Page 14 of Hidden Truths

“Don’t stop movin’,” he whispers as we keep moving toward the building I need for class. “Fallon isn’t gonna stop until he gets you to listen to what they have to say. I don’t know what this is about, Arabella, but I’ll do my best to find out what’s goin’ on for you. Oh, and I got you somethin’.”

As we finally get to the building my psychology class is in, Brock digs around in his bag until he pulls out a cell phone. He holds it out for me to take and I simply shake my head no while backing away from him.

“I can’t take that, Brock. I don’t have money for a phone,” I tell him, my hands starting to shake with the thought of owing anyone money or favors.

“Yeah, you can. It doesn’t have a plan or anythin’. This is one of those prepaid phones where you put minutes on it when you need them. Yeah, I made sure there’s minutes on it now. You can text and call if you need to. I can’t protect you if there’s no way for you to get ahold of me. Please, take the phone so I know that you’ll have a way to get help if you ever need it,” Brock says, his voice showing the fear he feels for my safety. “My number is the only one in there. If you want to keep it that way, it’s fine with me. You don’t even have to use it if it’s not an emergency.”

Brock might have gotten a small piece of my history, but he doesn’t know that even with this phone, no one will come help me. Emergency services don’t ever come to the poor section of High Point because we’re so beneath everyone here. We’re the ones who are disposable. If one of us dies, then we had it coming for one reason or another. Our lives don’t have any value other than staying where we are to ensure the drug market thrives and the gangs have somewhere to hang out that’s not outside of our prison.

“Thank you, Brock. I’ll use this wisely and not waste the minutes or anything,” I tell him, ducking my head as my body slams into something hard and unmoving in front of the steps of the building I need to enter.

Strong hands grip my arms as I start falling to my ass. In seconds, I’m still standing on my feet and there’s a warmth I’ve never felt coming from in front of me and at my back. My head snaps up to find Dante holding me carefully. His hands aren’t gripping my arms hard at all. It’s just hard enough so I don’t get away from him. I watch as he puts his phone to his ear.

“I’ve got her. We’re out front of the psych buildin’. Brock’s with her,” Dante says, and I know my time has run out. He’s talking to Fallon or one of the other guys.

Keeping my head held high as Dante ends the call and shoves his phone back in his pocket, I don’t look away from him knowing Brock won’t let him hurt me. Dante and I simply stare at one another for a minute without words being exchanged. There’s something I don’t recognize hidden in the depths of his eyes. Almost a look of longing that I used to see when we were younger.

“Sunshine, we’ve been lookin’ for you,” Dante says, his voice low and gentle as if I’ll be spooked and run away like a skittish animal.

“I’ve heard. There’s nothing we have to say to one another, Dante. Please, let me go,” I whisper, barely finding my voice as he continues to stare at me.

When Dante doesn’t let me go, Brock carefully pulls me out of his grasp.

“Go to class, Arabella. You don’t have to talk to any of them if you don’t want to,” Brock assures me as I look up at him to see him glaring at Dante over my head.

Without another word, I make my escape and head inside and straight to the lecture hall my class is in. Before the doors close behind me, I hear Brock and Dante yelling at one another. I’m not about to get in between the two of them. Both of them are big, strong guys and they would crush me without even trying. I’m not saying they’d purposely beat me or physically hurt me, but they sure as hell wouldn’t be careful enough to miss me if I were to get in between them to make them stop fighting. Going in the lecture hall, I take my seat knowing I’m the first one here as usual. I pull out what I need for class and attempt to forget what’s going on outside. It’s none of my business and I have no interest in anything Dante and the rest of the guys are involved in. At least that’s what I tell myself as I try to take some calming breaths.

Haircuts and Hiding

Arabella

FOR THE LAST week, I’ve become really good at avoiding the guys on campus. Knowing they’re looking for me gives me an advantage because I’m constantly searching my surroundings and can spot them before they see me. I’ve taken to taking the paths that everyone else usually avoids on campus, especially the courtyard where everyone hangs out. Since it’s located in the middle of the campus, you can see everything from the fountain. I think that’s why everyone goes there when they aren’t in class. It’s the place to see what’s going on around you and be seen by everyone else leaving their last class or heading to some other location. It’s not hard to avoid the courtyard if you take the long way to each building. At least that’s what I’ve discovered. Even Brock doesn’t know how I get from one place to the other.

When I’m in the library, I don’t sit at the tables out on the main floor any longer. Brock and Danny are the only ones I’m tutoring and they both know to just come to our room. The paper Brock typically puts up during his sessions remains taped to the door so no one can just look in and see me at the table in the room. I keep the door locked as well. I’m not about to make this shit easy on the guys who didn’t hesitate to turn their backs on me. I even stopped bringing lunch with me to school. I’m not about to sit out in the open to eat with Brock because that’s one sure way for them to find me and discover where I hide when I’m not in class or tutoring.

