late nights & early mornings

                                    

                                          
!!mature/implied scenes!!
trigger warning: abuse
- third-person pov - 
Autumn stepped out of the shower after turning off the water. After blow-drying her hair she just slipped on her spandex (which she wore under everything) and her bra with the jacket she had grabbed from the car. She looked at the fogged mirror and sighed, leaning on the sink. She glanced down at the scar on her collarbone, closing her eyes and thinking of her parents. She remembered the night she got that scar very well, and sadly it was not the last time her dad went too far. 
I ran up the stairs holding where I was cut on just under my neck; my eyes flowing with tears. I scrunched up my shirt to cover the bleeding as I made my way to my bedroom. I was careful not to slam my door since that was always why I got in trouble in the past. Right as I was in the "safety" of my own room I stripped off my entire shirt, turning it into a ball of cloth to cover the wound. 
I sat on my bed, sobbing. The tears wouldn't stop, but I was sure to be quiet so my mom wouldn't hear. I didn't know if she was still awake, but I didn't want to risk it. My dad wasn't going to be going to bed anytime soon, in fact, I believe he ran to the liquor store 20 minutes later. 
I rocked back and forth on my bed, feeling nauseous from the blood loss. I was freaking out, panicking that I would pass out and never be found. I had no idea how to help myself. Then I heard a rock hit my window. 
'Not now' I remembered thinking. I only had one friend throughout my entire childhood, and that was Maddie. Another rock hit my window, then another. I finally got up and went to my window in order to open it. I tried to put on the best face I could as I leaned out my window, my bedroom light flooding onto the ground where I saw Maddie grabbing a few more pebbles from the garden. 
She looked up at me with rocks in her hand, then dropped them and smiled up at me. "Can I come in?" she asked, barely loud enough for me to hear. She knew my mom was most likely asleep. 
I thought for a minute, but I ultimately decided that I needed someone. Anyone. I just nodded, opening my window for more access as she started climbing up the garden wall. I was always surprised Maddie would climb that thing every time she wanted to come over, like now. Every time I tried to climb it I got poked with thorns and stickers- bees and wasps would follow me all the way up. Maddie never seemed to care though, because she did it every time without complaints.
I backed up when she got to the window, holding onto my shirt and looking at the ground. Maddie stumbled through, definitely making more of a noise than she usually did- but quickly got up "Did you hear Anna and Ella fought over Jacob? That's what that shit show at B lunch was about- I mean that's fucking dumb. Caring about a boy that much to pull each other's hair out and get suspended is fucking stupid" She started rambling, dusting herself off from the garden wall. That's what I always liked about her, she always had something to say. And I always enjoyed listening, even then. She kept her eyes trained on herself, yet to look up. "Jacob isn't even that hot- like seriously, you could fight over any boy at school and they picked him? Ugh- girls are dumb-" Maddie finally looked up from her dusting fit, noticing me and my situation 
I smiled softly at her, holding my shirt over the cut. "Jacob is not exactly a catch, I agree" 
Maddie walked closer to me and reached her hand out but I retreated. She gave me a somber glare, "Autumn, what happened?" 
I shrugged shyly. As if I actually thought it wouldn't come up. I mean, my face was red and puffy from crying, I didn't have a shirt on and I was holding my white Vans t-shirt (not so white anymore) to my skin as if my life depended on it. Maybe it did, I didn't know.