Emma

Chapter One

(September; Emma is 16)

It was the beginning of a new School year, I thought that things would have changed for the better but everything was the same. Same sinister sister, same scared mother and same drunkard father.

My sister, Nile, was a mixed, seventeen year old girl who is also suffering emotionally but hides it and takes out all her anger by taunting me. My mother was a middle aged woman who is abused by her husband, every time he drinks. And all I have to say about my father is that he is abusive and a drunkard. After I turned sixteen, I thought that my father would have realized that he has two young daughters who were growing up.

Everyday I have to put up with a sister who always tries to hurt me emotionally with her taunts, my mother is too busy dealing with her own problems in life that she never pays any attention to us, her children, and as for my father, all he loves is his liquor. It's like his motto is 'Rum Till I Die'. He doesn't care about us.

However, I do have my bestfriend that makes me believe that there really is good somewhere in the world and convinces me that there really is an unlocked door just waiting for me to open it. And that is Antonio, he is always there for me when I need him. Antonio is a sixteen year old boy, who is very caring, loving, kind, encouraging and supportive towards me.

The sun came crawling in through my window, waking me in the process. As I opened my eyes, I hoped that this day would be different. I smelled the scent of mom making breakfast and I could hear the rushing of the wind through the leaves of the tree next to the house. I heard the footsteps of someone coming towards my room.

Nile barged in ireful and pulled the covers off and she said, "Get up you worthless piece of trash!"  She roughly tugged at my hand to pull me up but I ignored her. What's with her? Isn't it too early? After she didn't get much of a response from me, she just stormed out of the room.

I quickly got up, closed the door and rushed to the bathroom to take a bath. As I came out of the bathroom after taking a bath I began putting on my clothes I heard my father downstairs, he had just come home after spending the whole night out, he slammed the door so hard it vibrated the house. I couldn't wait to go to school and just forget about the reality I live in. I walked out of the bedroom closing the door behind me and walked down the stairs to have breakfast.

As I entered the kitchen I noticed that my mother was crying, I just saw the tears flowing but no sound was heard, I asked, "What did father do this time?" but she didn't reply. Before my sister could come downstairs, I grabbed a random fruit and left to go and wait for the bus to take me to school.

Cars drove up and down all the time. After a few minutes wait the bus came. It hissed then stopped and I got in. The teens were busy talking with their friends, they all seemed very happy and excited. I sat in a seat close to the window. The bus took off.

**

The bus came to a stop when we reached the school premises, I got off. Everyone was all decked out in their new clothing with new supplies for school. Everyone was in their own corner catching up on what happened over the summer with their friends, the new comers were looking for new friends and signing up to join groups. A fountain was built couple of feet from where I was standing, the trees were standing tall and green and the flowers blossomed beautifully. I saw a tall, handsome young man standing near the main entrance, dressed in the usual uniform, it was my best friend, Antonio.

As our eyes met, a smile graced my face and he returned it. He began walking towards me and I met him half way there near the fountain. He pulled me in for a hug, "Gosh, how I missed you. Good morning and how was your August vacation?"