Reconstructing Amelia (unedited)

Chapter 31

November 20th, 2019

"You're late, Amelia," Marcie called out. I shakily braced myself against the wall in the foyer.

"My shift ran late," I lied, my voice hitching in my throat.

"Don't lie to me Sweetie, I went by your work to find you and you weren't there," she said, making my blood run cold.

"I was probably already walking," I was in deep shit but I kept digging my own grave anyway.

"I checked all the routes, Sweetie, I would've found you," Her voice was laced with dominance. "Why don't you come into the kitchen? Come have a little chat with me," My hands were shaking as I forced my legs to carry me into the kitchen. I saw the empty bottles of wine on the counter beside only a singular glass. A cigarette was perched between her fingers per usual.

She stepped closer to me, twirling a finger through my hair before she suddenly slapped me, sending me stumbling away.

"You worthless girl!" she screamed. "Did I give you permission to go out? Did I tell you you could lie to me?" Her eyes were fixated on me, glassy to match her drunken stupor. I shook my head slightly. "So why did you do it?" I stared down at my feet.

"I was with my friend," I mumbled. Marcie laughed, scoffing.

"You made a friend?" I bet she was merely pitying you,"

"No!" I exclaimed defensively. "He's not like that!" She raised her eyebrows at me in surprise.

"He? Oh, Sweetie, you like him, don't you?" she mocked, her voice bittersweet. My face flamed in embarrassment. "He's only with you to make fun of you. Do you think someone is actually capable of loving you? Look at yourself, Amelia. Stupid girl. No one wants ugly girls who disobey their fathers,"

"He's not my dad!" I shouted. Marcie seemed to ignore my comment, pushing me to the floor and pinching my stomach.

"Sweetie, look at this weight. You're unfit to be loved. And your hair is a mess, no one would ever want to be your friend let alone your boyfriend,"

"That's not true!" I gasped as she kicked me.

"Oh, I see. He's just using you for the whore you are," She laughed dryly. "You're nothing to him! Nothing but a weak little whore. And that's all you'll ever be," The words sunk deep into my heart and I knew she was right though I desperately wanted to believe that Neo liked me.

"You're wrong!" I said defiantly, giving her a glare. Marcie narrowed her eyes and grabbed me by my sweatshirt collar, throwing me into the corner of the countertop. I landed hard on the linoleum floor, blood seeping from my head. I felt dizzy as she began shouting and kicking at me.

"You ungrateful girl!" I'm telling you the truth! You're a mess - a worthless child! You're lucky to even have us, and you repay us disobeying and lying?! I will not tolerate this behaviour, Amelia! You will learn your place in this world even if it takes you a million years!" she screamed. "I will make sure of it!" She took a fistful of my hair and yanked me to my feet, ignoring my cries of pain. She dragged me through the kitchen and down the basement steps into the darkness. She switched on a di light, pushing me down onto a thin wire bed. I was crying already as she wrestled with me to get my jumper off.

She tied my wrists to the headboard, taking a long drag on her cigarette. The air was stagnant and cold, making my exposed skin prickle with goosebumps.

"Crying, are we? I told you, you're nothing but a pathetic, weak little girl," Marcie cooed sickly. She made sure I was lying on my stomach before jamming her cigarette butt into my back. I arched my back as the heat seared my skin, my wrists burning against the rope as I flailed. I let out a scream as she held it there, her nails digging into my shoulder to hold me in place.

"Please!" I cried. "Stop!" I was trying to get away from the pain but I couldn't. She lifted up the cigarette briefly before plunging it down in a new spot.

Each time felt worse than before, and my wrists were raw and bloody from thrashing against the rope. My throat was hoarse from screaming and my back was scalded and burned. Minute after minute she'd burn me and then take a drag, burn, drag, burn, drag, burn, lighting a new cigarette when the current one burnt out. My back was now peppered with red blisters, shaped in perfect little circles when she finally left me.

"Remember, Amelia. You are a worthless nobody. A weak, ungrateful whore. You'll never be good enough for anybody - not that they'd even want you, you ugly girl. And if you ever try to defy us again, you and your brother will not live to see the light of day again," Marcie threatened. She said nothing after that, just took a heavy drag before turning off the light and heading upstairs, slamming the door.

I was completely submerged in darkness, and I curled my legs to my chest in an attempt to ward off the biting chill. My wrists continued to burn from the ropes, and I couldn't even ease their position as I'd been left tied to the rickety bed frame.

The bed was damp, and there was a small drip coming from the ceiling, soaking the corner of the mattress by my head. I bit down on my tongue until I tasted blood, to distract myself from all of my other pains. I hadn't even seen Javi tonight, who knows if he was okay. I prayed that he was safe in his room.

And then there was Neo. Was Marcie right? Was I just a game for him? But he'd kissed me, he'd made friends with me. He cared about me... right? Or was it all a joke? Was I just a joke?