Stay

3

So when I said it's gonna be a looooooong day...it just got even longer. My 'dad', Xavier, pulled me out of school in the middle of the day. RIGHT BEFORE lunch time. His excuse? A doctor's appointment! An appointment that I don't have but I might need one when he's done with whatever he has planned for me.

We get in the car and he starts laughing. Not the humorous kind. The evil kind. Maybe he's finally gonna kill me. This is the end of it all. I just look at my lap, wiggling as far away from him as I can, not caring about the pain literally everywhere. He drives and just wears an evil smirk on his lips, a day dreamy look on his face. Please, just end me.

We pull up to this raggedy old building downtown. He gets out and comes over to my side, pulling open the door, removing my seat belt and snatched me out the car, forcing me to follow him, my other hand wrapped around his wrist, trying to get some of the pressure off my already bruised wrist. He turns around and back hands me so hard I think I got whiplash then continued to drag me inside. I was barely able to keep up with him. Should've been taller. Not nowwww.

He drags me through this tunnel-like area and into a big room full of big men with big guns and big knives and beautiful women...also with guns and knives. I peeked at the tables we passed. Bags of white powder, white crystals, alcohol bottles, cigarettes, blunts...it didn't take a genius to know that whatever this is...it's not good. Well duh. What gave it away?!

The men and women at the tables started to get up and followed behind us and I tried to pry his hand off me. I just wanna go. I don't care where it is. Home, school, an actual doctor! Anywhere but here. He yanked me forward and held me tightly by my shoulders. I winced and held my head down. I didn't even know I was shaking until I looked down at my hands balled up. What time is it? We left at like 11:30am! It's too early in the day for this.

"Here's the girl I promised, where's my load at?" His voice rumbled behind me. I could feel it through my back and I shivered. Me...for drugs? How could he?! I knew he didn't like me. Perhaps even hated me. I figured he'd want me dead before he...traded me. Like a pawn or money. I hate him! I hate him. Heavy footsteps echoed and I looked up, a familiar looking guy came down the few steps that lead to who knows where. He was so much taller than me, I didn't bother craning my neck to look him in the face, I just looked at his lower chest cause that was easiest to look at with my height, his height and my bruised up neck.

He lowered himself down to look me in the face and I looked down and turned away, closing my eyes tightly. I felt his fingers gently turn my head towards him. I felt myself shake more as I refused to open my eyes to look into those of another monster. "Open your eyes, pumpkin" pumpkin? Pumpkin?! Who is this guy?!

My eyes flutter open and my vision gets blurry, seeing his eyes bore into my soul, penetrating my darkest secrets and reading me like an open book. Something flashed in his eyes before he stood back up, releasing my chin. "Normally, we don't except damaged goods..." he started. Well I don't wanna be here anyway! "Did you bring her belongings?" He asked. I'm guessing their talking about me. Was I really expected to live here? In this...well...it's better than home...maybe. Please God, let it be better.

They conversed for a minute and I heard bags plop down beside me. I looked over and saw all my clothes and personal items. The tears I had been holding in for the last 8 years finally came out and they wouldn't stop as I looked on at my things. What's gonna happen now? Dad's hands let my shoulders go and the stranger, pulled me to him. He wasn't as rough as I expected him to be. Maybe it's a trick! I shook and silently cried as they discussed how they were supplying my dad with drugs.

This is ridiculous. I wanna leave. Run. Go anywhere. Somewhere away from everyone but I can't. I'm frozen. My heart is beating so loud in my ears it's drowning out the voices around me but is that such a bad thing? I feel a tug on my arm and I see a blurry figure gently pulling me and my feet start moving. That would've been helpful earlier! Wait...where am I going?! I start screaming.

"Please! Don't hurt me! L-let me go!" I weakly try to shake the hand off me, fiery tears streaming down my cheeks and my steps start to stagger. I try to pry the person off me, screaming and hyperventilating. My legs shake and buckle under me. I feel my body fall hoping it was the earth opening up to swallow me whole but the floor stops it. I yank my arm away and hold them both around my stomach, curling up, sobbing in complete fear. Maybe they'll shoot me now.

A hand on my back makes a series of screams leave my throat as I cry harder. Another hand covers my mouth and it encourages me to scream louder and harder, my body frozen in it's curled up position. "Shhhh. No one's gonna hurt you. You're safe" I open my eyes and look up into the same man's eyes. Gray. Gray eyes. Who is he? Why'd I stop screaming? He took his hand from my mouth and we looked to where footsteps were coming from down the hallway.

"Hey, Dad. How's the-" the guy stopped and we stared at each other in complete and utter shock. "Na'Riyah ?"

"J-Jace?" Thats enough excitement for the day. Black dots clouded my vision as he got closer and I felt the world wobble and spin before I felt completely weightless.