Phoenix Rises

Chapter Six The Fire Rages on

I was now free from Kenneths abusive grip, and after my 14th birthday, I was no longer the shy little girl looking to make everyone happy. I was wild and hell bent on finding my freedom. "I'd be damned if anyone would ever hurt me again without a fight." I told myself.

I had found a new group of friends. We liked to hang out in the neighborhood and smoke pot. My mom would tell me a time to be home, but I wouldn't listen. I came back when I felt like it.

"You were supposed to be home an hour ago Phoenix" my mom called to me from her room.

"You just like finding something to bitch about" I smart mouthed back. Knowing that it would enrage my mother.

I heard the all too familiar stomps of my mothers' footsteps as she ran from her room to mine, ready to unleash a barrage of blows to my head and body. "Not this time" I thought to myself.

I had already gone through puberty and though still short at 5'5" I towered over my mother who barely reached 5 feet. As she pulled her arm back to unleash the first strike to my head, I caught her wrist and swung her onto my bed.

I held her down by both arms screaming into her face, "You will not hit me anymore. You aren't stronger than me anymore! Don't touch me, don't touch me, don't touch me!" I had completely lost it.

My mother laid on the bed screaming, "Help! Help!" As loudly as she could, but no one was around. I knew how she felt at that moment. I had spent many days lying on the ground as she walked up to me, kicking me. My little eyes peering around the apartment courtyard, searching for any sign that someone might step in and rescue me. No one ever came, and no one was going to come and help her now. "How does it feel," I thought to myself.

By now my mother had lost all control over me, and there was no male figure around to help her enforce any discipline. The police were at our house often. I was constantly losing control of my emotions. Violent fights with my mother and sister were the norm. I didn't want to be told what to do, I didn't want to be controlled, and I was sending that message to anyone who dared to try it. I wanted to be free of the life I was forced into and dreamed of the day I would turn 18 and run away from it all.

"Jay's brother Danny is hot dude," My sister Anna said to me after returning home from a trip to my half-sister Nicholes' house. Jay was my half-sister's boyfriend, and the father of her children. This piqued my interest, so I thought that I would head over to Nicholes' house to see exactly what Anna meant.

I sat my packed bag next to the living room recliner and made myself comfortable once arriving at Nicholes house. "Here, take this." Nichole handed me an Adderall and a beer. Anytime I went over to Nicholes house, she treated me like I was an Adult. I liked this. She was "the cool big sister" who let me do whatever I wanted, and it was this summer that we became close friends.

"Hey Nichole, what time will dinner be ready. Danny and I wanna head out to the neighborhood after we eat." Jay asked my sister. Jay and Danny had just got in from work, and Danny was standing there in the kitchen doorway.

I felt my heart racing right away. Anna was right. Danny was good looking. "Tall, Dark, and handsome." Those were my immediate thoughts about him. He had a deep tan from days working in the summer heat, and honey brown eyes. "I think I will stick around this summer" I thought to myself.

It wasn't long before Danny and I developed a friendship. We would stay up late watching Conan O'Brien and making fun of his stupid haircut. I liked Danny, a lot. Our conversations would last past midnight before he eventually went back to his room to get rest for work. I anxiously awaited his return from work each evening, looking forward to our conversations and his tender mannerisms toward me.