mine.
“Thanks for the book . I’ll see you in the morning, right?” I remind him of his offer to give me a ride to school, while also trying to get him to leave.
“Yes, you will . See you tomorrow.” He takes a few steps before turning back with a little wave. “Oh, and have fun studying with Alex tonight.”
All of my muscles freeze , and I stop breathing… suffocating me instantly. My mom tenses beside me, electrifying the air around us. I watch as Andrew gets into his car and pulls away, oblivious to the hell he has sentenced me to.
As soon as his car is out of sight, I turn, ready for the onslaught. Her face is a mask of horror, pure hatred and rage, informing me of what I’d feared. One, she definitely holds no love for me. Two, she is absolutely, positively insane, and three… that I should not, in any way, have seen Alex again.
“I told you to stay away from him.” She screams. She stalks me, backing me into the house before slamming the door closed behind us, and cornering me against the foyer.
“I know, but…” I begin to say, but those three words are all I get out before she hits me. She half slaps, half punches me, using her palm with her fingers curled down, almost as if she’s serving a volleyball. My ear takes the impact and rings like the Liberty Bell.
I stumble sideways , further down the hall while holding the side of my head, attempting to regain my balance. “Mom,” I protest in a whimper. “He’s my biology partner. We have an assignment so I have to work with him.”
She pauses, digesting the information. “So, when I asked you where you were yesterday, and you said collecting stuff for biology, you were with him, weren’t you?”
How the hell did she put that together? I thought it would be impossible for her. She could barely remember her own name, let alone what I said to her.
My silence gives her the answer she is looking for … the excuse she needs.
For being drunk and pilled out, her reflexes are fast. I didn’t even see her pick up the crystal vase and throw it at me until it was too late. It catches me on the side of my head, above my temple, and of course, on the same side as my now injured ear. I drop to the floor like a stone sinking in water, my hand moving to cover the new wound. Warm, wet liquid coats my hair and fingers.
“How dare you!” She screams down at me, kicking me in the side. “How could you see him? That family is solely responsible for killing your brother!” She pulls the belt off her pants and snaps it toward me – a whip striking like a snake. “You never loved him like I loved him! I haven’t forgotten about him like you have!” The belt makes contact with my back, buckle first.
I shriek in pain.
She is deaf to my cry, continuing the assault by repeatedly striking me with the belt, barely taking a breath to recharge and recoil for the next strike. I’m lucky, because sometimes it’s only the strap that makes contact.
“Mom, please.” I sob, blood and tears mixing, streaking my face .
She slows her rampage enough to stare down at me. Her chest is heaving, eyes wild. “Are you going to forget again?” Her voice is a soothing, mocking tone.
I shake my head.
“Answer me!” She screams.
“No, Mommy.” The word slips out before I can stop it.
“Don’t you ever call me that again . And if you ever see that boy again, I won’t only beat the living shit out of you, I will smother your pathetic crippled father while he sleeps.”
I suck in a shocked breath as my eyes widen in fear. I cannot believe what she has just said.
She laughs as she turns and walks away. “Remember what I said. There will be no other warning.”
She rounds the corner to the stairs, heading back to her room to leave me lying on the floor in my own blood, surrounded by broken glass. This is déjà vu, only this time I’m in the hallway instead of the kitchen.
After what feels like hours, waiting for the dizziness to stop, I try to get myself
“Thanks for the book . I’ll see you in the morning, right?” I remind him of his offer to give me a ride to school, while also trying to get him to leave.
“Yes, you will . See you tomorrow.” He takes a few steps before turning back with a little wave. “Oh, and have fun studying with Alex tonight.”
All of my muscles freeze , and I stop breathing… suffocating me instantly. My mom tenses beside me, electrifying the air around us. I watch as Andrew gets into his car and pulls away, oblivious to the hell he has sentenced me to.
As soon as his car is out of sight, I turn, ready for the onslaught. Her face is a mask of horror, pure hatred and rage, informing me of what I’d feared. One, she definitely holds no love for me. Two, she is absolutely, positively insane, and three… that I should not, in any way, have seen Alex again.
“I told you to stay away from him.” She screams. She stalks me, backing me into the house before slamming the door closed behind us, and cornering me against the foyer.
“I know, but…” I begin to say, but those three words are all I get out before she hits me. She half slaps, half punches me, using her palm with her fingers curled down, almost as if she’s serving a volleyball. My ear takes the impact and rings like the Liberty Bell.
I stumble sideways , further down the hall while holding the side of my head, attempting to regain my balance. “Mom,” I protest in a whimper. “He’s my biology partner. We have an assignment so I have to work with him.”
She pauses, digesting the information. “So, when I asked you where you were yesterday, and you said collecting stuff for biology, you were with him, weren’t you?”
How the hell did she put that together? I thought it would be impossible for her. She could barely remember her own name, let alone what I said to her.
My silence gives her the answer she is looking for … the excuse she needs.
For being drunk and pilled out, her reflexes are fast. I didn’t even see her pick up the crystal vase and throw it at me until it was too late. It catches me on the side of my head, above my temple, and of course, on the same side as my now injured ear. I drop to the floor like a stone sinking in water, my hand moving to cover the new wound. Warm, wet liquid coats my hair and fingers.
“How dare you!” She screams down at me, kicking me in the side. “How could you see him? That family is solely responsible for killing your brother!” She pulls the belt off her pants and snaps it toward me – a whip striking like a snake. “You never loved him like I loved him! I haven’t forgotten about him like you have!” The belt makes contact with my back, buckle first.
I shriek in pain.
She is deaf to my cry, continuing the assault by repeatedly striking me with the belt, barely taking a breath to recharge and recoil for the next strike. I’m lucky, because sometimes it’s only the strap that makes contact.
“Mom, please.” I sob, blood and tears mixing, streaking my face .
She slows her rampage enough to stare down at me. Her chest is heaving, eyes wild. “Are you going to forget again?” Her voice is a soothing, mocking tone.
I shake my head.
“Answer me!” She screams.
“No, Mommy.” The word slips out before I can stop it.
“Don’t you ever call me that again . And if you ever see that boy again, I won’t only beat the living shit out of you, I will smother your pathetic crippled father while he sleeps.”
I suck in a shocked breath as my eyes widen in fear. I cannot believe what she has just said.
She laughs as she turns and walks away. “Remember what I said. There will be no other warning.”
She rounds the corner to the stairs, heading back to her room to leave me lying on the floor in my own blood, surrounded by broken glass. This is déjà vu, only this time I’m in the hallway instead of the kitchen.
After what feels like hours, waiting for the dizziness to stop, I try to get myself
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