~two years later~
I walked through the hall of the house, listening to my blaring headphones. It was so loud I couldn't hear the outside world. That's how I liked it. My step-monster was down stairs somewhere trying to avoid me. She hated me and my scars. I walked into the bathroom, turning the water on in the shower. Steam filled the room. I lifted my shirt over my head, revealing a long scar on my back.
Fire.
I winced, remembering the look on my mother's face as she said we would be okay.
We weren't. She was gone. She died in that fire protecting me. She sacrificed herself for me, for my life. I guess it was mother's instinct. She died for me to live.
Tears slipped over my cheeks. I cranked the music louder, blasting it so it could be heard over the water. There was a knock at the door.
"Turn it down sweetie!" My dad's voice called over the noise.
"You don't care, remember? The step-monster wants me to so no way!" I yelled, locking the door quickly.
"Whatever, Thalia." I heard my dad walk away, sighing loudly. I showered quickly, walking to my bedroom in my towel.
I looked in my closet. I threw a black tee shirt and tights on the bed, followed by a hot pink tule skirt and suspenders and hot pink converse. I hung my big black headphones around my neck, smiling as I skipped down the stairs, running into my older brother's girlfriend.
"Watch where you're going, shithead!" she yelled at me.
"Okay, slut."
We laughed. This was our daily routine if we crossed paths. She was always here because she lived with us. My brother's mother hates me but lets him do what ever he wants. It's so unfair. Summer was always the worst, when she was always home. I never get my own piece of mind. I'm always waiting for her to leave or I have to sneak out.
My brother is cool. He lets me drive his car. He lets me hang out in his room. He lets me steal his music whenever I want. I love him more than anyone in the world, yet I envy him. He is allowed to date anyone while i have to have the step-monster's approval. She tries to kill everything I ever want to do.
"Thalia," she calls from the kitchen. I walk in, noticing her and my dad at the table.
"Yes?"
"Sit down," my father instructs me.
"I need to go..." I say, turning to leave.
"I said sit, dammit!" He yelled. He never raised his voice towards me.
"Whatever," I mumbled, sitting at the far end of the table.
"Your mother and I have been talking..."
"STEP-mother...in case you forgot, the mother who LOVED me died in a fire."
"I do love you," she muttered.
"You do not!"
My father got up. He paced the floor before walking up to me and slapping me across the face.He looked at me straight in the eye.
"You will never say that again in this house!"
"Okay...fine...maybe i'll leave. Is that what you wanted dad?"
"Wait...sweetie..."
"Where's my college money and savings and all my money?"
"You can't be serious...you're only sixteen," the step-monster started.
"I'm dead serious. Maybe i'll become suicidal...remind me to kill myself where you'll find me!" I yelled, unnaturally loud.
Matt climbed down the stairs two at a time. Panting as he walked through the small door to our kitchen.
"Tally is moving out?"
"No she's not," my dad said, glaring at me.
"Yeah I am, actually."
"Cool. Sierra and I were thinking about moving out...you could live with us."
"Yeah. It's settled. I'm moving out and never coming back ever."
"Matt. How dare you put those ideas into her crazy, stupid head," His mother sneered, causing even the flowers on the table to wilt and die tragically.
"It's not crazy or stupid to want away from you," he started, "besides you'll have the house to yourselves. Thalia never got the same kind of love from you as I did. No matter what you say or do will ever change that. Now I'm going to go talk to Sierra and we're going to move out and take Thalia with us."
She began to cry.
I walked out of the room, running upstairs. I heard footsteps close behind me, closing the distance between us. Walking into my room, I plopped onto my bed.
"You ungrateful, inconsiderate fool," my father seethed.
"Not true."
"Shut it!" He yelled, face turning pink, "You got everything you need."
"No I don't," I screamed, "No one loves me! No one cares what I think. No one wants me. No one is there for me."
I broke down. Tears streamed down my face, wetting my black tee shirt. I closed my eyes, trying to take a deep breath but it came out shaky.
"Thalia...you don't underst-"
I cut him off, "You're right. I don't understand. I don't understand how you could possibly marry someone besides mom. She loved you and you moved on like nothing happened. I don't understand why you can't see that SHE hates me. She doesn't care about me the way mom used to. She doesn't want to raise me and thats fine. I'M LEAVING," he winced as if I had slapped him.
"Wow. Thalia... I never expected you to say something so harsh."
"Well... Guess what dad! You were never around to see how bad of a person your "little girl" turned out to be. I can cuss too."
"What else have you done? Drugs? Alcohol? Sex?"
"Yeah dad... All of the above," I lied.
"How many boys?" he asked, voice cold as ice. He was furious. He was more than furious...if that was possible.
"Why? Wanna know how many grand children you could possibly have?"
He looked shocked.
"And by the way," I continued, "its been about 8 guys."
His jaw practically hit the floor. He was shaking. For a minute I was afraid he was about to molecularly combust.
"Slut," was all he said. I couldn't believe my own father called me a slut.
"Wow. You get lower and lower every minute. Did you ever love me?"
He thought for a moment, rubbing his face in his hands.
"Yes. Once upon a time I loved you. You used to be my world. You were my shining star. Not anymore."
Tears fell down both of our faces. I wanted to hug him so bad.
I couldn't. Never again could i hug him and have it feel the same.
"I'm sorry, daddy."
"It's too late, princess."
He got up, leaving me alone with a broken heart, my tears, and my journal.
