𝖪𝖭𝖤𝖤 𝖲𝖮𝖢𝖪𝖲 | 𝖶𝖠𝖱𝖱𝖤𝖭 𝖱𝖮𝖩𝖠𝖲

𝐓𝐑𝐀𝐂𝐊 𝐙𝐄𝐑𝐎 - 𝐍𝐄𝐖 𝐁𝐄𝐆𝐈𝐍𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐆𝐒: 𝐒𝐈𝐃𝐄 𝐀

Nine year old Jamie Briggs stands stock still as her mother buttons up her church dress. She stands back, looking at her daughter with a sneer on her lips.

"You look a mess. Wipe the dirt off your nose."

Jamie frantically wipes at her nose, desperate to please her mother.

"Mom, leave her alone. She looks fine."

"Don't talk back to your mother, Ryan. It's disrespectful. Now, are you ready to head to service?"

"I've been ready for ten minutes."

"Mind your tone, boy."

Ryan huffs quietly, having half a mind to stick out his tongue, but knowing it won't do any good.

Jamie still looks upset at her mother looking at her with such disdain.

𝗝𝗔𝗠𝗜𝗘: My parents were like, insanely religious. Church every Sunday, baptisms, confirmations and communions. All that shit.

𝗚𝗥𝗔𝗛𝗔𝗠 𝗗𝗨𝗡𝗡𝗘, 𝘨𝘶𝘪𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘵): They were nutso, man. Like nutso nutso.

𝗖𝗔𝗠𝗜𝗟𝗔 𝗗𝗨𝗡𝗡𝗘/𝗔𝗟𝗩𝗔𝗥𝗘𝗭, 𝘱𝘩𝘰𝘵𝘰𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘱𝘩𝘦𝘳): I only met her parents once. And I hated them immediately.

Angela and Jonathan Briggs were firm Christians. Not that there was anything wrong with having faith, of course. But they took it to an entirely different level.

In the form of lashes and beatings on their two children. They went to school with fresh bruises half the time. It only took the smallest action or word out of place.

𝗕𝗜𝗟𝗟𝗬 𝗗𝗨𝗡𝗡𝗘, (𝘨𝘶𝘪𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘵/𝘷𝘰𝘤𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘵): I didn't know a lot about Jamie, at first. Just that she was born and raised in Chicago, and left home when she was thirteen.

The sound of yelling rung in Jamie's ears as she was berated by her parents. It seemed like she was always stepping out of line, doing one thing or another.

"You will not participate in those kind of activities, daughter."

"It's just music, dad. Why is that so wrong?"

𝗗𝗔𝗜𝗦𝗬 𝗝𝗢𝗡𝗘𝗦, (𝘷𝘰𝘤𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘵) : From what I heard, they were both real assholes. Believed that rock and roll was a sin against God or something.

Her cheek stung from the harsh slap, and Jonathan still had his hand outstretched.

"You should learn to hold your tongue, young lady! Or you won't like the consequences!"

"This isn't fair! Why do you hate me for doing something I love?"

"It's a sin! It is a crime against God!"

𝗝𝗔𝗠𝗜𝗘: [𝘴𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘴] I think that was when I realized my parents would never get it. They'd never support me in anything, really.

Ryan had gone to college a year ago, which meant that her parent's animosity towards both of them was now redirected to solely her.

It had been like every other day in the house, the constant tiptoeing around as to not upset them.

But this time had been different.

𝗝𝗔𝗠𝗜𝗘: I'd come home from school, and I walked into the living room. And my things were just on the ground in a pile. All my records, my guitar, my songs. Everything.

"Do you want to explain what all of this is?"

Jonathan stands there with a venomous expression, glowering at his daughter.