I highly recommend reading the Note at the bottom and answering the topic of the day questions! Thanks(: -R.W

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“Alright I’m bored. Drop her,” Tinsley sighed, picking at her broken nail.
I hit the dirty cement ground of the dim alleyway with a thud. They had dragged me in between the two buildings after I called Tinsley a few…colorful names.

“Umph,” I coughed, choking on the blood from my bleeding nose. I could feel the swelling and discoloration in my face spreading like a forest fire.

“You know,” I muttered just as she began to walk away, “Only a true coward would need two other guys to help you beat up little old me.”

I was at the lowest of lows and couldn’t help mouthing off. I wasn’t going out silently.

She froze for a fraction of a second and turned around in a livid flurry, “You are one dumb bitch!”

“And you’re a confident coward,” I spat back, grabbing at my side as I forced myself to sit up.
Tinsley clicked and clacked her way over to me, pulling at the strings of my jacket.

“Tell anyone about this wonderful get together and your little prince charming will have one more thing in common with you…though his may be a bit more serious,” she warned cynically.
“What the hell does that mean?” I asked aggressively, struggling to speak with the blood in my face.

“It means, my two pals over there will put him in the hospital,” she explained with a hint of a smile at the disappearance of my coolness.

“If you put one finger on him I’ll--”

“You’ll what?! Embarrass me in front of everyone? That will only put you in the same boat as me and my friends over there, detention till graduation and a vivid behavior record and we’ll go down together! Fun, right? But, if you keep that motor mouth of yours in check about the hell you’ll be put through in the near future, your hubby and record is safe.”

I said nothing more after she explained I had no out without sacrificing something, which lead to her leaving, over-sized bullies in tow.

On the verge of tears, I pulled myself on my feet. The pain of every dealt blow screamed and ached with ferocity.

She thought this through so perfectly.

‘There’s got to be a flaw,’ Phe muttered weakly. She must be trying to take on some of the physical pain for me.

I get help, Vic gets put in a coma. Keep my mouth shut, get jumped till graduation and he’s safe. Fight her, end up with the same punishment as her. I can’t win! I thought with anger and frustration.

I began to limp home. I was supposed to head to Vic’s—which I realized after Mr. Varsity Jacket punched me in the stomach and I began to feel faint, my mind wandering. After about a block, I stopped trying to stop my bleeding nose but continued to disguise my wincing. My tortured appearance gained me more than a few glances. I’m sure I looked like a crack head that had to fight my way out of a bad deal or something. I picked up my pace once my house was in view. I went to open the front door when it swung open.

“Holy shit!” Jaime exclaimed, Mike was standing behind him with bugged eyes and tortilla chips hanging out his mouth.

I ducked my head and gently pushed Jaime out of the way.

“Who did this to you?” Mike scrambled to say, forcing the chips down.

“No one,” I answered hurriedly. I’m sure the people she has ready to hurt Vic don’t discriminate and won’t hesitate to hurt them if I say anything.

Jaime scoffed, “Okay then. Who’s fist did you run into?”

“Jaime,” I warned tiredly.

“Sorry for being worried about my little sister when she comes home a bleeding battered mess!”

“Butt out. I can handle it.”

“Did you at least see Vic? He’s at home waiting for you! I…I thought you guys have been together this whole time..! Damn,” Mike gawked, taking in my surely bruised face.

“No. I was…I was too busy.”

With that, I hurriedly skipped up the steps and into my bathroom, closing every door I passed through.

I felt the air in my lungs leave me for the fiftieth time today. My right eye was slightly swollen and an awful purple color spotted it. There were hand prints and bruises on my arms from being held and picked up, bruises on my legs from being thrown around and landing on the concrete. My bottom lip was busted, my nose feeding a crimson stream that dripped slowly down my chin. No doubt these clothes and my jacket were trash; I don’t own a single pair of jeans with as many rips as this shirt and I’m sure my blood has stained these jeans.

I braced myself against the counter as my lip quivered and a defeated but gentle cry crawled up my throat and past my lips. I stared at the shiny bit of metal, overwhelmed. With fumbling hands, I reached for the razor sitting temptingly close to me. I took it between my fingers and sat on the toilet. I dragged it against the pale skin on my arm. The blood dripping from my nose mixed with the blood from my self-inflicted wound and traced my arm, spotting the floor. I went to cut again when my phone rang, scaring me so bad I dropped the blade in a small puddle of my own blood.

“Hello?” I answered shakily.

“Phoenix? Are you okay? You never showed up,” Vic laughed nervously.

“I’m um…I’m fine!” I laughed weakly.

“That’s funny because Mike texted me saying you looked terrible. That you looked like you got in a fight with a pack of wolves.”

“I’m fine, honest.”

“Nix…I’m worried and you don’t sound fine. I’m scared for you,” he sighed into the phone
I held the phone away from me so I could let out a choked sob and wipe at my nose. I hunched over, casting a shadow over my legs; I clutched my hair and held the phone to my ear with the other hand with a taut grip.

“It’s okay Vic. everything’s okay.”

There was a knock at the bathroom door and I began to panic. It was gently pushed open, revealing Vic in sweats and a red hoodie, the phone pressed to his ear and breathing heavy. I broke into tears and he ended the call.

“I’m not making the same mistake twice, you’re not going through this alone,” he breathed, picking me up and laying me down on my bed.

He went to fetch a bandage and cleaned my cut. I mumbled for him to leave the mess in the bathroom alone, that I’d clean it later. He ignored my weak protests and wiped up the blood with an expression his face that clearly expressed his hurting. After take care of me, he laid next to me and allowed my to rest my head on his chest. Our legs tangled comfortably together and my hand rested limply on his chest.

“I’m going to help you,” he assured softly, kissing my hair gently as my tears continued to silently fall.

“I believe you,” I whispered, my eyes fluttering shut.

Notes

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So do you guys see anything from a past chapter in this one?! :D Because you're the ultimate reader if you do and I adore you :3 I also laced an ATL lyric in here, it's quite obvious xD I listened to Paramore's misguided ghosts from the part when she see's her face to the end and it's quite beautiful to read with the story and it inspired me c: On a serious note, I wanted this chapter to be realistic. I didn't want Vic popping up while she was being beaten and whoopin' 'er body ass! I also didn't want her to cut that last time and never do it again (notice that she never said she would never do it again) because I've never met someone that could just go cold turkey by themselves. It's not an easy thing to do. I also couldn't have her beat Tinsley at this point because she just started giving herself confidence. You don't become bad-ass over night xD I want you guys to see growth! I wanted this to be realistic and relateable and still have that edgy drama! Sorry for the rant, hehe! Comment, Rate, Vote, Subscribe and all that jazz~~

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Topic of the Day: Thoughts on Nix being jumped? What would you do in this situation? Thoughts on her relapse, Vic showing up and not asking any questions? Do you see a similarity from a past chapter; what chapter?! Comment :D