now. I have never wanted to hold you more than I do right now. Don’t tell me not to worry about you. I care about you…a lot. You’re hurting and you won’t talk to me about it. Why? Maybe I can help you. I want to help you. Please don’t shut me out.
     
    There wasn’t time to reply. The sound of the locking clicking open fills my ears and chest with panic. Switching off the monitor, I pretend like I’m working on homework. Looking up at him as he walks into my room, he takes slow purposeful steps. Suddenly my chair is flipping backwards and my head hits the floor with a loud thump. Pain shoots through me like never before. He steps on my chest and pushes down hard. The air is forced from my lungs. My father smacks me again and again. Fighting like hell to keep my tears at bay. When I cry, it only makes him angrier than he was when he entered my room. Not sure what happened next because everything dims and then goes black after he hit me upside the head with one of my school books.

Bella
     
     
    Waking sometime later, the room is dark. How many times have I woke to not know how much time had passed? Pulling my sore body up off the floor, I grab my phone and see that it is eleven at night. Six hours have come and gone that I don’t get back. One day, that’s what I keep telling myself. One day, I’ll get out from under the scornful hand of my father and be free. Free to do as I want. Stumbling into the bathroom, I give a cynical laugh at myself. Who am I kidding? I’m never making it out of here. Hell, it’s what I deserve.
    Once I take my shower, I head back to my desk. My homework still laid here unfinished. Thankfully, my hair – I’ll have to do a swoop bang to cover my eye – and clothes will hide the marks left from tonight’s beating. I can go to school tomorrow. I hate hiding everything, but no one will believe my father could do anything like this to me. Everyone still feels sorry for him for losing my mother. He still plays it for attention, too.
    Everyone feels so sorry for him, but no one even sees me in the mix. How many women have I seen come into this house? How many nights have I heard their noises? Yeah, my father is so heartbroken over my mom, but sleeps with every Tammy, Danielle, or Harriet that comes along. It