I watched in absolute horror as Mr. O’Dell kicked Eli, screaming. Eli covered his head and whimpered. Mr. O’Dell forced him to his feet and began to punch him. Eli stumbled but didn’t fight back.

                Mr. O’Dell knocked him back to the ground and placed his foot on Eli’s neck before growling something at him. He yanked him to his feet and dragged him off towards the stairs.

                I ran to the front door and forced myself to calm down. I knocked on the door with Eli’s phone back in my hand. Mr. O’Dell answered and smiled at me. “Hello Sam!” I hesitated. “Is Eli here?” I asked, deciding I didn’t want Mr. O’Dell to have Eli’s phone.

                He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. “He is. I’m sorry Sam but I think he wants to be alone. This whole thing with poor Davey is really hurting him. I’ve tried to talk to him but he really wants to be alone right now.”

                “Oh,” I said quietly. “It’s alright.” He gave me a small smile. “I’ll tell him to call you when he’s ready, okay?” I nodded. “Thanks Mr. O’Dell,” I said and waved before walking away.

                I glanced back as he shut the door and felt fear rising in me.

                Eli wasn’t safe.

                                                                                ***Eli’s POV***

                “Shit,” I grumbled, realizing I left my phone at Sam’s. I laid on my floor, too sore to pull myself onto my bed. Someone had knocked at the door but my dad must have sent them away.

                After being positive he wasn’t going to come into my room, I pulled out my picture of mom. “I wish…” I bit my lip and squeezed my eyes closed.

                I wish you were here mom.

                She was gone. She wasn’t coming back. I would never see my mom again. Even after nearly 3 years, that knowledge still sent unimaginable amounts of agony rocketing through me. I suddenly longed for her to be here. For her to promise me that Davey would be alright and that everything would be fine.

                “Mom,” I whispered, staring at the picture in sadness. Why? Why couldn’t it have been my dad? Why did it have to be my mom? Why did someone so kind, so good, so nice, and so caring have to die while her bastard of a husband lived?

                I allowed nightmares to consume me as I fell asleep on the floor.

                I woke up in the morning and gently placed the picture of my mom back before getting ready for school. Dad would make me go. I left my room and hurried out the front door. The bus came and I got on. Kids watched me carefully as I sat down by myself.

                I got to school and stared longingly at the spot I usually met up with Davey. I sighed. “Eli!” I spun to face Sam as she came over to me. She held out my phone. “I tried to bring it to you last night. Your dad said you wanted to be alone.” Something flashed in her eyes as she spoke.

                I curiously took my phone. “Thanks. Yea, I wanted to be alone. I’m better now.” I forced a smile and wrapped my arms around her. She hugged me back. She pulled away and pointed to my face. “What happened? That wasn’t there when you left my house.”

                Shit. I gently touched the bruise. Dad had punched me there last night. It was probably in the shape of his fist. I shrugged. “Got punched when I got to school.”

                She narrowed her eyes suspiciously. “Eli…It looks like your dad’s fist.” Shit, shit, shit. I rolled my eyes, trying to remain casual. “It’s not his fist. I got punched when I got to school. I told you that I would get ganged up on a lot now that Davey’s gone.”

                The look in her eyes told me she didn’t believe me. She grabbed my arms and dragged me to a corner where we were alone. “Eli…” Her eyes watered and she wrapped her arms around me. “What? What’s wrong?” I asked in alarm.

                “I saw him hitting you.”

                I froze. “What?” I whispered. She looked at me and nodded slowly. “I went to bring you back your phone and I saw through the window. He was hurting you Eli. Really, really bad. You didn’t get ganged up on. Your dad did it. He starves you, doesn’t he? He hurt your chest and you ankle, didn’t he?”

                I remained silent. I couldn’t deny it if she had seen it. “It doesn’t matter,” I said at last. “Doesn’t matter?!” she cried. “Eli! He beats you!” “Shut up,” I growled dangerously. “It. Doesn’t. Matter.”

