Edited and slightly rewritten

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Timi,

I couldn't breath. I couldn't move. I laid under my bed making no sound as tears rolled down my eyes

Not quite long i heard the sound of something breaking downstairs followed by a scream which  came from my mother

"He won't do it again. Ejo Daddy Daniella he won't do it again."
"Shut up! Where is that son of yours? Leave the road oh! Don't let me break your head oh!" He was drunk. Again and he hit my mom. I was so sure I was next. I didn't know what came over me and I pushed  him and he fell. to the floor. Out of fear I fled to my room.

I heard footsteps in my room and I froze." You better come out from where you are hiding so you won't make things worst."

As soon as those words left his mouth I obliged. I slowly came out from where I hid and stood in front of him. I closed my eyes in expectations that he would hit me but he didn't. Instead he wrapped his hands around my neck and squeezed.

I closed my eyes tighter as I fell out of breath. I could hear my mom crying at the door. I thought I was going to die when his grip finally loosened and he eyed me " In your life, in your whole life don't you ever involve yourself  when your mother and I are arguing.

"What? Because you're growing muscles and beards now you think you are God?" He hissed and released me.

I  flinched as memories of last weekend flooded my mind. My dad abused us. I and my mom. Dani was lucky she attended boarding school through out her secondary school but even when  she was around he never for one day touched her. I was scared that day because  he never went as far as he did. I placed my hands on my neck as I remember how I gasped for breath.

I  laid in my bed as I heard movements downstairs. I checked the time on my phone. It was six thirty. Which meant I had to go to school. I didn't want to go to school.

I tried putting on a fake smile since Monday but I couldn't nor could I open up to anyone about what was happening. I was about to tell Anna before we got interrupted on Monday.

I took a shower and luckily by when I got downstairs my dad was not around. Dani and mom were at the dinner table. Eating.
"Morning mom. "I greeted.

"Morning son. Come and eat before you go to school." I shook my head in refusal. I flung my bag over my shoulder and was about to walk towards the door.

"Sit. Down." She pressed on her words.

I sighed as I sat down besides Dani. She gave me a sympathetic look, "I'm sorry about what happened." She said to me.

"Mom I think you need to leave dad." Dani grumbled. "How can you still stay with him after everything he has done to you? To your son too."

My mom shook her head. "I can't but you won't understand me. I have to endure because of you guys."

"I've heard enough".  I stood up to leave. "Wait till he  kills either you or me."

________________________✍🏽

When I got to school, coach was the first teacher I saw at the gate. "Timi where have you been? You're the team's captain for God's sake."

I scratched my hair nervously. "I've been going through some things sir."

He nodded with a smile " Take the week to sort yourself out."

"Thank you sir."

As I walked towards my class I saw Anna. She stood in from of her class with Becca. She looked so happy as they laughed at something Becca said. She looked up and waved. I waved back shyly.

Samuel walked up to me and he spoke out , "Hi".

I ignored him and kept walking.

"Can we talk?" He asked behind me.

I stopped on my track, "About what? About how I stupidly trusted you only for you to betray my trust by sleeping with my girlfriend?"

"I'm sorry," he replied. I waited for an explanation but nothing followed.

"That's it? You're sorry just like that? See Guy just fuck off."

As I sat down on my seat, Sylvia kept staring at me. I avoided her till short break and when the bell went off for the end of short break, I decided to look for Anna.

As I walked towards her class,  most juniors kept greeting me while I smiled back.

I peeped into the class and she wasn't there. I asked Becca and she said Anna had not been in class since short break started. I knew where she was.

When I got to the abandoned class at the back of the school, Anna's face was buried in a book as usual. She didn't notice me stare as I studied her from the door. She was beautiful.

When she finally looked up, I smiled at her. " I've been standing over here for thirty minutes now. That's enough time to kill someone."

She laughed hard. "Timi you're a fool. I'll kill you first."She patted the space beside her and I filled it.

"Are you okay now?" She asked with concern.

"I'm getting better." I replied honestly.

"Are you going to tell me what's wrong or you just want me to beg?" She asked with a small frown .

I gave a small laugh but didn't reply immediately "How are your siblings?"

"Fine. Daniel's  going to his school next week, he got admission."

"Congrats,same with Dani."

"Really? That's nice and then Juliet, well she's just being Juliet." I laughed at that statement.

"Daniel likes your sister."

I raised a brow. "Really? I didn't notice."

"He does but he said she has a boyfriend."

"Yeah she does but he shouldn't judge give up."

"Exactly what I told him" she replied.

There was comfortable silence between us and I broke it.

"The first time my dad hit me  was when I was seven. Do you know why?" I asked looking at her. She shook her head, "For no reason" I continued.

"He came home drunk that day and just hit me saying I was a useless son. I felt hurt by his words back then. Then he beat my mom the next week, and the next and the next till today."

"Why don't your mom go to the police?"Anna asked.

"She said she's doing it for us. You know my dad is very rich and my mom — she didn't even finish university."The surprising part is that he never touched Dani. Even when she was around. Just me and my mom. Last Saturday I tried to stand up to him but he nearly killed me." I said feeling a bit better as I told someone.

"I'm sorry, but I don't really think you should let him keep doing this to your mother, especially you."

I sighed. "I can't do anything about it. I just want to make money and then get my mom out of that hell hole."

Anna placed her head on my shoulders and we remained silent, "What of your dad?" I asked her.

"He left us." She replied without adding details and I didn't ask.

"Your hair smells like coconut." I commented sniffing it. It smelt nice. She slapped me playfully and then sat up straight. "It's coconut oil."

I didn't realize how close we were until I looked her in the eyes and then my eyes traveled down to her full lips. I wanted to kiss those lips but I didn't want her thinking I wanted to play with her feelings.

I used all my strength fighting  the urge to close the distance between us. And when I thought I would, Anna pressed her lips against mine.

I didn't respond at first because I was shocked and then she pulled away. I didn't want her to feel like I didn't want her so I kissed her again. Hard.

I held her face in my hands. I was so scared that if I removed my hands, it would go to places too soon to touch.

I sucked on her lower lips and she moaned. She placed her hands on my chest as she opened her mouth giving me invitation. I deepened the kiss and then we broke apart to catch our breath.

I could feel my heart pounding and it was at that moment i knew that I had feelings for her.

A/N

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