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Chapter 5

"But why?!" I shouted at them, tears threatening to spill down my face.

"It's for the best, sweetie," my mother comforted.

"For you or for me?!" I cried. My parents looked at each other, uneasy.

"You'll spend two weeks with me and then two weeks with your mother, and so on," my father said, ignoring my question.

"Answer," I growled, "the question!"

His eyes widened in shock. "Harmony Grace! That is no way to talk to your father!"

"Well I'm sorry, Dad." I put emphasis on the "Dad", because I knew he hated being called that.

"You will call me 'Father'," he demanded.

"No."

That one simple word triggered an explosion in my father.

He slapped me.

Tears were flowing down my face, my hand pressed to my cheek.

"I will only say this once. Go. To. Your. Room."

I obeyed.

~~~~~

I sat sobbing on the window sill. I could hear my parents shouting at each other, arguing about things, probably the slap. I just wanted to curl up in a hole and die.

~~~~~

My eyes were dry and I was lying on my bed, being sulky. No one, not even my mother had come to comfort me in the last hour. My face still stung, but no way was I going downstairs to get ice. Right as I was contemplating whether to run away or not, I heard the smallest of sobs coming from my parents' room. I creaked open the door and lightly tip-toed across the hall. I poked my head through the door to their bedroom and found my mother sitting on the edge of her bed, legs limp over the side.

"Mother?" I asked, breaking the silence. She looked up in surprise and her lips curved up slightly at the sight of me.

"Oh, baby, I'm sorry. I don't mean for you to see me like this."

I gave a sad smile. "It's okay, Mother. What's happened?"

"It's your father," she sobbed. "He thinks you're unstable. An-and he's sending you t-to-" There was a small pause for her to choke down a sob. I was paralyzed to my seat; I wouldn't dare to move.

"Boarding school."

My breath hitched in my throat.

What about my friends, my family? My dad won't want me back...

I surprised myself by staying very calm when I lied and said, "Sounds great." My mother turned to me, also surprised. "I mean, a new start. It's what I've always wanted, a chance to redeem myself." I swallowed.

My mother gave me a slight smile.

~~~~~

Next week, I was on the bus, waving one small wave at my parents who were energetically doing the same to me.

When I was out of sight from the stop, I slumped back in my seat and cried silently. I hadn't even told my friends I wasn't going to our school for 8th grade.

As I sat on the bus, alone and afraid, I thought of my friends that I missed so much already. Little did I know, my father had bigger plans for me than boarding school.

A/N

Hi again! I've decided to do an author's note at the end of all the chapters so I can talk to you more.

So since you guys didn't give me feedback on the name or the age I've decided myself that I like Harmony and she's 13.

Also, this is not the only chapter of flashback, there will be another (hopefully you can tell when by how the chapter is set up).

So, anyway, again, I would be soooooo happy if I got some comments/votes sometime soon I know my chapters are really short I'm really sorry about that if you don't like that.

So make sure to give me feedback on this piece I am fine with constructive criticism so don't hold back!!! I will definitely take your suggestions into account and will respond to any comments I get!!