Running Scared.

Chapter One

“You ungrateful bitch,” Derrick yelled chasing me around the couch. He grabbed me and smacked me. As he grabbed me, I kicked him the stomach and ran into the kitchen. “I try to make and effort and you call me a prick,” he said running after me. “Leave me alone you man whore,” I screamed across the counter, “Don’t ever touch me again.” Derrick reached over the counter and grabbed the bottom of my red shirt. I tried to yank away, but he tightened his grip. He threw me across the room making me crash into the couch. He walked closer and kicked me in the ribs saying, “Don’t you ever say that again you brat.” After the thirtieth time kicking me in the ribs, he backed away and said, “Get ready for dinner.” He walked to the fridge, grabbed a beer, and laughed while I attempted to get up. I used the couch to help me get up and the walls to help me get to the bathroom.

    I went to the hallway bathroom and looked in the mirror. I had a big red spot on my cheek from Derrick. I lifted up my shirt and looked at my ribs. They were killing me. I fixed my hair and wiped away my tears. I took a deep breath and walked out of the bathroom to my room. I closed my door and grabbed my phone. I sat on the edge of my bed and called my cousin Dani. “Hey Dani,” I said as she answered. I told her what Derrick did and how much I hate him. “Lola, tell your mom. She’ll dump his sorry ass.” I couldn’t tell her. It’ll crush her that her twenty-eight year old, brown hair, hazel eyed husband beats up his step-daughter. “I tried Dani. But it’s not like she would believe me. She loves him too much.” Dani started telling me how if that happened to her, she would kill him. I’m not the killing type. “Lola, I’m back,” my mom, April yelled from downstairs. “Dani, I gotta go. See you tomorrow.” I hung up and walked downstairs to see my mom and Derrick making out next to dinner. “Ugh get a room,” I said while fixing myself a plate. I was headed to my room when my mom said, “Lola, eat dinner down here. We can be a family.” I wanted to tell her no. I wanted to tell her that Derrick wasn’t my father. But she was innocent and a little naive. “Okay mom,” I said while sighing. I sat at the farther side of the table and ate in silence. Mom and Derrick kept flirting. I wish they wouldn’t do this in front of me. It’s disgusting. She would eat some of her Chinese food, then kiss him. I quickly finished my dinner and threw away my plate. “Lola, Lola! Derrick and I are watching a movie after we finish eating. Do you want to join?” Watching a movie with Derrick and my mom? I could picture them kissing the entire time. “No thanks, I would rather be in my room alone.” I left them so they could continue kissing him, and went back to my room.

    I jumped on my bed and started texting Jeremy. We were friends since pre-k. We were going to start high school together, but he had to move to New York, leaving me in Georgia. He didn’t know about my moms’ new marriage, so I told him about it. He seemed excited, until I told him how Derrick is beating me up. Jeremy told me I should kill him. He’s the second person that told I should kill Derrick. I told him that I would be fine and said goodnight. I grabbed my black and white pajamas and walked towards my bathroom. I heard my mom laughing with Derrick downstairs. I wish they would stop doing this in front of me.

    I turned on my shower and let the hot water run. As I undressed, I checked on my ribs. A bruise was starting to develop. “You’ve got to be kidding me,” I mumbled. I got in the shower and started to think. I thought about how mom and dad broke up. I’ll always remember it. Mom and dad have been fighting lately. He was trying to get her to spend more time at home. A stay-at-home mom. But mom kept refusing. One night, we were having dinner, and mom was on the phone working. When she finally hung up, dad just snapped. He told her how fed up she was with her always working, not spending time with us. He told me to go upstairs so I wouldn’t hear him yelling, but I still could. They argued for about an hour. Finally dad said he wanted a divorce. Mom was quiet until dad started going up the stairs. He told me where he was going and told me he would stay in touch. Mom was never the same after that. I stepped out of the shower and put on my pajamas. Before he left, he told me he would be in New York. Later he mailed me his address, if I wanted to visit. I then crawled into my bed. I dreaded the fact that we had P.E outside instead of inside. I know we’ll be running, and I know I’ll be in pain.