I tossed and turned all night and when I actually fell asleep I started having a nightmare that I couldn't wake up from. I was still in the hell house but I wasn't alone this time. Brandon was with me but he was thinner and looked depressed. My father came down the stairs with the knife and lunged at me with the knife but Brandon moved in front of me and took the blow. My dad kept stabbing him over and over while I watched helpless as my best friend was being killed. I was screaming and crying and begging him not to. I started shaking......shaking.....shaking.
I woke up with sweat dripping down my face and tears streaming down my cheeks. I saw Lacy standing there with worry lines on her face.
"You were screaming in your sleep. You looked like you were having a nightmare. I couldn't let you keep on sleeping like that. Do you wanna talk about it?"
"I guess I might as well tell you what happened. If we're going to live together you should know my past. You'll be the first person I tell and It'll be really hard to tell."
"You know what this calls for?"
"Two spoons and a tub of ice cream. This is like one of those moments that are just like the movies." She laughed goofily. I could tell we were going to get close fast. I used to hang around mischievous people before I was hidden from life outside of my basement.
"Sounds good."
She ran out into the kitchen and came back with a huge tub of chocolate fudge brownie ice cream and two spoons. Plus some tissues and a huge teddy bear. She gave me the teddy bear to hold while I was telling my past and she put the tissues and the tub in between us.
"Normally I don't tell people about anything only after knowing them lest than a week but you're letting me live here and you've been completely and absolutely nice to me."
"Awe....Can I have a hug?" She didn't wait for an answer, she just attacked me with a hug and I tensed up. She didn't seem to realize and I just let it go. After a little bit I wasn't so tense and it was okay. She let go and looked at me with waiting eyes and she took a huge scoop of ice cream.
"Where do I start?"
"What happened that began everything?"
"Okay....well....it all started when my mom died in a car accident. I was 13 or 14 at the time. My dad had never been in the picture. He left when I was really little. When my mom died he came back into town and went to court and everything to try to get custody of me. He only wanted it for the money. He wanted to buy more alcohol and drugs....."
By that point I had tears streaming down my face and Lacy handed me a tissue. She scooted closer and put her arm around me for comfort. Almost in a sisterly way.
"Thank you....Anyway....he finally won because he played the act that he wanted to come into my life and be the father he never was and that he wanted to make a difference in my life. He had everyone convinced but it always seemed a little off to me. I mean why after all those years would he want to suddenly be in my life? He decided to take me back to the house where I grew up with my mom. Everything was fine at first while the organizations and people came to check on me. When they decided that everything was okay and stopped coming, that's when he made modifications to the house. One night I went to sleep and ended up waking up in the basement. I was locked in there until a week ago. He raped me and he only gave me moldy, stale, food and I only had enough to survive so he could hurt me and beat me more. I would be beaten half to dead, then raped, then beat up again. The only reason I got found was because he came down with a knife and I screamed for my life. I guess someone heard and called the police. He ran upstairs...Then he.....he.....came back down and took the knife and....."
I couldn't say the word. I was crying so hard. I just pointed to my chest and cried hard.
"Well, I'm glad you're here now and I want you to know that you are safe. I'm not going to let anything happen to you. I feel like I've known you forever even though it's been a short time. You and I are going to be partners in crime and I won't let anything bad happen to you."
I decided to give her a hug. I was so happy I had someone so nice to be around. I needed to move on right? So deciding to be friends with my new roommate was definitely a way of moving on. I was ready. Bring on my future because my past was done. I may need a little time, but I was determined to move on. Thank God I had Lacy there to help me, but my thoughts went back to Brandon. Why was I always thinking about him when I haven't seen him in so long? Where was he now?
Author's note: So what do you think? It was a longer chapter. I know it's kind of sudden that Arielle is trusting Lacy so soon, but I felt that with her past that she needed a confidant and someone she felt an instant friendship with. They are about the same age and they share common personalities. Please comment and vote :) I read them all and try to respond to them all. hope you enjoyed this chapter, trust me this book is far from done and is going to have some twists. Just keep reading and find out what Arielle's future may hold.
-lots of love <3
