Girlfriend

Leah’s P.O.V

This is how my so-called love for long-sleeve T-shirts started. After the toilet incident, things started to get worse. Emmett would shove me into the janitor’s closet and lock me up or dump anything he had onto my clothes. I hated school so much that I even pretended to be sick so I could stay home, but dad would have none of that. I couldn’t tell anyone about what was happening at school. I was too afraid of what Emmett would do.

At the end of seventh grade, Emmett really did a number on me. Yes, I still have some scars of what he has done to me over the years, but it was never so bad that dad had to come to school. I could manage the cuts and bruises he gave me by hiding them and then cleaning them by myself at home or heading to a doctor on my own to get stitched up without dad knowing. But this time I couldn’t.

“Hey brace face don’t try anything stupid this summer break, no boys remember you are my pet! And if I find out you disobeyed me, I’ll make you suffer a worse fate.”

Still wrapping my head around what he really meant with that statement, I didn’t see him shut my locker door, and just my luck, my head was still inside my locker when he did it, shattering my glasses and splitting the back of my head and neck open. The broken pieces of my glasses shattered into my eyes and I shouted from the pain in my head and neck. I got dizzy, and my knees gave out from under me.

I felt like I was floating on a cloud, people panicking and talking, but it all sounded so far away, am I dying? At this point in my life, I’d welcome it, but what about dad? Would he be able to cope? I couldn’t open my eyes. The pieces of glass scratched them, so I kept my eyes shut, then I felt and heard nothing. I’m sorry Dad, please forgive me.

I woke up sometime after the incident, but I still couldn’t open my eyes. Something was blocking me from doing so. No, no, no please this can’t be happening please big guy, I can’t be blind. Don’t let Emmett take that away from me either. I begged and prayed. I tried again, this time bringing my hands up to my face. My eyes are bandaged shut, so was my head. Maybe there is still a good chance that I’m not blind.

“Hey honey, how are you?”

“Dad?”

Oh, no, what’s he doing here? Who called him? Does he know what happened? I’ll be in so much s**t if Emmett gets in trouble for this.

“It’s okay, Leah bear I’m here, don’t try to open your eyes or pull the bandages off okay.”

I nodded my head to acknowledge that I would do as he said, Let’s see how much dad knows about what has happened.

“What happened dad?”

“Your friend called to say that you were sitting in the bleachers watching a friendly game of football when the ball hit you in the face. The force of it made your head snap to the back and hit the wall. I came as soon as I could, but he had already brought you here.”

“Friend? And where is here?”

A wall, really dad, you bought that? I thought

“He's a really nice boy, Emmy or something like that. Why did you never invite any of your friends home? They were so worried about you, and he has been calling your phone none stop just for updates about how you are holding up. You're in the hospital, Leah.”

He freaking lied. He did this to me dad, and his definitely not calling to find out about my well-being. He probably wants to fill me in on the lie and make sure I say jack about what really happened. That’s what I wanted to say to dad, but I couldn’t. I hope at least the rest of my scars are still my secret to keep, patience doctor thing, right? Dad said he keeps calling my cell. How did he get my number? 

“Please rest now Leah, the doctor wants to keep you here overnight. You have a slight concussion, so if there is anything you need me to bring with for you, let me know, okay? I have to leave now, but I’ll be back later for your next visit.”

“Okay dad, just my headphones and charger, when can I go home?”

“If everything looks good in the morning and nothing serious happens during the night, you will be discharged, so rest up honey, I’ll bring some snacks with for you as well see you later. I love you.”

“I love you too, dad”

He kissed my head, then I heard him exit my hospital room. Just then the door opened again

“Forget something dad?”

“Oh hi Leah, I’m your nurse. Mandy just came to check if there was anything you needed?”

“Hi, no, not at the moment. Thank you.”

“Okay then, well, if you do need anything, press this button right here (she put a remote kind of thing in my hand and put my finger on the button). Go ahead, press (I did, and I heard a little beep) this to let me know you need me okay, so don’t hesitate oh, and you don’t have to hold it in your hand like that all the time. It hangs there at the side of the bed so it can’t fall or get lost.”

“Okay, thank you.”

“No problem, I’ll just give you another dose of painkillers, then you rest alright?”

“Sure and thank you”

Feeling around for my phone on the cupboard next to the hospital bed, man, is this what being blind feels like? And to top it off, I probably look like a mummy now!

I hate you, Emmett Daniels. I hope you rot in hell. At least now, it is summer break and when school starts again I’ll be in high school. Hopefully Emmett was going to another high school.

Someone entered my hospital room just as I was waking up from a nap.

“Back already daddy?”

“It’s not daddy, but I like being called that!”

Emmett said

“I… er t…thought it was my dad.”

“Just came to check that you didn’t run that mouth of yours. You know what will happen to you if you do it right?”

“Y… yes I do”

“Good”

This was awkward. I heard him sitting down on the couch. Why wasn’t he leaving? He came to say what he wanted to, so what was his problem?

“Got something on your mind brace face?”

“N…no”

“Don’t lie to me.”

“I…I’m not. I..it’s 

“Hi baby bear, oh, you have company?”

“He was...

“Hi Mr Lockwood just came to check if Leah here was doing okay.”

Emmett said, and cut me off.

“Well thank you son, that’s really kind of you, isn’t it Leah?”

“Yeah dad it is.”

“So son, I wanted to thank you again for looking out for Leah and bringing her in to the hospital.”

“It’s no problem, Mr Lockwood, anything for a friend. Leah is really special to me.”

“Are you guys dating?”

I choked on my spit. What the hell kind of question is that?

“What?! Dad n…

“Well, I was planning to ask her that after the friendly game, but then this happened. If that’s okay with you, sir?”

What the f**k is Emmett trying here? Is he out of freaking his mind?

“Well, I won’t say that I’m happy a guy is interested in my baby, but you seem like a nice guy. If you remember that I’m a detective and treat her with respect, then I don’t see a problem, but only if that is okay with Leah.”

Are you kidding me right now? Dad is selling me to the damn devil himself. I thought he’d go all caveman on Emmett. What a damn traitor.

“So Leah? Would you be my girlfriend?”

I couldn’t see the look on his face, but I could definitely hear the dare behind his question. Daring me to say no to his question.

“Well Leah bear? Don’t leave the guy hanging”

“Fine”

I said

“I’m sorry, what was that?”

Emmett asked 

“I’ll be your girlfriend okay!”

“Aw thank you, Leah”

I don’t know what game he was playing, but I didn’t like it at all. Dad, on the other hand, seemed to have a liking to Emmett. If only you knew Dad.