For You (DISCONTINUED)

Two

As I sat under the tree, my hands found their way to my hair. I didn't realize how much hair I had pulled out until it was too late. I sighed and let my head fall backwards against the tree, bumping against the trunk harder than I expected.

"Dani! Where the hell did you go? You know there are dishes in the fucking sink," Her voise grew louder and louder, "that need to be put away. And all you want to do is sit on your lazy ass!"

By the time she was finished ranting on about how much of a failure I am, she was screaming loud enough that she could probably have broken glass.

I rolled my eyes but stood up and made my way to the front door. I took a deep breath and walked through the door, only to be greeted by the argument that was taking place in the kitchen.

I tried to zone them out, I really did. But after a while, I got so fed up with their shit, I snapped. "Just shut the hell up!" My parents glared at me and right then, I knew I crossed a dangerous line.

My mother got me to me first. She swung her hand at me but only her ring grazed my skin. I could feel the blood, warm and wet, trickle down the side of my face. My father then strutted into the kitchen swinging a belt. I prepared myself for the pain, knowing this one was going to leave a mark, literally.

He smirked as he rose the belt above he shoulder and let it snap across my back. I yelped and collapsed onto the floor. I lied there still for a moment, catching my breath, knowing there was more to come. He stood above me, grinning. Why the fuck would a father receive so much pleasure from whipping his own daughter with a leather belt?

I squeezed my eyes shut, wishing for it to be over. I lied there motionless on the floor when he swug the belt for the last time. The sound horrified me and I screamed in pain. I can't remember how long I lied there screaming, I just know it was quite a long fucking time.

When my head stopped spinning, I slowly stood up. It hurt like hell but I made it to the bathroom and locked the door behind me. I dragged myself in front of the mirror, took a deep breath and looked up. "Holy shit..." I mumbled quietly. I ran my finger over a new laceration that extended for about an inch across the upper part of my cheek. I slowly pulled off my shirt and turned around. Welts. They were everywhere. They hurt like hell and they swelled up. I saw the pain they caused just by looking at them.

I glanced up at the skylight that's placed in the center of the bathroom. "If I didn't love you so much, I'd end it all. Right here, right now." I barely tasted the words as they rolled off my tongue.

If it wasn't for you, I would put myself out of my misery much sooner than you'd like. You're just lucky I understand what it's like to lose someone that means the world to you.