The Help - (Zach Aplin and Niall Horan)

Chapter 1

I said my goodbyes to my friends and bus driver as I hopped off the bus, holding onto my the straps of my backpack tightly with a massive grin on my face, exited to tell my dad what I did on my first day of school. I opened the front door to my house, hearing it squeak a bit as I continued to open it. "Dad?" I said with my frail voice looking around the living room for him, I heard a small grunt coming from the kitchen a few footsteps and the familiar sound of the refrigerator opening and closing. My grin grew wider as I quietly closed the door behind me, dropping my backpack next to the coat hanger and slowly walking into the kitchen seeing my dad sitting at the table, take a long sip from a bottle I could quite understand but said 'VODKA'. I skipped towards him and looked up to meet his face, "Dad! Guess what I did today? I made a played on the swin-" "SHUT UP YOU LITTLE BITCH!" he said shouting in my face, smashing his hand against the table and taking another sip from the bottle but not as long as the first one. I flinched at the loudness of his voice, I’ve never heard him shout at me or to anyone, "I-I made some new friends today" I said quieter but loud enough to be audible "How nice, you can do something else than mess up shit" he mumbled sarcastically as he stood up leaving the empty bottle behind, taking out a packet of cigarettes and a lighter walking into the living room. He held up a cigarette, placing it between his lips and turning on the lighter as the end of the cigarette light up a bit and taking a seat in the couch. I walked into the living room and stood right in front of him, looking at him as he puffed out smoke from his mouth, "Daddy where's mama?" I said curiously, he sprung up like a spring and grabbed me by my shirt collar pulling my face close to him "Listen here you little shit, you did this. You did this! You killed the love of my life! Why didn't you die instead of her! Why!?" He shouted in my face, gripping tighter onto my shirt, pulling out the cigarette out from his mouth and putting the end of it on my skin. I screamed in pain as he laughed in pleasure and pressed it deeper into my skin, leaving a deep burn right under my collar bone, I whimpered loudly as the pain was stinging me, he smirked in pleasure and dropped the cigarette, bringing up his hand and hitting me across the face as hard as he could. I felt the stinging in on my cheeks as my tears streamed down my face "STOP!" I cried out loud turning my face the other way so he couldn't hit my face, he scoffed and let go of my shirt, dropping me on my floor. I curled up into a ball as I cried harder and harder each second hoping someone could take me away...

"NOOO!" I screamed as my breathing was becoming uneasy, sweat trickling down my face as I tried to tell myself it was just a dream. But it wasn't just a dream; it was a memory, a memory that still lives on till this day. My fingertip went across the burn under my collar bone that has stayed since I was 6. I groaned as I flung my feet at the edge of the bed, running my hand through my hair as I still felt sore from the beating the night before. I stood up and walked towards the mirror  scanning my shirtless body as I trace the bruises I have adapted to over the years, I looked down at my wrist seeming what I’ve done to myself since I was 13. I remembered what each cut meant; they all meant something to me, and something no one will understand. 

"Shithead! You're already late for school!" He said loudly through my door, banging on it with his fist "why did I raise a worthless piece if shit.." mumbling something else I couldn't quite hear but I didn't give a fuck about it because It was probably going to be a remark why I should have died and not my mom. I sighed loudly and ran my hand through my hair again "coming, coming.." I said but I already heard him going downstairs so there was no point. I went inside the bath quickly brushing. I decided to take a shower after school since Richard or "Dad" is already pissed. I put on my Sleeping with Sirens t-shirt and some plain old shorts since Richard said clothes aren't important to buy. I put on my sweater and grabbed my backpack from the floor and dashed out the house. I grabbed my bike and quickly rode to school, hopping I won't be that late to class. Once I reached the school I didn't even bother chaining it to a bike rack and ran inside. I opened the door to my first period class, English; I opened the door slowly and peeked my head inside, slowly trying to make my way inside without being caught. It was a successful plan until the school jock, Zayn Malik, ratted me out "Oi, look! Alpin trying to sneak into class, your power of invisibility almost worked, dork!" he said crumpling up a piece of paper and throwing it at me. I rolled my eyes and continued going back to my seat, I saw the looks everyone gave me, I ignore it as usual and take out my notebook. "Well Mr. Aplin, late again I see" Mr. Tomlinson said without looking up at me, keeping his eyes on the book he was reading "uh, yeah. Won't happen again" I said looking down at my notebook, fiddling with my pen in my hand. "You say that everyday Zach" he said finally looking up at me and giving me a smile. I've always liked Mr. Tomlinson, he never sent me to detention for being late and was actually nice to me. "So, let’s start with some Shakespeare.." he said but I kind of doze off a bit and went into my daydream. 

I was interrupted by my daydreaming when I felt someone throw a book at me in the back of my head, I was just glad it wasn't a hard cover book. The bell rung and students rampaged through the door getting to their next class. I walked out of the classroom and walked to my 2nd period until a few jocks knocked over my book and laughed at me walking as If nothing happened. As I was bending down to pick up my book a pair of feet stepped on my hand, I looked up and it was Harry companied with Zayn. I sighed and tried to pull my hand out but they wouldn't move "Um.. Excuse me, can you move your foo-" "Don’t tell me what to do fag!" Harry said looking down at me "Go suck a dick or something, that’s the only thing you'll be good use to" Zayn said scoffing and nudging Harry and him it’s time to go. I finally picked up all my stuff and walked into math, no surprise. I was late again.

This was what my life was since my mom died in the car accident. I get beaten and bullied at school and get beaten up more at home by my own father. I still cry to myself to sleep every night. Why me? Why did I have to survive? Why did I have to live and basically get killed every day? Why didn't my mom survive? Why, why, why...