And just like that, I'm back in that house of horrors. I could hear boot clad footsteps coming up the stairs.
"Take your fucking clothes off." He slurs from outside my room.
The old wooden door swings open. He stumbles in. My position on the floor remains the same. He's trying to take his pants off.
"Fucking listen to me."
I shake my head which only aggravates him. One of his disgusting hands grabs my hair and he pulling me off the floor. The other hand has a firm hold on my throat.
"Why are you doing this?" I asked through tears.
"Because you look like your mother." He smirks.
"Fuck you!" I growl.
My nails dig into the skin on his wrist. I should've known better than to think I was getting away. Before I know it, he's on top of me. I'm trying to scream but nothing's coming out.
-
"Nessa! Honey wake up!" Katie is trying to shake me awake.
My heart rate has taken a swan dive into the deep end.
"Mom, she's having a panic attack." Michaela's voice chimes in from the doorway.
I sit up and bunch the comforter around myself. I'm sure I look like an absolute mess. Michaela saunters over to the bed and climbs in with me. I'm definitely not used people being this close to me. Katie exits the room when her phone begins to ring.
"Nightmares right?" Michaela asks.
"Yeah." I confirm.
She gently takes my hand in her's. I watch her study the marks on my skin. Katie makes another appearance.
"Food is in the kitchen if you're hungry." She whispers before continuing her phone conversation.
Michaela pulls me off the bed and leads me to the kitchen. We grab plates from a cupboard and start piling food on. She then directs me out to the massive backyard and over to a set of hammocks under a tree.
"Wow, I forget how absolutely amazing our cook is." Michaela moans.
I giggle and take a bite of my food. She definitely isn't wrong. My mind wanders off somewhere.
"I feel intrusive." I state.
"How so?" She asks.
"Suddenly coming into your house, eating your food, wearing your clothes, sleeping in your bed." I reply, putting emphasis on you.
She thinks before answering. "I don't mind, I've been an only child my whole life. This is actually a lot of fun."
Once we're finished eating, we wash our plates and wander back to her room. I notice more things that I hadn't before. For instance, the book shelf.
"You have I'll Give You The Sun?" I question.
"Yes! I am absolutely in love with this book!" She says before pulling it off the shelf.
"Jandy Nelson is an amazing author." I contribute.
"Agreed!" Michaela says.
I scan more of the books. Most of them are the books normal teenage girls read. You know, the ones with dystopian societies that are destroyed in the name of reckless teenage love. Along with those there's a couple famous series'. My body begins to become drowsy. A yawn escapes my lips.
"Tired?" Michaela asks.
I nod.
"Feel free to disagree but when I was younger I used to sleep with my mom when I was younger." She tells me.
"Are you suggesting I sleep with you?" I ask.
"Only if you want to." She smirks.
"Well I'm not going to turn down sleeping with a cute girl." I tell her.
She laughs before climbing onto her bed and pulling me along with her.
