Broken (Edited edition)

Mother and Andy

We get home at noon, and crash.  I'm on the ground with a blanket around me, Jack's on the couch, Mark's laying on the stairs with a pillow under his head.  I'm the first one up, and pull a blanket around me as I sit up.  Mark and Jack are both snoring, and I yawn as I stretch my arms above my head.  I pull the blanket around me as I walk into the kitchen.  I pour myself a glass of water, then gulp it down.  I wipe my mouth off, then mess with my hair to get it out of my face.  I then walk back into the living room, and poke Jack in the back.  He groans, and turns to face the couch.  I poke him again, and he groans even louder."  Mark I swear to God, go away."  He groans out, then Mark moves a bit on the stairs."  Jack, I'm not even close to you."

"Then who the hell is poking me huh?  Casper the ghost?"  He asks, and I cover my mouth to stop from laughing."  I don't know, is it Danny?"  Mark asks, and Jack groans again.  He lifts his head, then looks over at Mark."  I don't see him."  Jack says, and I tap his head."  He looks over at me, and his mouth drops open.  He then smiles, and looks over towards Mark."  Where's Lyca?"  He asks, and Mark moves again."  She's upstairs, I put her to bed myself."  He says, and I smile again."  Really?  When?"

"Last night....."  He stops, and looks up.  He sees me standing over by the couch, and I wave to him."  Oh."  He says, and I smile."  I thought you were upstairs."  Mark says, and I shake my head.  We all crashed when we got home."  I say, and Mark sits up on the stairs.  He cracks his back, then gets up."  Can you make some coffee?"  I ask Mark, and he nods."  Yeah sure, you go put new clothes on before they get here."  He says, and I go upstairs.  Jack follows me, so he can change in Mark's room." Casper the ghost?"  I ask him, and he smiles."  Not my best guess."  He says, and I smile.  We go into our separate bedrooms, and get dressed.  I dress into skinny jeans, black socks, and dark blue hoodie.  I brush my hair a bit, then go to the bathroom.  I take my medicine, then leave the bathroom.

Jack has on a nice button up, dark jeans, and shiny black shoes."  You look really nice."  I say, and he smiles."  Thank you, I try."  He says, and I smile.  We head downstairs, and grab a cup of coffee with Mark."  So what time are they coming over?"  Jack asks Mark, and Mark sets his cup down on the counter."  Two o'clock, so in fifteen minutes."  I want to vomit when he says that, and shudder."  It's going to be okay, I promise."  Mark says, and I look at him."  I hope you're right."  I say, and he smiles at me softly."  I know I'll be right."  He says, and I rub his hand.  Jack looks as if he's going to punch someone in the face, he's walking around the room with his hands clenched in fists."  Hey, it'll be alright."  I tell him, and he smiles at me.  I take his hand into mine, and just hold it."  Thank's Lyca."  Jack says, and I smile at him.

Mark is walking around upstairs, his hands shaking severely."  Hey."  I say as I walk upstairs."  Hey."  He says, his voice shaking.  I sit down on the stairs, watching him as he walks back and forth."  You don't have to be afraid."  I say, and he looks at me.  His arms are crossed, and he's just looking at me."  I'm not afraid."  I look up at him, and chuckle a bit."  You're the worst Liar.  You're shaking, pacing back and forth, plus you keep checking your watch."  I say, and look at him.  I sigh, and pull my hair.  It falls over my eyes, and I keep my head."  You have to understand Mark, I'm not going anywhere.  If Andy believes this isn't the place I should be living, I'll tell her I don't care.  Because this is my home, this is my family."  I say, and feel a hand on my head.  I look up, and see Mark twirling his finger around a lock of my hair.

