Abused {ACM}

Chapter 17

"Momma?" I whispered.

She stopped in her tracks, and for a second I thought she was going to turn around and hug me like she used to.

Her shoulders slumped for a second, but them she set them right back up again.

Everything was silent, dead silent.

She turned around, and our gazes locked.

"I'm not your Momma anymore."

And with that, the door slammed shut.

Abby's POV

A ringing filled my ears, pulsing around in my head. I could feel tears prick the back of my eyes, desperate, hot, hysterical tears, but I pushed them back forcefully. I stared wide-eyed at the shut door, and listened to the engine of my father's truck rev on and the car accelerate down the street towards my house. Memories of my mother and I singing and laughing together in the kitchen baking cookies on Christmas morning, opening birthday presents, going out for ice cream together...all of those happy memories I had lived my miserable life on were fake. All of those smiles and laughs and when she wiped away my sad tears, all of her compassion was fake.

"I...I don't understand," I whispered to myself. "It was all...a lie? She knew? And she didn't do anything about it? I'm the reason she's never home..."

"Abb-"

I shook my head and stood up, fists clenched at my sides. "No. No. You are not going to comfort me right now. My father was right...I'm the reason she got a job so far away..."

Emotions raged inside my body, making it hard for me to breathe. I stumbled out the door, half-blind. Spots were dancing in my vision, but I didn't care. I heard Austin calling after me, but I ignored him. What if my father was right? What if I didn't deserve anybody in this world - what have I ever done in my life to deserve Austin? Austin, my best friend...my lover. Sweet, caring, compassionate Austin. Who's always been there for me. I've never been there for him nearly as much as he has. I've never thought about other peoples' problems as much as my own - never asked how my friends were doing.

My feet slapped the pavement as I ran away, no destination in mind. I heard footsteps behind me, not trying to catch me, just keeping up with me. I ran harder, trying to get away. They quickened their pace too, right behind me.
We ran and ran and ran, sweat pouring down my back as the clouds got heavier, circling in the sky as the sharp wind picked up. After a while, I got fed up and stopped, whirling around.

"Stop!" I shrieked. As expected, it was Austin behind me. He was breathing hard, as I was, and his eyes were emerald pools of sadness. "Stop following me!"

His jaw set and his eyes glinted. "No."

I went up to him and pushed his chest, making him step back once. "I mean it, stop! Stop!" My voice was going high with desperation and despair, cracking.

He caught my wrists gently, bringing me to him.

"No, no, no..." I thrashed around in his grip until he let me go, pushing him again. "Get away from me! I don't - I don't deserve you, I don't deserve you."

I shook my head rapidly, looking at the ground. Fat drops of rain were falling around us now, the air getting damp. I watched as the white sidewalk started getting spots of darkness. A pure thing, slowly getting tinged with evil until it was completely black and soulless.

Like my life.

"Abby." Austin took a cautious step forward, reaching out his hand.

"You need to get away from me, Austin. I don't want you here, I don't want you to be here!"