Chapter 8
God, my head is pounding like you wouldn’t believe. I force myself to open my eyes, my throat feeling sore and
completely dry as I lick my chapped lips, confused and disorientated. Where was I, I wondered, looking around the
room, realizing it was mine. But how had I gotten here? I distinctly remember being hit on the head by father
downstairs and then nothing. I was certain I had fallen unconscious from the pain in my head. So who had put me to bed? I doubted it was father, but it was equally astonishing to think my brother Damien would show that much care
towards me. But he was the only one who could have possibly done it and I feel a small bit of gratefulness towards
him.
I force myself to roll out of bed, blinking against the bright sunlight and trying not to scream at the pain in my head. I feel the back of my hair and can tell it’s matted with dried blood and I groan, it’s going to take forever to get it all out and I’m hoping I won’t have to do something horrible like cut it. It’s taken forever for me to grow it as long as
this. I hurry to the bathroom and am ecstatic to find I’m able to wash it out with a bit of elbow grease, my hand now fully healed along with my head injury. It’s the small things in life I think to myself sourly, to be grateful for.
by the mess that greets me.
bottles scattered all over the lounge room floor.
take the opportunity to make breakfast, putting his on the table. There’s no
my brother anywhere and I assume he’s gone to school already. Good riddance, I couldn’t have been happier this morning. I leave his breakfast out
and I can’t believe my good fortune. What was going
goddess taken pity
gathered in the hall and I instinctively duck my head down and try to cover it
or possibly gossip. Whatever, as long as it has nothing to
care less.
there’s a new kid
not all,
speaks up and I flinch, still working on getting past them
massive smile on her face. “I just
she almost purrs while her friends look a bit put out. Trouble in paradise, I think to myself
her friends also want a piece of this poor
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
The Novel will be updated daily. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!