The Slap
1044 Words
Third Person's POV:
Hannah was sitting on her bed completing her assignment. She had to submit her assignment by 1:00 pm tomorrow and she didn't get time to finish it earlier as her stepmother made her complete all the chores after her job in the evening. Suddenly her father entered her room and starting cursing and yelling at her for no reason. This used to happen to her almost daily. Her father would come home getting drunk and would beat her and scream at her for no reason. He hates her as he considers her as a bad omen for the family. Her younger step-brother Mark has been admitted to the hospital again. Doctors have asked for a huge sum of money for his operation. He needs to be operated on asap as he is getting weaker day by day. She is also worried about her brother. She loves him very much. Her father's whole salary has gone into his medication. He is very stressed and he wanted to vent out his anger at Hannah.
Hannah's father David started beating her with his leather belt. Her cries were making him angrier and he was beating her more and more. Her Stepmother, Maria was standing behind her father and was cursing her and was pushing him to beat her more.
After almost half an hour, he finally got tired and left her room. She was lying on the bed lifelessly. After crying for almost an hour she got up and went to the washroom to take a shower. She stood under the shower and winced in pain when the water touched her wounds. She came out of the shower and dried herself with a towel carefully then changed her clothes and wore a loose tank top with shorts and started completing her assignment.
Hannah's POV:
I got up by hearing the yelling of my step-mother. She was waiting for me to cook breakfast. I immediately got up and cursed myself as the clock showed 7:30 am already. Yesterday I slept at 4:30 am after completing my assignment. I have barely slept at night and I am also late for my job today. I ran towards the washroom, took a quick shower, and got ready. I again wore a full sleeves shirt and jeans to hide my wounds. I dashed into the kitchen and speedily made scrambled eggs, toasted bread, and prepared coffee for everyone. Then I grabbed my bag and started running towards the bus stop.
I reached my workplace by 9:00 am. I was one hour late. My manager scolded me and gave me a warning. I hurriedly changed my dress and started working. After finishing my work I reached university around 12:45 pm and straight went to my class. I didn't want to meet my friends otherwise they'll again push me to take money from them and leave my home. I can't leave my home. I have to support my Dad for Mark's treatment. I know my father hates me but he's still my dad. I can't leave my family like this.
After my lecture, I was going for my second class when Zack, Ryan, Rachel, and Tracey stopped me in the corridor and looked at me angrily. I rolled my eyes at them and gave my cute smile but they were all still glaring at me. Zack asked me if I had eaten anything since morning and I lowered my gaze indicating "NO". They immediately took me to the cafeteria to make me eat something. I love my friends a lot. They have been my biggest strength throughout. I can't even imagine my life without these four. I am blessed to have them all.
After eating lunch with them, I started going to my next class and they left for the parking lot. They had to attend a party with their parents. Their parents are business partners and they had an official party at a hotel. They were forcing me to come but I refused them because I have my work in the evening. Also, I didn't want to go there in this condition. I am very tired today and after work, I would want to go home and sleep asap.
I was in the corridor but all of a sudden, Liam came in front of me with his gang and started making fun of my clothes and started saying that I was looking like an old aunty and I have no fashion sense. His friends were laughing at me after listening to his demeaning remarks. Liam is my senior in college and belongs to a very influential family in New York and his family owns this university. He is a bully but no one says anything to him, not even the Principal has the guts to say anything to him. I really hate him. He always makes fun of me and doesn't leave any chance to insult me. Actually, he proposed to me on my first day of college and I rejected him. Since then he has been after me and doesn't leave any chance to take a jibe at me.
I was getting furious but I did not show anything to him and started walking but suddenly he grabbed my arm and pushed me towards the wall. I hissed in pain because of the belt wounds on my back and got shocked and furious at the same time. I immediately pushed him back with all my strength and slapped him hard. His friends got quiet instantaneously and Liam got more agitated. My handprint was visible on his cheek. After a moment I realized what have I done and started running from there immediately. Liam asked me to stop but I didn't look back. My heart was racing rapidly. I heard him saying that he will make me regret this mistake. I was running towards the bus stop while looking back if Liam was following me and all of a sudden I came in front of a car. The driver stopped the car and started yelling at me. I apologized but didn't stop and ran away from there.
After boarding the bus I couldn't sit still. I know Liam is not going to let this go easily. He will surely try to do something. I will have to be very careful now.
- Writer
