Always & Forever, Forever & Always

Karate Kid on Wheels

TRIGGER WARNING! This chapter includes assault and un-consensual sexual implications

"Geez, be careful!" Lucas exclaimed as my roller skates tried to jolt me backwards. He flinches and leans towards Erica. I quickly caught my balance. "I'm fine." I gestured to my upright state. "It's only been 5 years, I'm already getting the hang of it." I say as I skate around my siblings. "Does mom know you're going to Eddie's? At this time? Alone? On roller skates you've just gotten?" Erica interrogates. "Um... no, no, definitely no, and no. But technically cause she thinks I'm going to Robin's so, take those no's as you will." I reply, getting more confident with my skating. "I'll be fine, the trailer park isn't that far away and it's still a bit light. Just cover for me if I need it." I continue, picking up my pre-packed bag off the floor. "Be safe!" Lucas sighs as I skate away from the pair. I forgot how exhilarating this can be. The wind in my face, the almost weightless feeling of gliding, helped with the quietness of the roads on a weekday evening. Why did I give this up?

As I skated past, it gave my brain time to think about everything that happened today. The lockers, Billy beating up Tommy, that moment me and Eddie had, that moment that me and Billy had. Today was so mentally taxing. My thinking had made me lose too much focus and didn't notice a group of men walking in front of me. I manage to break in time but the momentum was too much and I ended up bumping into the back of one of the men. "Shit, I'm so sorry." I say as I also hear the clash of a beer bottle hit the floor. The group turns around to face me as I regain my balance. I make eye contact with the one I bumped into and...

Shit.

Mr fucking Hargrove. Because, of course.

He looks at me with deep, drunken disgust. "You better be sorry, bitch. And you better be ready to pay for that." He slightly slurs his words. That definitely wasn't his first beer. "Sure, sorry again." I say, rustling through my bag. "$20" He says, making me pause in my tracks. "$20 for one bottle of beer?" I exclaim, almost laughing. I mean, that price for a half-drunken bottle of cheap beer is ridiculous. "You heard him." One of his friends spoke up. "Okay, I've apologised and it's clear you have more bottles on you. Let's just go our separate ways." I try to go towards the road but one guy shuffles in front of me. "Where are you in a rush to at this time at night?" He peers down and asks me, his breath reeking of alcohol. "Well, that's none of your business." I spit out as I start to slowly skate backwards. "Y'know, you should really learn to respect your elders." He chuckled, shuffling towards me. "I may be new to this town but you should still know your place. Respect your superiors." Mr Hargrove growled.

"Superior? You're crying over a drop of beer, in what way are you superior?" I can't help but let out a laugh as I asked him. He hears the laugh and walks right up to my face, pushing his friends behind him. "Remember whose country this is. Maybe you should skate back to yours. Now, my $20." He snarled, spitting in my face as he spoke. As much as I tried to control myself, my heart was beating out of my chest. "Unless you don't have it. Then we're gonna have to talk about different forms of payment, won't we?" He asked, raising a hand to my chin. I flinch and close my eyes as he nicks my face with his knuckle. As I hear him and his friends laugh, my blood boils at the image. I, without thought, knee him between the legs and as soon as he falls to the ground, grab his face and knee his nose.

Before I can try and skate away, he grabs my leg, taking me down with him. Luckily, his friend were just as drunk and tripped over him before any of them could get a hold of me. I manage to scramble my way out of the dogpile that formed and tried to start skating away. Tears want to stream down my face but they'll have to wait until I get to Eddie's. Suddenly, I feel someone grab my arm and pull me backwards into his. "Where are you skating off to?" Mr Hargrove grunted as I struggled under his hold. "Not getting away that easily." He whispered into my ear. I managed to break his arms off of me, push myself away and kick him in the head. It wouldn't of been that powerful of a kick if it weren't for the skates as it send him to the floor, unconscious. My vision starts to blur and my head starts to spin at all the energy I've lost in the past minute. As I try to slowly start to skate away, I see a blurry figure approach me. I don't even have enough energy to care who it is as they catch me before I collapse to the ground.