St. Aislin

[xXMysticXx]

Alexander got home around 2:00. He headed up to his apartment, trying to avoid as much contact with the people he knew around his building. He managed to only have to make casual small talk with a few people for about ten minutes. He then he went straight up to his apartment. He went inside, not bothering to lock his door, he usually never did when he was home. He flopped on to the couch and flipped on the television.

 

[Swan_Song]

Aisling reached up and subconsciously touched her face, makeup running down her face as well as sweat. She gave a loud groan, trying to cover the hand-shaped bruise on her cheek, and the scent of his cologne on her skin. But it was no use. Her phone started ringing, so she picked it up, and sure enough, it was him, of all people. "I'm on my way, where are you? Working late? Right... No, I didn't-- I... please... fine. Bye." She hung up, then tried to think of another way to avoid going home. She spotted Alexander's apartment, and thought that she could at least check her makeup if he would let her. She went up the stairs in a panic and rapped on the door. She then moved her hat so it cast a shadow on her face. "Umm... Alexander? Could I possibly use your bathroom?"

 

[xXMysticXx]

Alexander was flipping through the channels, trying to find something decent on to watch. He nearly jumped out of his skin when he heard the loud knockiing at his door. He rolling off the couch in a kind of tired manor. He pulled open the door and looked at the girl in front of him. He turned, leaving the door open for her. He stode back over to the couch and pulled back on his T-shirt. He found it... odd that she had come over like this.

 

[Swan_Song]

Sinead took off her hat and touched her face delicately, wincing at the pain where the bruise was. "Um... Do you have an ice pack or something? I got whacked in the face during gym-- that dodgeball, huh?" She chuckled nervously, then went into the bathroom to check out her face. It seemed to be getting worse, really, the bruise having darkened to a black-ish color. She would have to put on gobs of makeup to hide it now. She shouldn't have touched her face at all, but she couldn't help it.

 

[xXMysticXx]

Alexander gave her a funny look, he walked into the kitchen and opened the freezer door above his fridge. He shuffled around inside of it. He was surprised that there was actually as much food as there was in there. He pulled out an icepack and brought it to her. "Hmmm, I guess I do have one." He held out the icepack to her, leaning in the bathroom door. "Holy crap." He exlaimed. He reached out in instinct, not really thinking about his actions. He placed his hand on the one side of her jaw, craning her head a bit. "What did you do? "

 

[Swan_Song]

Sinead jumped backwards at his touch, crying out in terror. "Please don't!" She cried out, moving her arms in front of her face defensively. She practically fell into the tub, curling up once she landed. "Don't look at it! It's nothing!" She got up clumsily, grabbed the ice pack, and darted around him, into the living room. She placed the pack on her cheek and winced, biting her lower lip and fighting back tears. "I told you it was dodge ball." Unfortunately, the bruise was shaped like a hand, so it was highly unlikely.

 

[xXMysticXx]

Alexander stood for a moment staring at his bathtub. He was unsure of what to do, her reaction had not only startled him but also rendered him speechless. Why was she so jumpy. This, combined with her behaviour yesterday made him think that she definitely had some issues that she was keeping from the people who 'knew nothing about her' and that was why she wanted to keep it that way. He stuck his head out into the living room. He took a few steps, changing doorways. "Except a dodge ball, is you know, round. " he gave her a face that screamed that he wasn't buying it and sat on the far end of his couch.

 

[Swan_Song]

Sinead turned away and gritted her teeth, tears streaming down her cheeks, and then she let out an audible sniffle. "I... It doesn't matter. You wouldn't care anyway, and nothing anyone can do will make it better. I'll be fine, this bruise will go away." She kept herself turned from him, curling up and burying her face in the couch. She didn't want him to know; she didn't want anyone to know. She honestly felt like it was her own fault, she deserved it for messing up. She wasn't good enough, she couldn't meet her father's standards. And then the things he did to her at night... She sobbed aloud, her shoulders beginning to shake.

 

[xXMysticXx]

"Until what? The next one comes along to replace it." He snapped. Alexander just watched her. He didn't know what to say. Girls crying had never been his strong suit he never really knew what to with them. They were always just so emotional and anything you said could just make them snap and start being mad at you. He also figured there was more to the story that he wasn't telling him, there usually was. And he knew that first hand.

 

[Swan_Song]

"Don't you get it? My dad did this to me. Not just some guy I can dump and forget about. My own dad. He's done it for years, nobody can tell, and I don't want anybody to worry about it! It's my burden, mine to bear alone!" She stopped crying aloud, but the tears were still there. "You think I can't handle myself in the real world, but I've survived up until this point. I bet I could handle anything after that. Can you imagine being violated every night? Having your body taken away from you and used as some sort of object? Can you imagine hearing your mom scream, having to take her to the hospital and lying about what happened? That's why nothing can stand in my way. I have to work hard and get out of here, forever."

