The next day I returned to school hidden in a black hoodie that was too big, black pants that drowned my legs and black shoes that just fit. I attempted to spend the whole day avoiding the two boys I knew was looking for me.

When the first bell rang I ran as fast as I could to my form room and hid in the corner of the room, trying everything to get people to sit around me but all refused. They answered with things like: "Why would we?", "Who in their right mind would sit next to you?" and "go home and never come back!"

I gave up on talking back to them as I had grown to accept. It was the last one that stuck to me. Never come back? I'd probably be driven to suicide!

You can't exactly be surprised how I feel when you find out that my dad is a bad alcoholic and my mother is a drug addict. Most of my sisters have left me alone and the ones that don't get beaten when they try and help their youngest sibling. I can't run, no matter what. They always somehow find me...

Beaten, forced to do things I don't want to, a slave... I had grown to accept that's all I'm worth.

I hung my head low when Lockwood came into the classroom. I hoped he wouldn't see me but of course he did and sat beside me, throwing his brown duffel bag under the table.

"Lucy?" He asked worriedly. I don't think I told him my name but everyone talks about me so he might have picked it up. No surprises. He placed his hand on my arm and gently held it. I had to bit my bottom lip to hide the pain and wince. "What's the matter?" he whispered near my ear. He said "Yes, Miss" for the register.

Who does he think he is? Barging in on my privacy!

"Ew! Anthony has his hands on that thing!" A popular girl said in disgust while the others either laughed or ew-ed. George came out with one of the amazing come backs I've heard. I couldn't help but smile at it.

"Miss Carlyle, please put down your hood in class." The teacher asked me, looking at me over her computer screen with her dull blue eyes. My own eyes widened as I frantically shook my head, mentally begging to keep it up.

I saw Lockwood smile at me from the corner of my hood and vision. It was ridiculously bright, like it was 100 gigawatts! The slender man stood up and walked to the teacher, I could see his masculine jaw move as he talked to the teacher. I watched as they walked out of the classroom to discuss something.

Like any normal classroom would, it erupted into chaos when the teacher left the room. It became a zoo with the people running around and shouting at one another. Others started to throw things at me, which increased the pain.

Thanks to George, he sat in front of me and (thanks to his chubbiness) blocked all the things flying at me while he nonchalantly read a book. It was quite nice what he was doing. I still can't stand any of them!

Only a few minutes later, Lockwood came in with the teacher and it all went silent. Everyone acted like nothing happened. I waited and luckily the teacher didn't ask me to take down my hood again. Still, I couldn't look at Lockwood.

I waited what seemed like eternity for the bell for first period to ring, advoiding the avalanche of questions from Lockwood. I silently stood up and grabbed my things- barging past everyone to get out faster. I only managed to get to the yard before Lockwood caught up to me in a smooth and rapid run.

The school was massive with a good few hundred rooms. It's separated into pieces for different compartments. The biggest and oldest is the English and Maths building that used to be the original school. There are small buildings for each: PE, Technology, Art and Music and History. The yard itself is huge that covers the area between the buildings.

"Lucy, wait!" Lockwood shouted as he continued to run the final space between us and surprised me by grabbing my arm. I couldn't hold it back this time and I squealed loudly in pain, followed by a wince. Immediately, he let go and stood in front of me and didn't allow me to move past him.

For a big guy he was surprisingly fast.

I kept my head low so he wouldn't see my face. Behind me I could hear George panting in exhaustion from running. I just managed to slip past Lockwood and I walked quickly away.

Lockwood did something I wouldn't forgive him for. He ran up to me and pulled my hood down while moving in front of me. A small gasp escaped from his widely opened mouth, taken aback by the mess underneath the hood.

On my left eye was a huge black circle that showed a black eye, the wind moves my hair to reveal it as well as a jagged cut diagonally on my bottom lip. There was a scar across my eyebrow leading to my ear while many scars and cuts showed on my neck and other parts of my face. A large yellow-ish bruise covered my cheek while cuts showed around my collarbones. My hair was a tattered mess that wasn't messed up because of my hood being up.

