Sticks and Stones - A Stalker Romance

Chapter 1 Mahara

LEAVING TENNESSEE

"MAHARA! Wake up, you're gonna be late!!"

Mom screamed from down the hall as I rolled over in bed grunting. "I'm up, I'm up." I yelled back.

Todays the day.

I scramble out of bed, run to my closet, and start to get my bags and suitcases all ready for me to leave. I throw on some grey sweats, a white crop top and some old school Vans. Throwing my messy brown hair into a ponytail.

I stopped.

I stopped and just looked. I looked at the room that I would never have to sleep in again. The room where my family tortured and tormented me for 18 years. The twin size bed covered in holes and stains. The brown wooden dresser that my father threw me against so hard it broke one of my ribs. The white carpet that had red stains on it from where my brothers would beat me and then leave me on the ground crying.

My lips started to tremble and my nose and eyes burned trying to hold back tears. Everything in this trailer was a reminder of the horrible life I lived. But today was the day I was finally getting out, finally getting away. Today was the day I go to college and start a new life. Exhaling loudly, I grabbed my bags and suitcases and walked out of the room I no longer had to see. My family home was never a home to me, it was a prison and today was my release day. Pulling all my things down the hallway I go in to the bathroom so can I brush my teeth and grab my toiletries to store them in one of my bags. Coming out of the bathroom I run into my brother Caleb.

"Hey sis, bet you're fucking happy with yourself, leaving us like this" he sneers at me.

"Sorry Caleb I don't know what you're talking about" I stutter, walking around him to grab my things,but he throws his arm up stopping me.

"You think you're so high and fucking mighty leaving us to go to fancy ass school" he chuckles "you're leaving us when you know Dad and Mom need our help with the bills" his face is beat red and his nostrils are flared.

Caleb and my brother Jacob are twins and both of them are 6 feet tall with the boy next door look. Short blond hair, crystal blue eyes, charming attitude. They've both hated me my whole life and I have no idea why. I was just a child, maybe 5 or 6 years old when they started to beat me.

"It's not my fault that they need help with bills, and going to college I can get a nice job, you know make good money?" I tremble and try to reason with him, scared he'll lash out and hurt me.

"Shut the fuck up, just remember once trash, always trash. When those kids at that nice school of yours realize where you come from and who you fucking are they'll hate you just as much as we do" Caleb grabs my throat and shoved me against the wall of our small trailer startling me. I began to cry.

"Shut the fuck up MJ!" He says has he pulls his face mer inches from mine, "no matter where you go, no matter what you do. You'll always be this. This weak, poor, no good for nothing piece of trash" he yells as he throws me against the wall and stomps away.

Shaking and wiping my face,I get up and regather my things and pull them into the living room where my mom and dad sit on the couch waiting for me. Moms always been beautiful, her tall 5'10 frame, slender body, brown hair like mine, and deep chocolate brown eyes has had most men in our small town gawk at her when she walks by. My dad on the other hand has blonde hair and blue eyes but how she ended up with my short, fat, and balding dad. I'll never know.

"About god damn time MJ, I've been waiting for your ass for a fucking hour" dad yells.

"Sorry dad I was double checking to make sure I had everything."

"Oh honey" my mom tears up "I can't believe my baby is leaving today" she swipes her face free of tears and gets off our worn down couch and hugs me tightly. "You're gonna do great things baby, and remember wherever you are, I'll always be here" she whispers pointing at my chest to my heart.

" I know mom. I'm gonna miss you so much" I cry.

"Well stop crying about this shit, you're plane leaves in a couple of hours and we gotta get you to that damned airport" dad says

"Wait, where's Lenny?" I ask

Lenny is my younger brother, he's sixteen and looks the most like me, with deep brown hair and bright blue eyes. He's had it rough like me, always the victim to my dad and other brothers abuse. He's so smart but he fell into selling drugs a few months back to help dad pay back his gambling debts. But he's still a good kid and I love him so much.

"Probably out at the car sweetheart, he's so sad you're leaving" mom says.

I hold my stuff and go out the door, straight to car, not wanting to look back at the trailer I've always hated.

"MJ let me get those." Lenny says as he runs to me to grab my bags. Kissing me on the cheek.

"Thanks little bro"

Jacobs also standing by the car with Caleb glaring at me like the scum of the earth. To them I am. But not to Lenny.

We put my things in the trunk of the rundown Toyota Corolla.

"Lenny are you coming with us to drop me off?" I ask praying he says yes.

"How could I miss my big sister leaving?" He chuckles.

Jacob and Caleb leave the side of the car and Jacob comes next beside me.

"You're a stupid cunt, I hope you know that" he clips in my face walking back to the house. Dad climbs in the driver seat and mom does the same to the passenger side, then me and Lenny climb in the back. The airport is an hour away. So I grab my head phones and listen to music the whole was there, not wanting to listen to anything my dad has to say.

* * *

When we finally pull into the airport, I check my ticket and climb out to get my things. Lenny stops me and gives me a tight bear hug.

"Im gonna miss you so fucking much MJ" he says with a shaky voice and then I realize he's crying.

"Maybe when I get settled in you can come and visit me? How about that" trying to make him feel better.

"I'd love that, better not forget about me when you're with all your new college friends" he chuckles.

"I'd never forget you." I promise.

"Good."

My moms next crying and swearing she loves me and can't wait for me to become a big hotshot somewhere in life. Making me laugh and cry. My dad says nothing to me other then, "I can't believe I raised such a stick in the mud" then climbing back into the car. I give final hugs to my mom and Lenny, then I grab my things and walk into the airport.

Going through security is awkward, but so new, I've never been in an airport before because I've never been on an airplane and I'm so nervous and so excited at the same time.

Sitting down with stuff I hear the intercom call "BOARDING FLIGHT NUMBER L323 FOR FLORIDA"
"NOW BOARDING FLIGHT L323 FOR FLORIDA"

I sigh and grab my things heading to the plane. Finding my seat was easy and I got a window seat so I can see the take off. When the the plane is ready to take off I start to breath heavy. I look out the window as the plane rises into the air and I see my home of Tennessee growing smaller and smaller. Here's to my new life in Miami Florida. My life finally starts today.