                She shook her head furiously. “Yes it does Eli!” I ran a hand through my hair in frustration. “No,” I snapped. “No it doesn’t. It doesn’t matter. He does it and I don’t give a shit. Let him do it. I pissed him off on purpose last night.”

                Sam crossed her arms. “He can’t do that to you,” she whispered. “He just can’t.” “He can do whatever the fuck he wants. He has money and influence and we live in America. People who have money and influence in America can do whatever the hell they want.”

                I glared and walked away as the bell rang. School pissed me off. I was ready for a fight now. No one was sad about Davey. They were happy, the sick fucks. Even Sonny seemed happier. Yea, Davey hated him, but come on. How could you be happy when a 16 year old guy was painfully dying in the hospital?

                He was talking to one of his few friends and laughed a little. Sonny never laughed. He was always too afraid to make a noise. They were talking about Davey. I could hear them.

                Sonny nodded and rubbed the back of his neck. “I’m safe at school now,” he said to his friend and smiled a little. That fucking cunt was going down.

                I grabbed him by the shirt and spun him around. “Eli!” he cried in surprise. “You happy Davey got blasted by a car? You happy his mom can’t stop crying? You happy he’s painfully dying? You happy my best friend is going to die?” “N-No,” he stuttered in terror.

                My fist shot out and landed in his face. He cried out in pain as I attacked him, unleashing all the anger, hatred, and pain this whole situation with Davey had caused. He cried out in pain more and whimpered as I hit him. Kids surrounded us. I didn’t care anymore. I just wanted to hit someone. I didn’t even care who it was.

                “Eli! Stop!” Sam’s voice cried in horror. I felt her beginning to drag me away. I spun around and hit her as hard as I possibly could. She yelped and stumbled back, her nose bleeding badly. I was seeing red now.

                A security guard grabbed me and tried to restrain me. Furious, I struck out at him. He was surprised and loosened his grip on me.

                I jumped at Sonny again but 3 guards grabbed me, holding me tightly. “Come on O’Dell,” one of them grumbled as they dragged me off towards the principal’s office. I struggled furiously. I wasn’t done here. I was pissed. I needed to hit something.

                They pulled me into the principal’s office and one of them crossed his arms in front of me. “Now calm down O’Dell.” “My name is Eli!” I snapped. “Not O’Dell!” The door opened and one of the guards walked in with Sam walking next to him.

                The anger drained out of me. Shit. She held a tissue under her still bleeding nose and a furious bruise was taking shape on her face. She avoided my eyes as the principal came in and sat down.

                “ELI O’DELL!” he exploded. “Do you know where Sonny is right now?” I glared. “Obviously not.” “He’s in the nurse. Unconscious. Waiting for his mother to come get him and take him to the hospital.”

                I shrugged, making him even angrier. “Why would you attack him like that?!” he demanded. I clenched my fists tightly. “He was talking shit about Davey,” I hissed. The principal shook his head. “That is not an excuse.”

                I stood up furiously. The guards sprang at me and grabbed my arms. I didn’t care. “Just because you hate Davey it doesn’t mean people can talk shit about him! He’s my best friend and if anyone wants to say anything bad about him I’ll kick their ass!” I cried in hate.

                “Eli, calm down. I do not hate David,” he said, shaking his head at me in disgust. “Yea you do. You hate Davey and you hate me,” I growled. The door opened and…ah shit.

                “Eli,” dad hissed, glaring at me. I glared right back. “Mr. O’Dell, your son’s behavior is completely unacceptable and his actions will not be tolerated,” the principal said, standing up and walking over to my dad.

                I dropped back into my seat as they talked and glanced over at Sam. “Samantha, you may go to the nurse,” the principal said with a small smile. She stood up and I stood up after her. “Sam, wait,” I said, guilt slapping me in the face. No. I should’ve never hit her.

                She glanced at me and got a sad look in her eyes. She shook her head at me. “Sam please,” I begged quietly. She bit her lip and sighed.

                “I’m done with you Eli.”