"O-Oh my god... L-Lucy..." He stammered, reaching out to gently touch my face. I noticed him trying to take in what I've been through. I shoved my hood back over my head and pushed him aside as I ran to class. He stood there while his brain comprehended with what he saw.

I'll admit, a few tears did fall... I didn't know how to feel...

~

During the beginning of music class, Lockwood decided to sit beside me and bombard me with whispered questions of what you might expect him to ask. "What happened?" and, "Who did this to you?" as well as others.

I put the yellow headphones on as soon as we got to the keyboards to ignore his talking. This lesson, we practiced the tunes that we made up on our own for the assessment next lesson. I played my slow and sad tune on the electric piano.

When I finished, I looked at Lockwood, whose face was full of amazement. "That was amazing!" he said with a huge smile. His smile faded as he looked at me. "oh." He commented and wiped a bit of blood off my cut lip.

His fingers... They were so soft and gentle; they wiped my lip like my lip was the most delicate thing known to man. A small tingle ran through my lip and skin as he brushed it. My breathing became shallow as I smelt a small scent of him. It was heavy in cologne but had a sweet smell to it, like fruit but I couldn't put my finger on what.

I pulled myself together and pushed his hand away. I put my hand up and asked the teacher if I could go to the toilet. He allowed it.

When the blood finally stopped, I left the bathroom to go back to music class. I didn't know at the time that I wouldn't make it to this week's music class... Unfortunately, I was greeted by one of the most idiotic idiots of all of the idiots.

Quill Kipps. Not only was I extremely lucky to see him, but I was also happily greeted by his other idiotic mate, Kat Godwin. Did you detect the sarcasm in my voice at all?

"Oh look, Kipps! There's the mistake we need!" Kat said. Her voice automatically made me want to punch the younger brat.

I attempted to completely ignore the two ditching creeps, sliding past them slickly as I kept my head down. That didn't go well as the irritating ginger pinned me by the arms to the cold, stone wall. The stone wasn't perfect and the bumps rubbed against my back.

The pain shot through my body as a smirk crawled upon his face. "I haven't seen you in a while, Carlyle." Kipps chuckled. One of his hands reached up and pulled down my hood with a chuckle, staring at the mess beneath. "I can see not much has changes, now has it, Carlyle?" He took a glance up and down. "Torn black shirt underneath." He smirked. I looked down as it was true.

Both of them laughed like they just heard the best joke.

Recently, I learned not to move, fight or do anything bad in a case like this. 'Cause I know I would get a bad beating. Kat may be a pipsqueak but she is one of the best at martial arts in the school. I was in enough pain as it was; of course I didn't want her to make me worse.

Kipps started to glare at me, "Did you get what I wanted?" My breathing became rapid as his face got closer to mine. Fear ran through my body then filled every singly little vein. I timidly shook my head. "It was due today, you little rat!"

When he found out about my parents, I was forced to get drugs and alcohol that they wanted to fill their addicted minds. I was a secret slave to them as well as my parents... I'm forced to do everything...

"S-Stop please," I pleaded, "They ran out, o-ok? I c-couldn't get any. Please... I-I can't take it."

I couldn't take it... I started to become lightheaded because of my rapid breathing, my body feeling numb and fuzzy from the lack of oxygen. I closed my eyes and a thick, rough hand wrapped around my skinny neck. I opened my eyes slightly to see Kipps cutting off my air. My lungs started burning.

"Listen here, Brat! If I don't get what I want by the end of this week I will not hesitate to go further and nor will Kat! Mark my words, Carlyle!" He yelled into my face. My body started to become light and relaxed. Kat glared at me with a small smirk. A cold breeze started that made my condition worse.

I soon passed out from the lack of air; Kipps chuckling was the last thing I heard before everything became an empty dream.

Why me?