So, this chapter has a lot more that was changed in it. I hope you like it.

Chapter 4

I ran around the house, hoping Hank was far enough down the street that he wouldn’t be able to see that Alex had dropped me off. I pulled my keys out of my pocket as I ran up the stairs to the back porch. I fumbled with the lock for a minute before my shaking hand was about to fit the key into the lock.

As soon as the door was unlocked I wrenched it open and ran up to my room, tripping over the top step. I dropped my bag on my bed and went to the bathroom to brush out my hair and wash off the smeared mascara. If my Hank saw that I looked any different then I usually did then he’d ask questions, questions I couldn’t answer.

“Isabelle!” Hank’s deep gravelly voice called into the house, he always used my whole name except when he was mad. Dropping the brush, I shook out my hands before skipping down the stairs. Him using my whole name meant he hadn’t seen Alex. Hank had forbidden me to date until I was out of the house. Like I had to listen to what he said… Well actually I kinda did. The bruises were proof enough of that.

“Yeah?” I responded.

“I got a call from the school,” he stated. Uh oh.

“And?” I asked, acting innocent.

“You’re math teacher has your math book and homework. She said she’s excusing you from you’re homework.”

“Okay, thanks,” I said relieved as I turned back toward the stairs.

“And she said that she’s glad you agreed to be a tutor,” Hank finished. “She says that Alex seems to be understanding a lot more when you explain things. Who’s Alex?” I froze.

“Oh, uh… Alex is a freshman, she really doesn’t get any of the geometry so I agreed to help her out,” I lied. Hank was more then just a little protective, he wouldn’t allow me near boys. Didn’t want anyone finding out what was happening to me.

“Okay, you should have her over sometime,” my step dad suggested. Crap, he want’s to meet Alex!

“Okay, I have homework to do right now though, so I’ll talk to you later Dad,” I said, almost choking when I called him dad. He made me call him dad, even though he wasn’t.

“All right.” I turned and ran up stairs escaping to my room. I closed the door to my room and started over toward my bed. I would have locked my door if it had a lock, but my Hank removed all the locks, on the inside of the house, when we moved in. I collapsed onto my bed and lied there for a second, relaxing.

After a few minutes I sat up and pulled my backpack onto my bed, ready to start on my English and Chemistry homework.

I had just finished my English homework when my Hank entered the room, with out knocking. I had my back to the door as I was putting my English binder back into my backpack. I turned around to leave my room and jumped, finding him right in front of me.

“Dinner’s ready,” he said before he turned and left the room. I stood wide-eyed as he lofted out of the room, my hand over my heart. How the heck had he gotten in here without me knowing. The door squeaks and I knew I hadn’t left it open. Finally calm enough to walk, I started down the stairs.

I entered the kitchen to find Hank already at the table, wolfing down something that I think was spaghetti. I started over toward the stove, grabbing a plate off the counter top. I scooped myself a little spaghetti and started back toward the table, picking up a fork out of a drawer. Patrice, Miss Prissy Skank, worked late, she usually didn’t get home until closer till nine.

I sat down across from my step dad, trying to keep as much distance as I could between us, incase he suddenly got mad. After a few bites of my spaghetti I reached for the glass of water sitting in front of me. I took a gulp of water before glancing up to find my Hank staring at me.

“What?” I asked, suspiciously.

“Nothing,” he answered before he went back to shoveling food into his mouth. Shrugging, I lifted the glass to my lips, again, and took another sip.

I had just finished eating when the doorbell rang, I got up to answer it, but my Hank reached the door first. I stood down the hallway from the door, leaning up against the wall, noticing that my vision was beginning to blur. Slowly I lifted my hand to my head, massaging where it was starting to hurt.

I held my breath as Hank opened the door to reveal Alex standing there holding my math book. Don’t tell him who you are!

“Who are you and what do you want?” Hank asked gruffly.

“Uh I’m just dropping off Belle’s math book,” Alex answered.

“You don’t look like her math teacher,” He commented.

“No, Belle’s tutoring me,” Alex explained.

“Oh really?” Hank said, a false tone of surprise in his voice. “Well then, Belle, come say hi to your friend.” Shit.

“Actually… Dad,” I had to force it out this time, “I have a bunch of homework and I’m sure he does too so I’m just going to go…” I said as I started up the stairs, clumsily, struggling to see where the steps were.

“Come say hi to you’re friend,” Hank ordered. I slunk over to the door.

“Hey,” I said softly as I reached the door. I could feel Hank glaring down at me.

“Hey,” Alex glanced up at the large imposing man behind me before turning his attention back to me. “Actually I was wondering if you could help me with some of the math homework,” Alex said.

“Yeah, sure,” I replied, knowing he had already finished all the homework and was just trying to get me out of there.

“But she can’t,” Hank said, yanking me back inside and slamming the door. Seconds later he threw me down on the stairs. “Alex is a girl huh?” He yelled at me before hitting me in the head with my math book. I let out a short soft whimper, before I tried to crawl up the stairs to my room. Hank wrapped his hand around my ankle and pulled me back down the stairs and driving his other fist into the side of my head, causing me to black out.