Pain

Danielle's POV

"You stupid bitch!" My father roared at me, before slamming my head hard on a nearby wall. I bit back my cry of pain, not wanting to wake up Oliver, my little brother. My vision was immediately clouded with dots, but I tried my hardest not to pass out.

"You're just like your mother, so annoying and stupid!" He yelled, kicking me to the floor. This has been his normal behavior, ever since my mother's demise.

I shakily took out some dollar notes from my pocket, holding them up to him and shielding my face with my other hand. He had collected all the money I'd been saving up for the past few months, threatening to kill me whenever I resisted. This morning, he woke up demanding more.

My father snatched the money from my hand, looking down at it in disappointment.

"This is all you got ?" He asked, earning a nod from me.

He suddenly bent down to my level and I instinctively backed myself up against the wall, my breathing ragged and labored. This was definitely a bad way to start one's day, but knowing my father, it could be much worse than this.

His eyes suddenly softened, and he reached out his hands to cup my cheeks, making me flinch. My head was hurting and so were my ribs, but I dared not cry in pain. It was only going to make him hit me more.

"I swear, it's all I got." I told him, feeling my lips tremble.

"It's okay, love. It's okay." He smiled and anyone who walked in at that moment would mistake his look for an affectionate one. I knew better.

"You know I never meant to hurt you." He cooed, brushing tendrils of my brown hair away from my face. I just nodded wordlessly in reply, just wanting him to leave. I didn't want my little brother to see any of this.

He looked like he was about to say something again, but he stopped himself, stood up to his feet and started walking out of the house. I felt my tensed-up body relaxing almost instantly, as he slammed the door shut.

"Danny?" Oliver's voice suddenly called out and I turned my head to see him peeking at me from his room.

I quickly stood up from the floor, plastering a smile on my face, as I approached him. He didn't need to see the pain I was going through, so I always made sure to smile around him, to shield him from my father's cruelty.

"Hey, little nugget! Looks like you're ready for school." I chuckled, ruffling his hair fondly.

"Oh.. not yet Danny! I still need to brush my teeth, have my bath and get dressed." He replied, looking up at me with wide, hazel eyes like mine.

He was suddenly going back into his room to get prepared, while I just smiled at him.

"Need me to come help you out?" I teased, making him turn around to give me a playful glare.

"I'm nine, not three," he said, before closing his door abruptly. I swear that little boy got some attitude from our mom, and it never ceases to amuse me.

"I'll be making breakfast!" I called out, as I walked to the kitchen, wincing slightly in pain.

There wasn't much to eat, but I was able to scrap up some decent amount of food for him before dropping him off at his school.

I was already late for my own morning classes, and so I hurried to catch another bus to Bayard College. The journey was only twenty minutes and soon enough I was at my school premises.

I was clad in my signature oversize hoodie and baggy sweatpants because they were very comfy for me and they provided me with a little decency after spending nights dancing half-naked in front of strange men. They also made me look masculine, but I didn't mind, as long as I was well covered.

My mind instantly traveled back to my encounter with that dangerous, tattooed man. I guess he must have been really important after all, because Mr. Cox fired me that same night. He also threatened to ruin my life and my reputation, just as I ruined business for him. Apparently, he lost a lot of money and a valuable customer; all my fault. Hopefully, I never run into him by accident.

I shoved those thoughts to the back of my mind, as I finally stepped into the school hallway. Here in Bayard, I wasn't the most loved or the most popular. I had no friends because a lot of people actually find me weird. I don't belong to any clubs or social gatherings and I don't attend parties. There's never enough time for that.

Someone suddenly bumped into me, knocking my books to the floor. I looked up at the culprit, and it was none other than Jordan, the captain of the school's basketball team and the most handsome in Bayard College. I used to have a crush on him around sophomore year but quickly gave that up when I realized he was never going to see me.

"Watch it, weirdo!" He hissed in annoyance at me, as I bent down to pack my books in silence. Nobody dared to talk back at Jordan, especially not someone like me.

I soon joined my class and lectures went by at a painfully slow rate. I didn't have breakfast, and I was starting to get very hungry to the point that my stomach kept growling in protest. There was a burger in my bag and all I just needed was an opportunity to go somewhere quiet to eat.

I was soon rushing towards my usual, secret spot in the school library, a small smile tugging at my lips at the prospect of sinking my teeth into the delicious burger. I just couldn't wait anymore and perhaps, that was what made me bump into Jordan, yet again.

This time, I landed with my butt on the floor and I watched my burger fall a few feet away from me, scattering its contents around. I've always fought to hold back tears, but this was already becoming too much for me. I couldn't even freaking have breakfast in peace?

I looked up at the jerk, who just stood there, looking down at me with widened eyes. That was when I realized my hoodie was no longer covering my head, and he now had a clear view of my bruised face.

His next words, however, weren't anything I expected.

"You're a girl?!"