The Demon Inside

Chapter One

Victoria

I woke up in my boring old room to my alarm clock buzzing. Another day at school, but one more day till Friday. Usually on Fridays my friends and I have a movie night at their house. I never really see their parents; whenever I ask they either change the subject or say they're on a business trip.

I sat up in my bed and noticed I was running late for school. I cussed under my breath and ran to the bathroom to brush my tangled hair. When I was little my mother always played with my hair, and told me not to cut it. I never did, so now it is down to my hips. I always imagined that I got the color reddish-brown from her, but I can't remember much of her.

When I finished brushing my hair I slipped on some ripped skinny jeans along with an old sweatshirt my mother bought for me when I was twelve. Even though it's a little small, I still wear it. It makes me feel safe somehow.

Before I could leave the house, I accidentally bumped into my father. He's been a wreck ever since my mother died. Sometimes I like to pretend that he isn't my father at all. We have nothing in common, so it makes sense.

"Watch where you're going!" He shouted at me while he took a sip of his beer.

"Sorry," I hissed. We never got along. Usually my mother would have to break us up, but now that she's gone, she can't stop him from getting physical.

"Don't talk back to me!" HE said as he grabbed my wrist, hard.

"Ouch! Let go of me! I have to go!" I screamed. HE let go of my wrist and pushed me out the door. I was lucky enough to not fall, but I didn't want my dad coming back for me, and I started to sprint to school.

I made it to school, but I was a little late to class. As I went in I got ready to get yelled at by the teacher. Lucky for me, she wasn't there today. Right away I saw Luca laughing as he looked at me. I smiled and sat right next to him.

"Late again Victoria?" He said smiling.

"Shut up. I slept in. So, where's the tea-" I was interrupted by the teacher walking in the class.

"Luca, I checked and I didn't see anything in the office." She said annoyed.

"Well, I guess you were right Mrs. Parker."

"Victoria, when did you get here?" She asked facing me.

"What are you talking about? I've been here." I said with my most serious face I could do. At first I thought she didn't buy it, but she just turned around with a confused look on her face.

She begun class and I turned to face Luca to mouth the words 'Thank you' to him. He just shrugged his shoulders and gave a crooked smile.

The bell rung and Luca and I left laughing together.

"What did you tell her that was in the office?" I asked through my laughter.

"I said that there was a new schedule in there, and of course, she fell for it."

"Thanks again, I wasn't really in the mood to be yelled at by the teacher," I said as I was at my locker getting books.

"Hey, don't think you're off the hook just yet," he said leaning against a locker. He was about to say something else but then stopped. I turned to look why he stopped mid-sentence and his gaze was on my bruised wrist from earlier.

"Victoria. What happened to your wrist?"

"It's nothing, don't worry about it." I said as I hid my exposed wrist back under the sleeve.

"When you tell me not to worry about it I will always worry about it." When I met his gaze, his eyes were black. For some reason when he gets mad, they turn black. I asked him about it and he told me that it was something that went through his family. "It was your dad again, wasn't it?"

"Look, just don't worry about it." That was the last thing I said before I closed my locker and left to my next class. I don't want Luca to worry about me when he has other priorities ahead of him. That includes what happens at home with my father.