nothing lasts forever{wlw, teacherxstudent}

𝘚𝘪𝘹𝘵𝘺 𝘴𝘪𝘹

-eight years ago-
-Diana's POV-

I lay on the floor with Toffee, the stuffed animal I've been obsessed with since I was younger. I got him when I was like four, or maybe five? I'm not sure but he goes everywhere with me always.

I draw in my sketch book out of boredom. I hum the tune of a song as I do, drawing a little flower. It's a cute little Daisy with a smiley face, and eyelashes on its little eyes. I'm not good at drawing, even something as simple as a flower looks messy when I draw it. I make everything a little messy, I don't mean to.

I hear my parents, I stop humming.

Slowly, I sit up because I can't tell if they are just speaking or arguing. I stand up, grabbing Toffee from the floor before I make my way over to my bedroom door. My hand touches the door handle, I take a small breath before gently opening the door, trying not to make any noise.

"You're fucking him, aren't you?" I hear dad yell making me jump slightly but despite wanting to run back into my room, I make my way across the dark hall, sitting down at the top of the stairs, the hall light from downstairs shining through the balusters.

"Its not like that, Kieran. I've told you."

"Then what's it like, you whore?" I hate when the name calling starts, then when I know he's really mad. I also know it upsets mom, especially when he insults her appearance. I think my mom is the most beautiful person, it helps me think more positively about myself too because I look a lot like her. Everyone tells me I'm like her twin, it always makes me smile because I want to grow up and be just like her.

But, I don't want to marry someone like dad. I love him but I don't want to marry someone who will hurt me. I don't know if that's possible, I'd like to think it is because it wasn't always like this—Charlie's dad is nice but dad doesn't hit me in front of Charlie, and mom tells me not to tell anyone. Maybe Charlie isn't allowed to tell anyone either, maybe it's a secret kept in every family.

"Don't call me that." Mom speaks, she's quiet, maybe she wants to feel small, I feel that way with him too sometimes. I wish I was a baby again most of the time, he wasn't like this then, I don't remember that time though since I was so little. If I was that little, I don't think he would hurt me. Everyone is gentle with babies.

"It's what you are. You'd be on the streets with that kid if I wasn't here for you."

"That kid is your daughter." Mom responds, I set Toffee down beside me as I lean forward, peeking through the balusters before I sit back so I don't get caught.

"Is she? How do I know you didn't fuck anybody else? You could have—"

"I told you that I didn't, Kieran. I wouldn't do that to this family, it's destroyed enough as it is."

"Then what was it?"

"...I...I didn't have sex with—" My mom gets cut off by a slap, I jump, quickly blocking my ears, mom tells me to do that if I hear dad yell, or to quickly get my headphones and listen to something on my iPad. I don't always—maybe I should, maybe that's why he hits me, I don't always listen. I have to listen. But, I also have to help her.

Still, I hear him yelling—it's too loud to block out, even squeezing my eyes shut doesn't help. I need to help my mom, if it's too much for me from here—it's probably really really bad for her.