Need You Now (Watty Awards 2014)

Chapter 1

Hey lovies!! I put up a pic of Sarah's Mother! HOpe you are loving it! <3

 "Do you even know how much this cost me?!!!" She screams as she slaps me hard across the face. I tried to tell her that i wasnt the one who broke the glass but she just wouldn't listen to me. Not that she ever would. She hits me again, again, and again until tears are running down my face. Crying seems to be the only thing that will stop her. 

"Mom, I'm sorry." She laughs and grabs my wrist tightly. Her nails are stabbing my hand and i wince in pain. I dont even try to pull out of her cold, heartless grib. It will only make her worse. I open my eyes to see the large wooden doors of the closet. she unlocks it and whispers, "You have to learn to behave, my dear." The last thing i remember is the hard wood against my head as she throws me in and locks the door.

           I look around the closet, which is so close to being my bedroom. She has thrown me in here so many times that I'm almost used to it. I finally find an old, blood stained T-shirt on top of the beautiful, golden mirror that Mother was so foolish for throwing away. I throw my old shirt down and examine my face. Both of my cheeks are still cherry red from her blows. I grab the concealer in the small drawer in the corner of the dusty closet. I'm going to have to remeber to dust it when I get back from school. I keep that mental note. 

          I'm used to Mother hitting me. When her and her husband, Robert, adopted me, everything seemed to stay at ease. Robert loved me so much. He took me in as in own daughter and gave me everthing I would ever need. When Mother would get violent, he would protect me from her hurtful hands. It almost didn't seem real that he was soon diagnosed with Heart Cancer. I prayed for months that he would stay alive. I didnt want to endure being alone with Mother. When Robert was around, I was truly safe. I felt safe. But the many prayers didnt work. He died on May 19th, 2011. Ever since his death, I've been living in hell. Pure and utter hell. Sometimes I don't think i can live with the pain that i have to endure everyday but i know he wouldnt want that. I know he wants me to stay strong and find a way to stay safe until I turn a legal age. So everyday this happens; sometimes worse to where she sheds my blood. And everyday i am put into the closet for her 'punishment'. And everyday, before she throws me in and I end up passing out from the pain of the floor hitting my head, she whispers the same words,"You have to learn to behave, my dear." Just thinking about it now brings tears to my eyes and brings a cold sweat to the back of my neck. 

            The concealer convers up all of my bruises, cuts, hand marks, etc. Thank God she's never broken any of my bones. I wouldn't know how to explain that to the doctors once i would reach the hospital. My bruise and hand marks are completely covered and i look as if i'm normal again. I have to be normal. My double life isn't easy. Keeping secrets from the people closest to you is so hard. I feel the warms tears gather in my eyes but blink them back. I don't want anyone at school to wonder what is wrong with me. Because nothing can be wrong with me. I have to be happy. I have to be perfect. I smile at myself in the mirror and see the perfect twin. The girl with the perfect family, the perfect friends, and the perfect life. God, that was so far from the truth that it almost hurts.