~Broken~

                                    

                                          
Homeroom on the first day back was pretty normal, except that Zane and I were now friends. Both Aphmau and Travis seemed shocked when I said hello to Zane as I walked in and responded with a hello and a wave.
                          
"Ok," Travis said, "What have you done to Zane, Maddie?"
                          
"I don't know what you're talking about," I said, putting on an innocent act. I knew exactly what he was talking about, but I was teasing him.
                          
"No one, not even the teacher, can get a response out of Zane and you just said hello to him and he responded."
                          
"What can I say? Even the worst people can change for the better," I looked towards Zane, caught his eye, and winked; He blushed.
                          
"But you-" Travis began. He couldn't get his entire sentence out because then, the teacher walked into the room and began taking roll. 
                          
Today's schedule was a little different from other days and I wasn't sure why. According to my schedule, I have Art, PE, Lunch, Geometry, then Home Ec. Looks like I'm spending my whole day with two of the Ro'meave brothers! I guess that means I'm walking home with them too. But, hey, no complaints from me!
                          
I had just started walking to Art with Aph when Garroth ran up next to us. 
                          
"Hey, Garroth!" I said.
                          
"Hey, Maddie. Hey, Aph. How was the rest of your weekend?"
                          
"It went well. We kinda to a break from being in each other's company and played some MMOs with our online friends," I turned to Aph, "What was your friend's name again?"
                          
"FC. Your friend's name is Pip, right?"
                          
"Was. He changed his username to Gigaplex, for some reason. So I'm just calling him G," Garroth got this weird look on his face like he knew someone with the username Gigaplex. Odd. (( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°))
                          
"So, Aph, Garroth, did you guys manage to fix whatever was happening last night?" Their faces turned bright red like tomatoes so I dropped the subject. Soon after, we arrived at the art room and took our seats next to Laurence. 
                          
Despite the day having a weird schedule, everything past uneventfully. Aphmau was the model in art again and Garroth's work was getting a lot better. In PE, we played volleyball and Garroth and I were team captains. It was a close game. My team won but we didn't lord it over Garroth's team. In geometry, I sat next to Zane and helped him with some theorems and postulates he didn't understand, then we headed off to Home Ec together. After Home Ec, we met up with Garroth, Vylad, and Aphmau and we all headed home. 
                          
Home... I'm not sure I can call it that anymore. When I walked through the door, I was greeted with screaming from a man's voice and crying from a woman's voice. I knew where this was going. I quietly as I could, I slipped upstairs and started packing everything I could into a suitcase; clothes, shoes, laptop, chargers, headphones, phone, and emergency food I store in my closet. My bedroom was on the first floor so I was able to open the window and slide my suitcase out onto the lawn. I tried to slip out of the house as quietly as I could but my parents spotted me before I could leave.
                          
"MADDIE," my father yelled. I flinched but I had to keep walking, though. I could smell the alcohol on his breath and see the bruises and cuts on my mother. She was lying on the ground. I caught her gaze and reached out to her. She shook her head and mouthed the word, Go. I did. I started running. I ran out the door, scooped up my luggage and didn't stop. I ran, and ran, and ran until I couldn't hear my father calling my name anymore. Then, I kept running. At last, I dropped to the ground, exhausted, physically and emotionally, tired, and sore. I heard a door open.
                          
"Maddie?" This was another male voice, much kinder and sweeter than before so I knew it wasn't my father. "Maddie! What happened?! What's wrong?!" I looked up to see a worried, concerned face with long blonde hair covering his forehead. It was Garroth.
                          
"G-garroth...." I choked out. It hurt to speak but I tried to.
                          
"Shh. It's ok, Maddie. Come here, I'll take you inside." He picked me up bridal style, my head against his chest, and he wheeled my suitcase and carried me inside.
                          
"Garroth? Who was that outside?" I heard Zianna's voice. She came out around the corner and gasped, her hands covering her mouth. "Oh my gosh, Maddie! What happened?!"
                          
"Mom, please, she's tired. I've asked her what happened but I don't think she can speak. She needs rest."
                          
"Oh, alright. Let me call her mother."
                          
"No...." I whispered. Surprisingly, they heard me. I moved a bit and Garroth set me down on the ground. "Please Zianna..., don't call my house. I need to talk to you."
                          
"Alright, honey. Garroth, would you help her to the living room? I'll make some tea and meet you there." We both nodded and walked to the living room.
                          
"Would you like me to leave when you talk to my mother? I don't have to if you don't want me to." 
                          
"No. You deserve to hear this just as much as she does. In fact," I continued, a little steadier than before," Would you mind if we brought your brothers in here too? I wanted to call Aph and have her come over. I want them all to know." He nodded, left to let his mother know, and went to bring his brothers to the room. I called up Aph. She picked up on the first ring.
                          
"Hello?" her sweet voice was great to hear after what happened.
                          
"Hey, Aph. Would you mind coming to Garroth's house? I'm here too but there is something you need to hear in person."
                          
"Of course, I'll be over soon. What happened?"
                          
"I'll explain when you get here. Thanks, Aphmau."
                          
"No problem, I'll be there soon. See you."
                          
"Bye." and we hung up.
                          
By the time I ended the call with Aphmau, Zane, Vylad, Garroth, and Zianna were all in the room. Soon after, Aphmau burst into the room.
                          
"I'M HERE!" She said, clearly had been running.
                          
"Thanks, Aph. Ok, I guess I should start at the beginning," I ran through everything that had happened since I got home, from my father screaming, my mother injured on the floor, running away. No one said anything until I was done. At the end, the most enraged seemed to be Garroth.
                          
"I can't believe that happened!!!! Your father just comes home MONTHS early from Europe, DRUNK no less, and abuses your mother and attempts to hurt you!!!!" he yelled. I tried to calm him down.
                          
"I know, Garroth. After we are done talking, I am going to call the cops and send them to my house."
                          
"I'll do it," Zianna said, excusing herself from the room. 
                          
"So, where are you gonna live till this blows over?" Vylad asked. He was the calmest of all of us. I turned to Aph.
                          
"I was hoping you and your mom, Aph, would let me live with you for a while."
                          
"Absolutely. My mom loves you and will take care of you like you were her own." Aph said. I smiled. I was glad there were still people who cared about me. Heck, I was in a room full of them.
                          
"Thanks, Aph. I guess everything is taken care of for now. You want to head home, Aph?" She nodded, I thanked everyone for helping me, grabbed my luggage, and followed Aph to her house.
                          


                          
WOW. Ok, for everyone who has no clue what happened, Maddie came home from school to see her father drunk and abusing her mother. She grabbed as much of her belongings as she could and ran away from home. She ended up at the Ro'meave home and, with the help of people who cared for her, everything is going to turn out fine. Her father will be put in jail for abuse, her mother will be admitted to a hospital for her wounds and get the care she needs, and Maddie will be living with Aph for a while. Anyways, see you next time! Ciao~