Broken and Shifting (book 2) #wattys2016

Preface

I remember the day I gave up hope of ever being truly alive. it was the day I turned fourteen. My parents, if they even qualified for that or deserved to be called that, sat me down. They looked me dead in the eyes and my father told me he had hand picked my boyfriend. That his friends son would be my boyfriend until I graduated high school. Once I graduated, I would become his wife. A perfect housewife. He said it was time I learned my place. I would never see college. Or freedom. The second I voiced my objection... that was when I gave up because a look came into their eyes. and I knew. I knew this would be so much worse. As soon as I said no, he dragged me down to the basement. I knew what that meant. Since I was 7 I was given a list of chores. Cooking, cleaning, laundry, etc. When I missed one or did it wrong, it was down to the basement for punishment. He never hit where it would be visible though. He was too smart to get caught.

I was never sure whether my parents ever really cared about me, but that day I knew... they hated me and wanted to be rid of me. My punishment that day was more severe than it ever had been. He bruised the ribs on my left side by punching me repeatedly and when I fell, he proceeded to kick me in my stomach until I couldn't breathe. he yanked me around by my hair while yelling at me.. He then dragged me back upstairs by my hair to finish my chores. That was the beginning of the end for me.