The Rebel and the Runaway

Her Past | Kenneth

{Written by Madison.
Thank you! You are an amazing writter.}

I hear him downstairs. It's a family argument, and according to East's mom, I'm not allowed to attend dinner with them for tonight. Family matters need to be discussed.

Discussed, I think to myself and laugh. That's exactly how I would define a bunch of shouting at the dinner table. A family discussion. And, conveniently, his mother forgot to send me to the attic with food.

This wasn't a new thing, seeing as she hated me with my own being. It was like when she saw me, she knew something about me. Probably my parents....I'd never tell Easton about how his mother treats me. I don't want to cause more problems.

I hear them screaming in some sort of code, using words like 'she' and 'them' and 'they' but they never clarify who is who. But the "conversation" continue never the less.

I curl up on the small cot, the blanket sold for money, which I can understand. I listen to the shouts until I can't anymore.

I pull out a journal from under the bed. I haven't needed to pull it out in what seems like ages. I only write in it when I'm upset, I let the anger out on the page, rather than the person. I read through some of the entries.

~~Today, my homework was to find out why I was named Kenneth Grace Williams. First I asked mom. She said that they wished I had been a boy, so I got stuck with the boy name - Kenneth. I ask why she wanted a boy instead of a girl. She just sent me to dad. I went to Daddy and asked why Mommy wanted a boy and not a girl. He said that Mommy wanted someone that could actually help her achieve her goals. I wish I knew what her goals were so maybe I could help. I mean, they never wanted a girl anyways.~~

I finish the entry. I paused. I was a stupid seven year old. I continue reading.

~~Mom said that I wouldn't be a good girl if I continued to eat like a hog. She said that I wasn't allowed to eat a lot of my favorite foods anymore. I agreed. I want to be a good girl. For breakfast the next day she let me eat half a banana. Lunch she packed a small bag of almonds and she told me dinner would be too much for me too eat. No more dinners I guess. I'm hungry, but I just want to be a good girl...~~

I shake my head in disgust. I was a stupid nine year old. I force myself into another entry as the shouts from downstairs get louder.

~~Dad and Mom came to me today saying that I was no longer allowed to have friends that were girls. Especially good girls. They would only cause more problems, according to Mom and Dad. I am now only allowed to have friends that are boys. Mom said that they can carry me, carry us. Girls can't apparently. And boys are richer, and get richer faster, which is good for Mom and Dad. So I told Kathrine that I couldn't be her friend anymore. She started crying. I felt like what I was doing was wrong, but if I didn't do it, I wouldn't get almonds tomorrow. And I am really hungry. I went to talk with some boy named Jacob. He was really annoying. He was a couple years older than me, fourteen maybe? He kept getting too close to me. I don't like him, but Mom and Dad do. It always seems like what Mom and Dad like, I don't. Does that mean something is wrong with me?~~

I scream at my eleven year old self. I was messed up.

I begin to read another entry when I heard Easton's footsteps stomping below me. I threw the journal under the bed, knowing he'll be up here soon.

Sure enough, he comes stomping up the stair to the attic. He throws open the door, surprising me to the point at which I jump.

"East?" I ask. He looks at me dead in the eye.

"Let's go to the oak tree." He states. I nod and get up from the cot and walk over to him, our shoulders brush against each other and I grin.

I notice a small smile escaping his anger.