 

[xXMysticXx]

Alexander sat. He just sat staring blankly back at her. His mouth straight, serious for one of the rare times in his life. This was alot to take in. Not only was this the first time anyone had actually ever opened up to him like this but he definitely hadn't expected Sinead to be the one to do it. "But it's not. You, you shouldn't have to. You're right you've survived up until this point, but how much longer do you really think you'll be able to. What about the night that one of you finally has enough, what about the night that he losses it completely, what about the night when you're the one being rushed to the hospital? " He stopped there, he closed his own eyes, trying to push the memories of hospitals and bloody scenes from his mind.

 

[Swan_Song]

"If it's me, so be it. It's either I let him rape and beat me, or he hurts my mom even worse. I have to protect her, don't you see? I have to save her. I have to take care of her, because she can't fend for herself. I'm young and strong, I'll make it through. But she can't. She's suffered more than I have. She's a frail soul, and I'm the strong one. That's juyst how it is. And you know what? I deserve it. I deserve it for not being good enough. I deserve it for not being perfect. If I can steer anyone away from a crappy life, I do it. Because nobody should be like me. Nobody, not you, not my mom, not anybody at the school. I have to take care of this by myself."

 

[xXMysticXx]

" That's the thing, you think you're helping. Protecting her, your not. Sure for that moment she's not being smacked around. But what do you think she feels like, listening to that, to him do that to you, when she can't even protect her own daughter. You need to tell somebody. That's the only way either of you can truly. Because, because guess what, you don't deserve that, nobody deserves that. "

 

[Swan_Song]

"Of course I deserve it! I'm not the perfect daughter, I'm not the prom queen, the head cheerleader, the one who everybody loves. Why do you think my hair is short? Because I want to keep him away, but that doesn't work either. I want to hide away somewhere and be forgotten. And I keep quiet. I don't cry, I don't yell, anything. I'm silent, I won't let her hear or see me when it happens. For all I know, she might not even get what's going on. And no, I won't tell anybody, and neither can you. If anyone finds out, I might as well kill myself before he can."

 

[xXMysticXx]

"You are so completely brainwashed. That is just completely illogical. Just because you are not a cheerleader doesn't mean you need to deal with that sh't. And trust me, even those girls aren't even perfect. Behind closed doors, you never really know why goes on. And yes yes you can. And if you don't, I will. " Alexander told her. Turning her to face him. He knew that avoiding this problem wasn't going to go a way.

 

[Swan_Song]

Sinead shrunk away from his touch, scooting back. "Please, please don't say anything. I'll give you money, I'll let you cheat off of my tests, just... please, you can't say anything! I'll get put into foster care, and sent away from here. I'll have to start my life over again, and I can't do that! Don't you understand? If you tell, my mom won't have anyone here. The only family she has are in Ireland, and she can't go back by herself. I'm all she has anymore. Please, don't do it. I'm begging you."

 

[xXMysticXx]

Alexander knew where she was coming from, he didn't want her to have to leave or be put in foster care. He knew what that was like, as far as his social worker was concerned he was still in it. He knew that her mom probably wouldn't have to leave but they would end up having to move into a smaller home and change their whole lives and he could understand how she might want to move to be with her family.

"I don't want your money, and you know I rarely ever actually do those tests." He sighed "What do you what me to do? I can't just sit idly by!"

 

[Swan_Song]

Sinead reached out and took his hand in her own. "Please... just... I don't know. Just don't tell anyone. You have to just let it go, okay? You have to promise me you won't tell. Promise me." She glowered at him, her face splotchy and tear-stained, still holding onto his hand. "I don't want to hurt my family anymore than I already have. I hope you can understand. Somehow, someway..." She sighed and looked away from him. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry for everything."

 

[xXMysticXx]

"Don't be. " Alexander told her. At that moment he simply hugged her. Not entirely sure if it was because she needed a hug or because he did. The only problem was, he had never really hugged anyone before. His parents died in a car crash when he was young so he never really even experienced, not that could remember anyway being hugged by your mother. His arms hesitated a few inches from her back. He moved them up and down a bit changing their positions, not entirely sure where he was supposed to put them. He finally just placed them around the middle of her back gently figuring it was as good of a guess as any. It was an extremely awkward hug, mainly on his own part, so he quickly let go. Going back to sitting on the other side of the couch.

 

[Swan_Song]

Sinead tensed up when he touched her, her cheeks turning red with embarrassment, her shoulders going up slightly. She gently patted her hand on his back, not really used to being hugged on a regular basis either. She didn't like hugs from her father, and her and her mother never really touched at all. When he moved away, she let out a soft sigh, and her posture relaxed a bit. "Th-thanks for that..." she murmured, looking away from him and biting on her lower lip. She wasn't quite sure how to express what she was feeling, so she kept her mouth shut.