Some Thorns, Some Roses

XXXI | Not My Memories: The Biggest Gift is You

"Get up now." I was warned lowly out of my sleep. But I was used to the sensation of waking up to a rude and unpleasant awakening. I bit back the urge to not roll my eyes. So I stood up and looked him in the eyes.

I tried to figure out what he wanted from me and why he was so damn mad this time. But with Baxter you never can tell. Maybe someone forgot to take out the trash or we didn't clean up after his company or maybe he just felt like being a total and absolute menace to us.

"Yes?" I asked, voiding my voice of all emotions. My face was blank because I didn't want to give him a reason to be a punching bag. I didn't want to give him a reason to start any kind of war.

"Where's my damn breakfast?" he asked with unfiltered rage in his eyes. All because of a stupid egg and a flimsy piece of bacon. I looked to my side and Lilah was sleeping peacefully, unbothered and untouched.

I sighed deeply when I realized that we both forgot to set alarms for the following morning.

"I'll make it now." I said, standing up directly in front of him. Our noses almost met. It was his way of trying to intimidate me, but it wouldn't work.

He bitterly snorted and pushed my chest so I was sitting on the bed again. "A woman's place is in the kitchen." So on top of being a bastard, he was an abusive asshole who was fostering four children, a racist, and a sexist pervert. He was the worst person I had ever met, which spoke volumes because I had been in the foster system since I was a baby. One year old to be exact.

So I found it ironic that after being in 14 different homes that this was, in fact, the worst place I had ever lived in. I've lived in a basement before, but this was hell on earth.

"Leave her be." I warned him, squinting my eyes up at this man with dark hair and dark features who looks like he has never been well-rested in his life. His tired eyes were unforgiving and ruthless. I knew he was capable of anything, which is why I would never push my luck too far.

"Fine. I can go wake the twins then." He threatened me, turning around the leave the room. "Maybe Essence wouldn't mind taking care of the workload."

"Wait." I stopped him before he had the chance to fully leave. "I'll wake Lilah and your breakfast will be made in 20 minutes, alright?"

"Make it 15 for my troubles." He told me and then he finally just left.

It took every bone in my body to stop me from murdering him. I knew that if I every decided to kill him, I would have to be successful. Because if I went to jail for attempted murder and he survived, he would terrorise my foster siblings and I wouldn't be able to live with that.

I stood up slowly, trying to calm myself down before waking up Lilah. I gently moved her hair out of her face, knowing that it would be enough to wake her up. "Lilah, wake up." I spoke softly.

Her eyes immediately popped up and she looked panicked. She knew that she overslept. She knew that Baxter would be pissed and she didn't want him to take it out on the twins.

"Shit shit shit." She cursed, looking over at her phone and noticing the time. "Fuck, I forgot to set my alarm."

I nodded my head and reassured her, "It's alright. I forgot too. Baxter came in and I fended him off. But you don't have long."

She quickly threw her hair into a top pony tail and then bolted out the door.

I ran my hand over my face and sighed again. When I heard a blood-curdling scream, I wasn't even sure how to respond. I didn't know how to react. But before I knew it, my legs took off and I literally ran down the stairs.