Honestly, this game of cat and mouse is fucking exhausting. I have way too much going on to worry about avoiding everyone at school. If I go to the Dean then I’m nothing more than a snitch. The problem isn’t even worthy of going to anyone about. If I don’t tell anyone about Karmen and the others, there’s no reason to talk to anyone about the guys. Brock knows what’s going on with me and he understands my need to hide and stay away from them. That’s all that matters. If something happens to me, he’ll know the right time to talk to someone. It’s something I made him promise me. My only fear is not being here for Vinnie to ensure he grows up in a world that doesn’t get him hurt on a daily basis.

Two days ago, Brock and I were in his tutoring session when we had the conversation about him talking to someone to get me help. I begged and pleaded with him not to say a word to anyone.

“Arabella, it’s time for you to talk to someone about what’s goin’ on. Not just with the guys but with Karmen and everyone else. Your mother isn’t takin’ care of you the way she should and it’s time you get the help you need. Not just for yourself, but for your baby brother as well,” Brock says after we’ve been locked in the study room for a few minutes.

“No. If I tell anyone, multiple things are going to happen. The main one is that my brother could be taken from me and put in a worse situation than what we’re currently in. I won’t ever let that happen, Brock. Vinnie is the only thing I have to live for in this world and if he gets taken from me, I won’t care what happens to me. I’ll give up and let Karmen and the others do their worst to me. The guys and Karmen aren’t going to get in trouble either. They all have money and power in High Point. I’m just a nobody and an easy target for them. Please, don’t tell anyone what’s going on. I’ve never asked anyone for anything in my entire life. Right now, I’m begging you to keep this secret to yourself,” I tell him, tears filling my eyes as I think about what can happen to Vinnie and me if someone learns about what’s happening to me.

“Arabella, I really don’t want to fight about this. The guys aren’t gonna stop lookin’ for ways to corner you. I know you’re doin’ everythin’ you can to stay away and hide, but it won’t last forever. You know this. Maybe they don’t want to say anythin’ bad to you. I mean, what if they want to apologize for everythin’ they’ve let happen over the years? Have you thought about that?” he returns, his voice a whisper as he looks at me with concern filling his face.

“I still don’t want to hear anything they have to say. With them, strings would be attached and I haven’t mattered to them in a very long time. It took seconds for them to turn their back on me. I won’t give them that opportunity again. Please, Brock, don’t say anything to anyone about this. Especially Karmen. She’ll turn everything around on me. If I get expelled, I have no future or way out of this town. Vinnie needs to get out of here and away from the pain we’ll continue to suffer through on a daily basis,” I again plead with him as the first tear spills over and lands on the table in front of me.

“Okay, Arabella. I don’t like this shit, but I won’t say anythin’. Not yet,” Brock finally says, dragging a hand through his hair and staring at me.

“You’ll know when the time is right, Brock. If something happens to me and you don’t hear from me, then you can talk to the Dean or anyone else you have to. I will never not show up to school. So, if I’m not here one day and I don’t answer the phone, you’ll know something has finally been done that I can’t come back from,” I state, fear coursing through me as I try to remain looking at him.

“If that day ever fuckin’ comes, Arabella, I’ll take out everyone who has ever fuckin’ hurt you. You’re my best friend and I’m tired of seein’ you so fuckin’ scared and hurt. Not just emotionally and mentally, but physically. You can hardly move some days and it fills me with rage like I’ve never felt before in my life. This shit shouldn’t be happenin’ to someone as pure and innocent as you,” he says, his shoulders slumping in defeat as he turns his attention back to his math homework.

I let myself have a few minutes to compose myself. For the first time in nine years, someone is willing to stand up for me and make sure no harm comes my way. It’s not something I know how to handle feeling. Brock is slowly showing me every day I spend time with him that there are good people in the world. More than Mrs. Andrews who is nothing short of an angel.

Thankfully, my day at school is over for today. I don’t have any tutoring sessions and I need to get my ass to work. Sal has been giving me more hours and today is an early day for me. I have less than an hour to get to work as I walk fast through campus and head straight for the gate to get away from this prison. Everywhere I go is prison and there’s no escaping until I can get the fuck out of here.

Just as I get to the gate and step through, I’m pushed from the side. There’s nothing to stop me from hitting the ground, my shoulder landing on a rock as pain fills me. I manage to hold in my cry of pain as I look up to find Karmen standing over me an evil smirk on her face.

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