Domino Effect

Chapter 35:

***CARTER'S POV***

Hand in hand, Mikey and I walked down the road towards the ICON.

"I'm so excited!! Vinny might have a girlfriend!!" I fangirled. He laughed adorably and smiled. I loved his smile.

"Yeah. I guess my man's finally got a girl." Mikey said, smirking. He winked at me and I felt my cheeks getting red.

We were a few blocks away when Mikey spoke. "I don't know, Carter. I think she's a nice girl, but...I guess she- she's just too different from Vinny. What if she hurts him? Not on purpose, but I don't want Vinny to fall and then get hurt like that."

I lifted an eyebrow and thought. Maybe Mikey had a point.

I stopped walking. LIGHTBULB!!

"I KNOW!!" I shouted. Mikey jumped a bit and looked at me. "What?"

"What if I become REALLY good friends with her, gain her trust, and give you a warning if something's about to happen!?"

"Yeah! And then I could stop Vinny! Good thinking, Ike!!" Mikey said, giving me a high five.

I laughed out loud. "You never got it, didn't you? My name's Carter!! C. A. R. T. E. R., Mike!"

"Alright, Ike!" Mikey said with a wink.

Annoying things like this make me appreciate Mikey more and more.

***ADDISON'S POV***

I walked home and went straight to my room. Mom walked in as I took off my Vlados.

"Hey, super star! How was school?" She sang.

I hated when she called me that. But I ignored it. "Fine."

She sat on my bed and sighed. "Made new friends?"

"I guess."

"Oh! Who!!"

I rolled my eyes. "People."

She squealed. "A BOY!?!?"

I laughed. "I guess."

"Who! What! When! Where! Why! How! Flu shots!?"

I gave her dagger eyes, then sighed. "Vinny. He's a dude. Yesturday at the airport. I guess I don't know why. He's a social butterfly. And how am I supposed to know!?"

She laughed. "Well, I guess I got a bit carried away. Keep unpacking. Max's plane lands in an hour."

Max is my mom's boyfriend. I hate him. He's abusive to my mom, but especially me.

"Why? Why don't you just leave him or-or call the cops?"

She sighed and put a hand on my shoulder. "Addison, you know why."

So, he threatened to kill us both if Mom left. Call the cops!! Get a restraining order!! Do something!!

I just nodded as she stood up and walked out. I decided to take a nap.

***2 HOURS LATER***

I woke up to a loud crash downstairs. "YOU DON'T TELL ME 'NO'! I'M IN CHARGE HERE! UNDERSTAND, YOU DIRTY SLUT!"

Max.

I took my baseball bat and ran downstairs.

My mom was on the floor and Max was kicking her.

"Kick her one more time and I'll call the cops." I said from the top of the stairs. I made sure my cell phone was in my back pocket. He laughed evilly.

"Addison. How was school?" I gave no response. "We both know you won't call anyone. You're too scared."

"I'm not scared of you, Max." I said, walking down the stairs. Bat, tightly secure in my hand.

"A baseball bat! Very impressive. Go to your room, bitch."

"Leave my mom alone!" I yelled. He punched me and I fell to the ground. My mom stablized, holding on to the couch. I tried getting back up, but he kicked me down and stepped on my back, pinning me down.

"Listen, prick. You don't get to tell me what to do." He started. I gasped, trying to breath. "Can't breathe?" I struggled, trying to break free. Mom spoke up.

"Max, she's just a teen. Please, leave her alone." Max slapped her. "For what? So she can open her legs to every guy she sees?" I tried breathing, but it felt impossible. I felt my face bruising from the punch.

"She's just a young girl!!" Mom yelled. He took his foot off of me and walked over to my mom. I gasped for air and rolled over. I kick-jumped to my feet and ran to my room. I grabbed my bookbag and climed out the window, into the tree sitting outside.

Once I got down I ran. I winced in pain. Everything hurt. When I was far enough, I called the cops.

"9-1-1, what's your emergency?"

"My mom's boyfriend is abusing my mom. I got away, but she's still back in the house."

There was a long pause, so I added. "Please, help me." I was crying by now.

"Yeah, just tell me the address and your location. We'll pick you up."

"Okay..."

I gave her all the information and police cars were at the house. A police car parked in front of me. A man in uniform came out.

"You're Addison?"

"Yeah."

"I'm Officer Kenan. I'm here to help you. Can you give me any information on your mother's boyfriend?"

"Sure, what do you need to know?"

***AFTER THE INFO EXCHANGE***

"Alright. I'm afraid your mother has to be taken to the hospital. So should you. Just for a brief check-up. Is that alright?"

"Mhm."

I got into the back of his car and he drove to the hospital. When we got there, my mom was taken into the emergency room, but no one would tell me what the hell happened.

"Come with me." A nurse said. I followed her to a room where she took my blood pressure and checked my blood. Then, she investigated to see if anything was broken.

When that finished, I went to find my mom. She was sleeping so I fell asleep in a chair next to her.

***NEXT DAY***

I was woken up by Officer Kenan. They drove me back home so I could get ready for school. From there, he drove me to school.

When he pulled up in the driveway and I got out, kids started staring at me. Some laughed, some talked, some pretended that nothing happened.

I walked over to my locker and packed. My locker door slammed.

I turned my head to see who was ready to bother me this early in the morning.

Oh jolly, Montana.

"Oh, cops had to drive you to school? Too scared?" She and her friends laughed. I turned back around and pretended I never saw her.

"Oh, no. No one ignores me." She said.

So I turned around. "Okay, you seem uncomfortable. Why don't you slip into something deep, like a comma?" I gave her a fake smile and turned around.

She tried saying something, but all she came up with was, "What did you just say?"

I turned around one last time. "Let's play the 'shut up' game. You first."

With that, I walked away.