The Ghost of Alexx Marie

Chapter One

×× Alexx's Point of View ××

Damn the alarm, I think, looking around for my leather purse, the source of the the noise. Grabbing my cell phone, I turn off the One Direction music thay woke me up.

Quickly, I shower and get ready for school. I pull on a dark blue, plaid flannel, over a blank tank top, with dark blue skinny jeans. Looking in my mirror, I'm average. I'm small, at five feet, two inches, weighing about one hundred and three pounds. I'm not tall, but I'm not short. I'm not overweight, but I'm not underweight. I have curves, but I don't have the biggest chest. I have the long, dark, pin straight hair most of my Asian school has, with severe, straight bangs across my forehead. I may only be half Filipino, but the only thing that gives it away are my bright blue eyes. They're the only thing I inherited from the thing that is my biological father.

I run down the stairs, purse in my hands, shoes untied. Seeing that Mom hasn't left yet, I sigh in relief and grab a granola bar. After tying my shoes, I walk out and wait in the car.

"Don't come home, you little bitch," my mother told me, dropping me off. She's given me worse before.

I walk to my locker to find Kameron waiting for me next to it. She's the it-girl of the freshman class at Ridgeway high.

"Hey Alexx!" She smiles and hugs me.

"Hey, Kammie," I tell her, and open my locker.

"So Alexx, you up for shopping with us today?"

By "us", Kammie meat the rest of the popular girls. Don't get confused, I'm not one of them. In seventh grade, Kammie kind of adopted me into the group after defending me from bullies. Her friends don't like me though; she's pretty much my only friend. But I love her, and I think she loves me. She protects me from what she can.

"It's probably not a good idea..."

"Oh. Well, if you change your mind, let me know."

When Kammie looks disappointed, I feel bad. It's technically not a lie though. She doesn't know I'm abused, but she knows that my family situation isn't great.

"Got it," I tell her, pulling down my sleeves so that they cover my wrists more.

At lunch, I sat next to Kammie at our usual table. I was quiet, nodding and agreeing. Nobody has a reason to argue if I agree. It helps stay under the social radar.

After lunch, Kammie and I walked to class together, since we have the same schedule.

"You sure you don't want to go to the mall?" Kammie asks during science.

"I... Um..."

"Please, Alexx! Ma'aliyah is sick. Cyra is grounded because her grades are low. Jenessa and Loreal have a party to go to, for one of their cousins, I think," she pleads.

"Okay. I'll go."

I can't believe I caved like that. Oh well, as long as I'm home by 4:30, I should be fine. And Brooke comes back today. Brooke is twenty. Well Brooklyn, technically... She goes to college locally, and defends me at home. For the last week though, she's been visiting a friend from high school.

After school, Kammie and I take the bus to the mall. I follow her around all afternoon, assuring her that she looks great in whatever she trys on. We buy pretzels at Auntie Anne's , and keep window shopping.

You know how they say time flys when you're having fun? Yeah, I really wish it didn't. Before I knew it, it was already 5:02. I could feel the blood draining from my face.

"Kammie, I really gotta go."

"Uh okay?" she replies, confused.

"See you, bye!" I shout, walking away, as fast as I can without running.

Outside the building, I break into a sprint. At record speed, I make it home, knowing it won't matter to my parents. More specifically, my dad.
God, I hope Brooke is home.

"Where the fuck have you been?" My dad yells, the second I cross the threshold.

"I... Um... well... I was at the mall, Dad." I tell him, knowing it'll be worse if I lie, and he finds out.

"You're supposed to be here when I get here. I bet you were sleeping around, you little slut!"

"But Mom- she told me not to come home," I protest. Bad move, Alexx. Bad move.

"Don't bullshit me, Alexx. If you were planning on coming home, you should have gotten here before I did."

I don't know how to respond to that.

"Where's Brooke?"

Again, bad move Alexx. Bad move.

The horrid man in front of me just laughs. He tells me to take off my shirt. I stand, shaking in fear.

"I said take it off!" He roars, pulls off my flannel, and literally rips off my tank top, leaving me standing in jeans and a pastel pink bra.

My father pulls off his belt, and yells at me to turn around. Trembling, I obey, and feel the belt hit my back, lashing everytime. When I'm a crumpled heap on the floor, sobbing, he kicks me and leaves.

I somehow manage to drag myself to my bedroom, bleeding.