Forbidden

prologue

Summer aged 12

I hate days Tommy isn't here. I try to stay out the way and in my room but sometimes that makes it worse. Both mummy and daddy drink too much and take drugs. Tommy is the only one who cares for me and Mrs Adams from across the street she's Tommy's best friend's mum and she's so nice.
I'm currently hiding away in Tommy's room under his bed. They always find me when I hide in my room. I can hear shouting coming from downstairs and it's not just mum and dad it's the scary man.
Daddy always lets him do things to me to get their drugs. He never does it to Tommy, dad said it's cos I'm his special girl mummy says it's cos I'm ugly and need to be punished. One time the scary man said that mummy is only mean to me because she is jealous that I get all his attention  he also said if I tell Tommy he'll kill me and Tommy. I believe him. I don't understand the things that he does or if they are ok but it doesn't feel nice. And sometimes it makes me sick.
I hope he doesn't find me this time. I squeeze my eyes closed and try to make myself as small as I can. And just listen hoping not to be found.

I think I fell asleep under Tommy's bed because he's back now and it's dark outside. He found me under the bed and crawled underneath with me. "You know I'm getting too big to crawl under the beds to find you" he laughs.
"I'm so glad your back Tommy" I whisper. He smiles and holds my hand.
"Was the scary man here today" he ask I just nod my head. Tommy thinks I don't like him because of his face covered in scars and because he always shouts. "Come on out I brought you some food from Knox's house. It's your favourite spaghetti Bolognese" he says with a smile we both wiggle ourselves out from under the bed. I sit on Tommy's bed and eat every last bit of the spaghetti I even lick the plate it's on. That's the first thing I've eaten all day. "Can you tell Mrs Adams thank you" I wish I could live with her. I hate it here.