The Darker Side of Me

Chapter 1: Why Me?

"Noah!" dad shouted from downstairs. I sat up in my bed and sighed. I couldn't smell food or coffee, only the distant scent of cigarette smoke. Last day, I told myself. Last day.

I swung my legs over the side of my bed and walked over to my dresser. I put on the bra and matching underwear that I set aside for today. Then I pulled on a pair of jean shorts and a coral pink tank top. As I was about to go into my bathroom to finish up my morning routine, my phone buzzed on my side table. I looked over at it and saw that I had a message from Cameron: hurry up ur ass:P. Oh Cameron. I waked into my bathroom like I'd planned to and brushed my teeth and washed my face. I then applied an extremely quick layer of makeup and retreated from the bathroom.

I walked over to the side table again and shoved my phone into my back pocket and grabbed my Gucci sunglasses from beside it. I picked up my TNA purse from where it was rested by the door and left my room. I ran down the stairs not wanting Cameron to wait any longer for me and grabbed one of dad's ready-made smoothies from the fridge. That was about all this guy was good for around here; quick and easy meal supplements.

My mom and dad were divorced and I got stuck under the care of my father since I was 9. Of course I didn't want to, but I'm under the age of 18 until Novermber 20th of this year, so I didn't really have a say in where I stayed. But mom has been fighting since the year I turned 11 for dad to change his visiting regulations. He got strict to the point where she wasn't allowed to come and visit me. She hated them and personally I hate them too. So later today, I'm going to move in with her and Cameron is here now to take me school shopping.

Cameron has been my best friend since I was in first grade. He was a year older than me, but his mom held him back in grade 7 for failing, so this year I would be in the same grade. His fmaily is like my second and vice versa. He was there for me through the process of the divorce and he lived beside my mom in the next state over. We went to school together before dad won custody of me and made me move. We still kept in touch, but it was never the same as having him there with me. I was going to be going back to school with him and all my friends so he knew exactly what I would need. He was also my personal moving truck for later.

I reached the door and was about to run out to the jet black car parked in the driveway, but dad grabbed hold of my arm and held me back. "Are you sure you want to go, right before your senior year?" he asked. "I mean, what about all of your friends down here?"

"You mean all the ones that call me a slut even though I'm still a virgin? Or the ones that shove me in my locker and lock it everyday? Oh yeah, I would never want to leave them. Trust me dad, if I had even one friend down here the most I would do is take their cell number and text them everyday. I want to go back. The people over there actually care about me," I assured him.

"I care about you, you know that."

"Yes, because preventing a 9 year old girl from seeing her own mother really shows how much you care." I tried to pull out of his grasp but he tightened his hand around my arm.

"Noah, she's not good for you. No one down there is. At least if you stay here with me, I can pay for your post-secondary education."

"You have to no matter what, that was part of the agreement you signed."

"Listen, I wouldn't have set the regulations I did if I didn't think it was in your best interest."

"Ok, but was total seclusion from the rest of my family really necessary? Do you really think that helped me all these years?"

"I gave you a cell phone and you were able to talk to your mother every night," he shouted now starting to get defensive. "How is that seclusion?"

"Listen to what you just said. Talking on the phone will never compare to having regular visits. And now that I'm only months away from turning 18, my best interest lies in my own hands, not yours. I want to go and live with mom and you said I could. Now let me go you're hurting me!" I shouted back.