A/N So this is going to be OOC for most of the gleeks, but only parts, everyone will be more mellow and caring once they find out the secret.
Summer before freshman year
Dear Journal,
Dad died today. Heart attack. I don't quite understand why God would put Daddy and I through such a traumatic event. Family has come in from all over, along with friends…none of my friends…seeing as mine are to busy to notice. Noah and Finn joined the football time, Quinn, Santana and Britt joined the Cheerios. Mike and Matt are with Finn and Noah. That just leaves me. Alone.
Summer before sophomore year
Dear Journal,
Things have not improved over the year, which I know you know from recent entries. Daddy has gotten…different. Scary. The past couple of months without Dad have been rough, I understand that. However, the bruises are starting to get harder to hide. Yes, bruises. Daddy doesn't mean to hit me. I know this, he loves me. He just…well he drinks, a lot. He doesn't even know what he is doing when it happens. He always apologizes…
Present Time
Rachel Berry sighed as she flipped through her journal, the ones before sophomore and freshman year catching her eye the most. That was when her life really started to change. Before then, she had friends, she had a life, she had parents that loved her. Now…well her Daddy loved her, he just showed his love differently, more aggressively.
Shaking her head to clear her thoughts, Rachel made her way to her mirror to finish applying make up to her face, to cover the black eye she received last night after not getting dinner ready on time. Her daddy had come home reeking of booze, it was her fault really. She should have known he would want to dinner after being at the bar.
Satisfied that her long sleeved shirt covered the marks on her arms, and her jeans hid the swelling of her ankle, Rachel grabbed her things and crept down the stairs, careful not to wake her father as she exited the house, ready to make the short walk to school. Oh school. How things had changed. Her once best friends were now at the top of the food chain, while she was labeled "the freak", captain of the Glee club. It was not a fun experience. She was a junior now for goodness sakes! Why couldn't everyone at least act their age instead of throwing slushies in her face and tormenting her? She received enough punishment at home!
Spinning her locker combination in, Rachel let out what felt like the fifth sigh of the day, and it was only eight. Wincing, she shifted her weight off of her sprained ankle, only to be caught by surprise when one of her few friends came up from behind her.
"What happened diva?" Kurt Hummel, fellow Glee club member asked. "Nothing." Rachel replied softly.
"Sure, and I am the Queen of England." Kurt snorted.
"Ah hell no, if anyone is queen it is me!" Mercedes spoke up, joining the duo.
"Why do you get to be queen?" Rachel asked with a smile, enjoying the banter and the change of conversation. Hopefully Kurt would be drawn off topic now.
"Because, I am the top bitch here." Mercedes replied, a grin growing on her face.
"Oh of course, bow down to queen Mercedes!" Kurt shouted down the hallway.
"Shut up freak!" Someone yelled back.
"Neanderthal." Kurt muttered.
"Don't let them bother you Kurt, you have us." Rachel assured the young man, pulling him in for a hug, careful to avoid her other injuries.
Yes, injuries, plural. All over her body. Ones she had been able to keep hidden for years. No one in Glee knew, no one but her Daddy knew of the bruises she covered. It was an exhausting secret, but one she had to keep. It was getting hard though. Her dad was getting more and more violent as time passed. Rachel was pretty sure after last night she was dealing with a few bruised, if not cracked ribs. She was going to have to be careful in Glee practice later.
"What were you guys talking about before I graced you with my divalicious self?" Mercedes asked as the group walked to first period.
"Berry hurt herself, but won't say how." Kurt explained.
"I am fine, really." Rachel pressed. So much for Kurt forgetting.
"You sure do get hurt a lot. Last week your wrist, week before your shoulder was dislocated…seems odd Rach." Mercedes thought aloud.
"I am really clumsy." Rachel lied. She had perfect posture and poise, of course she was not clumsy. You could not make it big on Broadway if you were.
"Uh huh." Kurt mumbled, with a roll of his eyes.
The trio was so involved in their conversation that they didn't notice the mow hawked boy walking towards them with the grape flavored slushie until it was to late. Aiming the cup perfectly, Puck doused Rachel head to toe in the sticky mess.
"Noah!" Rachel shouted in anger.
Puck just laughed and threw the cup in the trash. He loved slushing Berry, it was one of his favorite past times. The way she got all angry, it was hot. They used to be friends, back when she was wearing sweaters and skirts, now she wore tight jeans and long sleeved shirts all the time…no cleavage, but damn did her ass look good. Add to that her getting all angry, totally made him want to drag her into the closest janitor's closet.
"Cya Berry!" Puck called over his shoulder, heading to his own class.
"He is suck a…a ugh!" Rachel spit out as she wiped the slushie out of her eye.
"Come on, we will clean you up." Kurt offered, starting to lead her to the bathroom.
"NO!" Rachel shouted, suddenly nervous. She couldn't let them see her bruises. "I mean, no, you don't have to, go to class and tell Mr. Shue I will be there shortly, I will just change real quick. It's fine." Rachel replied.
"But Rachel! Your hair!" Kurt exclaimed.
"Will be fine, it's going back into a ponytail." Rachel remarked.
"Ew." Kurt groaned, but he allowed Mercedes to drag him away.
Rachel sighed in relief as she made her way into the girl's bathroom. It was empty. Quickly, she dug out a new shirt, thanking God her pants were ok, and started to change. Right when her shirt was off, the girls door opened. Rachel tried to make it to a stall, but it was to late, the three girls that entered saw her.