Sapphire: The Color of Courage

Summary: Sapphire lives with her mother and uncle, in her uncle's house. Her uncle, Jack, thinks that his sister (Sapphire's mother) raised Sapphire all wrong. He claims that Sapphire has turned out all wrong. He doesn't like Sapphire at all. So, Jack's solution, beat Sapphire until she becomes the "proper young woman" he wants her to be. So, her uncle abuses Sapphire, but her mother won't do anything about it because she is scared of what will happen if she does do something. Sapphire isolates herself from everyone, except Danny, her best friend, and a new boy in school. Both Danny and the new guy give Sapphire the courage to do something about her uncle's abuse on her.

As I got out of bed and stretched, I could feel the new bruises had already formed. I really didn't want to go to school. I knew that I looked horrible without having to look in my mirror.

The door to my room opened and a light on in the hall shone through into my room. A dark shape filled my doorway.

"Sapphire, your mother has made a lovely breakfast for you in the kitchen." My uncle Jack's gravelly voice made me cringe.

I only nodded in response. I didn't want to talk to him. My voice seemed stuck in my throat. I felt the lump forming in my throat that I was coming accustomed to.

Uncle Jack left, leaving my door open. I got dressed in the darkness that was my room. I guessed that he had turned the hall light off. Then, I went into the kitchen.

My mother and uncle were sitting at the table, enjoying a nice breakfast of eggs, pancakes, and orange juice. I grabbed an apple the counter and sat down at the table. My mother and uncle stared at me. My mom looked hurt that I didn't want any breakfast, and Uncle Jack looked angry. I recoiled away from my uncle. The look on his face was scary. His eyebrows were scrunched together, making it look like they were one long line.

"Sapphire, your mother went through all of that trouble of making a nice breakfast for you, and you don't even eat it?" Uncle Jack's voice was full of anger and hatred, both aimed at me.

"Jack, please," my mother said, trying to calm him down a little. I didn't think it was going to work.

"No Margaret. Sapphire is an un-grateful little girl. She needs to be raised better. And while she is here, she will be taught under my rules." Uncle Jack reached across the table, and with a loud crack, his hand met my cheek.

I flinched. My cheek felt like it was on fire. I was pretty certain that this new encounter with my uncle would leave another bruise on my cheek.
I excused myself from the table and went into my bathroom. It was conjoined to my room, so I could have my privacy. I flipped on the light, closed the door and looked into my mirror.
A girl with slightly tanned skin, golden waves of hair, icy blue colored eyes and a few bruises around the eyes gazed back at me. Wincing, I touched the side of my face, and the burning sensation increased. It would definitely become another bruise.
Sighing, I pushed a few stray strands of golden hair away from my face. I found a hair tie underneath my mirror and fastened in into my hair. Admiring my work for a moment longer, I twisted my hair into a bun. That was better. ************************************************
I slung my backpack over my shoulder and hurried out the front door. The bus was waiting at the bus stop, getting ready to take all of the kids inside to the horror that was waiting for them in the halls of high school. I stepped up the stairs.
"Hey sweet thing," some boy in the front called to me as I walked by. I shot him the strongest glare I could muster, and walked to the back of the bus, where I belonged, away from my fellow peers.
A girl in the seat in front of me turned around in her seat and looked at me. Her head cocked to the side.
"Hey, Sapphire right?" The girl asked, but didn't give me a chance to reply before continuing. "You must tell me how you get your make-up on that way!"
I wasn't wearing any make-up. In fact, I rarely ever wore make-up. The only kind of make-up I wore was foundation, and I only wore that to cover the bruises on my face. The girl turned around and went back to gossiping with the girls around her about how some girl name Marie just broke up with her boyfriend.
At the next stop, two people got on the bus. Both came to sit in the back. One, the one that I knew, sat next to me. The other one sat on the seat next to mine, only separated by the isle.
"Hey girl!" Danny greeted me warmly. Danny, or Danielle, which was her real name, set her backpack next to mine on the floor of the bus. She pushed her bouncy, black curly hair out of her face.
"Hi Danny," I said, smiling for the first time since Friday. Today was Monday. "Is it windy?" Her hair looked very messy and windblown.
"Just a little," she replied sarcastically. That was her style. Sarcasm.
"Who is that?" I asked Danny, nodding toward the boy who had gotten on the bus with her.
"Oh, just some new guy," Danny said, shrugging. She nudged me. "Cute, isn't he?"
I casually glanced over at him. He seemed tall, taller than some other boys. He had blond hair, that looked wild, but I supposed that was just because of the wind. His eyes were a blue-gray that seemed to be very warm, and comforting. His face was absolutely gorgeous.
"So not cute," I said, reluctantly tearing my eyes from his face. Danny's mouth dropped open, until I continued. "Completely beautiful."
"Definitely," Danny said, nodding with approval.