Fix My Heart

Chapter 1

Veronica's POV
I'm Veronica Barnes . I'm 16. I don't know where I'm from. I'm actually never been outside before. I've been locked inside all my life. My parents are abusive. My dad makes me have sex with him every day. My mom burns me with cigarettes and hits me. My dad also holds a gun to my head on a daily basis. I know I can't fight them. I've never had any friends. I've been homeschooled all my life. My parents always found a way to distract me. Their way is music. My dad would play a guitar and my mom and I would sing. That's the only time life felt normal. By now I know how to play their games. They don't know this but I've been watching their every move. I know where they keep their keys. One night I carefully walked to the front door and started unlocking it.

Don't make any noise!

Please don't make any noise!

I opened the door then walked out. I looked at the house and saw the number. Then I started running.

Where do I go?!

I don't know anyone!

I don't think I thought this through enough!

I found the street address and kept running. I kept repeating everything I felt, I needed to know in my head.

My legs are killing me!

Wait!

I know where to go!

Aunt Kimberley's!

I remember hearing what her address was one day while my mom was on the phone with her.

She lives two blocks away!

I started looking at street signs. When I finally found the one my aunt lives on I ran down it. I looked at house numbers. When I found her house I ran up to the door. I saw a button next to the door.

What's this?

Should I press it?

I used one of my fingers and pushed the button. I heard a sound and it scared me. I was so exhausted I fell to my knees. I put my hands on the ground and had my head down. I started trying to catch my breath. When the door opened I heard her voice.

"Veronica?! What are you doing here?!"

"H-help me!"

It all when black. I woke up in a bed that I didn't recognize. I sat up and looked around.

Where am I?

"Thank god! You're awake!"

"Hi Aunt Kim. What happened?"

"You showed up at midnight asking me to help you. What's wrong? Did something happen to your parents?"

"My parents are the problem."

"Huh?"

I found myself telling her everything. After everything was said, she looked shocked.

"O-oh my god! When's the last time any of this happened?!"

I gulped.

"Yesterday afternoon."

"We should get you to the hospital."

"W-what's that?"

"You've never heard of a hospital?"

"N-no."

She explained to me what this is. She helped me get to her car.

"Wh-what do I do?"

"You've never been in a car?"

"No."

She showed me how to open the door. She put something called a "Seatbelt" on me. I heard something coming from the car. I started looking around.

"What's that?"

"The radio. It's playing music."

She showed me how to use it. The first song that I heard was one that I liked. The radio said it was by someone named "Jacob Winters"

"Did they just say "Jacob Winters"?"

"You know him?"

"He lives next door. I always hear him singing. He's a good kid. He brings food by sometimes."

"He gives you food?"

"Sometimes. It's mostly cookies or brownies or pie."

"I really like that song."

"I'll tell him that then."

We got to the hospital and we walked in. I asked what to do and I was answered. I was brought to a room and I don't know how to explain what was happening. They gave me clothes to wear before I talked to cops. CPS came and had to talk to me too.

"I'm her aunt. She'll be staying with me."

Okay.

Aunt Kim has temporary custody of me.

I'll be fine.

"We'll let you know if we have any more questions."

When we were allowed to leave we went back to the car. During the car ride I noticed we weren't going back to my aunt's house.

"Where are we going?"

"To get you some things."

"Oh no. I-it's fine. I don't need anything."

"Actually you do. You need clothes, a hairbrush, a toothbrush, a phone, and whatever else you want."

"I-I get a phone?"

"Yeah. I need a way to contact you if something happens."

We went to something called a "mall" and went to a few stores. I picked out what I liked. We walked around the store so I could finish looking. I walked over to a store that said "body piercings" and walked in.

"Aunt Kim? Would it be okay if I got my ears pierced? I've always wanted them. My parents said I'd look bad with them."

"I tried convincing them to let you get a piercing for years."

I picked out earrings I liked and my aunt let me get ear piercings. After we were done she brought me back to her house. I started playing around with my phone. My aunt sat down and showed me how to use it.