Atlas Woodson

TW: Violence, Language

"Sun-" I covered his mouth.

It was Atlas Woodson, the basketball captain at our school.

We were both shocked, but I begged him to be quiet.

"Sunny! My lovely daughter, where the fuck have you been?" He says this in a very sarcastic and annoying tone.

"Daddy is extremely excited to see you!" He added, It makes me want to go out in my hiding spot and just throw a tantrum.

I saw the people in their houses go out, and it made me panicked. What if they tell my father I'm here.

I started shaking and crying. Atlas must have felt that. He pulled me and hid me behind him, and he pretended to throw more garbage.

"Fuck you, Abraham! Let people sleep in peace, you fucking moron!" The man who came out of his house was very angry, like a raging bull.

I'm still shaking like crazy, but I was supposed to go out when he pulled my hand.

"Stay here," he whispered, and he held my hand tightly.

"I need to go out, or else it will get worse. He might hurt him" I whispered back.

He shakes his head and keeps telling me not to. I'm scared. I know he will hurt me, but I'd rather get hurt than drag an innocent guy who only wants to sleep peacefully.

I'm trembling with fear as I removed his hand. He kept on grabbing my hand while shaking his head, but I told him I really had to. He let it go and I started walking out of the alley.

"F-father" I shuttered and I caught everyone's attention.

"You!" He was about to throw hands at me and then someone suddenly grabbed my hands and we started running.

It was Atlas. He saved me from getting hit. by my own father in front of everyone.

We ran as fast as we could, and we ended up in the park. My vision blurred and I almost passed out, but Atlas shacked me.

"Are you okay?" He asked, his eyes filled with concern.

His eyes are blue like mine and it's very pretty. His hair is long and curly and I never knew boys could have such pink lips.

I looked at him, admiring his beauty, but he shook me again.

"Are you okay?" He repeated

"Yes, thank you," I answered.

"Why would he do that to you? Do you want us to file a report against him?" He suggested looking at me furiously.

Why? Why is he angry?

"No, it's okay." I keep my answer short. I'm still shaking, but not as badly as earlier.

"Okay? You must be crazy. He almost threw your hands on you. He keeps shouting like a crazy shit and you're telling me it's okay? " He was known as a bad-tempered captain. Now I get it.

"Yes, I must be crazy, He hurts me a lot, but I don't care! He's my father and he needs me. " I yelled

Thank God no one was around. It is almost 10 pm, so the park is empty.

"Sunny," he's now calmed, "you didn't need to do this." "You're a human, not his fucking punching bag."

A punching bag? How did he know I was getting beaten up? I mean, my father almost threw his hands at me, but it's not that bad to be compared to a punching bag.

"I saw your bruises." I didn't mean to look at it. "Sorry" he apologized and started looking away.

He saw the bruises on my arms and thighs.

"Also, your face is kinda swollen, so I thought about it and it might be him hitting you in the face," he added.

My father slapped me on the cheeks. It made me pass out. But I covered it with concealer. How did he notice that

"And the way you feared him." He paused, "My sister, I remember her. She was abused by her husband. She committed suicide afterwards."

I was so stunned by what he told me. I never knew that Atlas was carrying all that.

I was very sorry. I wanted to comfort him. But, I don't know how, he laughed after seeing me panicking trying to do something to comfort him.

It's okay, Sunny, it's been years. I've already let her go. I know she's in peace now. " We stared at each other, smiling.

"She's much happier now," I said, to which he nodded.

We sat on the bench for hours talking to each other. We both forgot time existed. I also forgot what happened, and I don't care what will happen.

______

It's almost 1 in the morning. As we both walked near our house, he looked at me and said

"If anything goes wrong, contact me. I'll be there right away. " He gave me a piece of paper with his number.

"My father doesn't know I have a phone." I told him it left him completely shocked.

"What? Then how did you get one? " He was looking me straight in the eyes.

"I bought it. I work part-time." He nods.

"You're a really cool person, Sun," he says, and he suddenly pats my head.

I don't know how to feel. I feel like I'm a dog, but no. My stomach feels weird. I'm not hungry, but why does it feel like this? I feel like something's moving inside my stomach.

I can't describe how it feels.

A few more steps and we're in front of our house. I started shaking again. He hugged me to calm me down.

"Once you go inside, lock your bedroom door. And in the morning, wake up early. I'll fetch you here outside tomorrow. " "He said while comforting me and patting my back.

"Will we go to school tomorrow? Together? " I asked.

"Yes, don't you want to? I want to make sure you're safe, so I'll fetch you tomorrow to check up on you. Okay? " He answered.

I nodded and started walking away. I looked at him again and he whispered, "fighting!" While doing the first sign thing, I chuckled.

I went inside the house and found my father sleeping on the couch. with at least five bottles of beer on the table. They're all open.

I run away and go to my room and lock the door. I went to the window and saw Atlas standing outside. I whistled and got his attention.

He moved closer to the window so we could hear each other. "I'm fine; Atlas, you can go home now." " Stay safe", I smiled.

"Sunny?" With that voice, I just knew my father was awake.

Atlas hears it too, and he's asking me to jump out of the window so we can run away. But I no longer want to run. I think I'll just accept it. It's not like hurting me is new..

I smiled at him and said, "Thank you for saving me, Atlas. But this wouldn't end if I kept running away. " I can see his eyes are very worried. "Run, Atlas, I don't want you to get involved." I added, and I saw his tears running down his face.

I want to cry badly. He's a great guy. I don't want him to get hurt because he keeps saving me. Once my father sees him, he'll be his target. My father might think Atlas is my boyfriend.

"Sunny, please, just jump and run away." He begged, and he's also panicking.

I don't want to be his burden. Her sister died because of this kind of situation. I don't want him to see me get hit multiple times. I don't want to be someone that reminds him how miserable her sister's life is.

I shook my head and closed the window.

He's banging on the window with his hands. I'm shaking. I know I'm doing the best thing for me and Atlas. My tears burst out and I looked at him and whispered "I'm sorry" as I pulled the curtains and closed them.

I can hear his curses from here. But to my surprise, my father had opened the door. He's holding a bottle of beer. No, no, no.

"How dare my little princess run away from her king?" He's furious. His eyes are blazing with fire. "You! You always think you're good, don't you? Sunny! You should be the one that died that night. "

"Fuck!" It was Atlas.

"Who's that boy?" My father asked. He's now walking towards the window.

I need to get his attention, so he won't get to notice Atlas.

"I wish I wasn't born either!" I shouted. He looked at me angrier. He started walking near me again. Thank God!

"See, you always think you're good. But no, Sunny, you're just a murderer who killed your own mother! I shouldn't have raised you! You don't respect me! " He tightened his grip on the bottle.

I knew this wouldn't end well...

"I would never respect someone who never respects his own daughter. You have never been there for me. Stop acting like a good father. Because you're not! " And the door opened with the cops with Atlas. This is the last memory I can remember before I collapsed.