"Are you scared?"  He asks, and I nod."  Terrified."  I say, and he sits behind me.  He moves his hands carefully through my hair, then kisses my head so softly."  I want you to not worry, I know it's a difficult thing to ask but I want you to try.  Because I'm the adult, I should be the one worrying about it."  He says, and moves his head so it's on top of mine."  I'll try, but it's not that simple."  He smiles at me, and I kiss his hand.  He smiles at me, and I lean against him some more.  There's a knock on the door, and we all freeze.  Jack is standing behind the couch, frozen in place.  Mark has to pick me up off of him so he can go answer the door.  I run down behind him, and walk over to Jack.  He picks me up in his arms, and kisses my cheek.  Mark opens the door, and I can hear him greet Andy."  So glad you could make it here, please come in."  He says, and I hear two set of footsteps."  My friend Jack is here, he came from Ireland to watch over Lyca with me."  Mark says as they enter the living room.

My Mother is wearing a plain gray dress, and her hair is down.  Andy has her green hair up in a tight bun, and she's wearing regular clothes."  Hey Lyca."  She says as she walks into the living room, and I smile at her."  Hey."  I say, and Jack smiles at her."  Nice to see you again Andy."  He says, and she smiles."  Irish?  That's a surprise."  Mother says, and Jack looks over at her.  I get out of his arms, and look up at Andy."  So, what do you have to check?"  Mark asks from behind them."  Just where she sleeps."  Andy says.  Mark nods, and leads us all upstairs.  My room is cleaner than I expected.  Mark bear is not in here, probable in Mark's room, the pillows aren't in my spare closet, the bed's made, and my clothes look all neat and tidy."  You have something with blue?"  Mother asks, and I roll my eyes.

I hate my Mother is acting like this, in front of Mark and Jack.  Even Andy.  I sit down on my bed as Andy looks around my room."  So I'm pretty sure it's perfect for Lyca, and that this house is perfect for anybody."  Andy says, brushing a strand of hair our of her face.  My mother's mouth turns down into a frown."  Great, that's just perfect.  Can we get going now."  My Mother says, and Andy looks up at her."  Actually, we have something to discuss.  Mark called me after Lyca was in the hospital, you were not suppose to be there Mrs. Parker."  Andy says.  My mother stares at her, then at me."  She's my daughter still, my blood!  I can look at her, I can touch her if I want to.  You aren't her parent!"  She yells at Mark.  Mark is steaming, and about to go nuts.  He stands there, and I see Jack gripping onto his forearm."  You 're just another person in my way.  You are nothing to me!"  She says, and Mark snapped.  He starts forward toward her, and I leap off the bed."  Knock it off!"  I yell it  on top of my lungs, and they stare at me."  I have two families, one by blood and one true one.  You are blood, and Mark is true."  I say, to Mother, and she glares at me."  You are even worse then him, you're more then worthless.  You're the scum of the Earth, a poor fool.  A Freak!"  She yells, and I shiver.  I'm basically vibrating with anger, my heartbeat racing.

I go Black, and I hear screaming.  Screeching almost."  You don't know anything about me!"  I hear myself scream, and feel something connect with my face.  Someone slapped me, and that makes me go off even more.  I feel my blood boil, and I feel as if I've passed out.  It's all quiet, and it's dark.  My vision comes back, and I'm standing in the middle of the school parking lot.  I don't know how I got here, but school is just being let out.  I feel pain everywhere, and basically collapse on the ground.  I wrap my aching arms around my knees, and look at a puddle of water in the parking lot.  My face is covered in blood.  Scratches are on the side of my face, made by long nails.  I'm bleeding a lot, and it stings a lot.  I clutch onto my bleeding cheek, and start crying in pain.  It hurts so much!  I'm in so much pain!

I see kids I recognize from my classes, and I slowly get up.  I run out of the school parking lot, and walk toward the house.  I pull my hoodie up so no one can see my face, then walk towards the house.  Blood drips down my cheek, and I feel as if I'm some type of monster.  I get to the stairs of the apartment complex, and see a cop car outside of the apartment complex.  I look inside the lobby to see police officers, with my Mother in cuffs.  Mark is standing next to Andy, his hands shaking.  Jack is coming down the stairs, and I push open the door.  Everyone stares at me, and I pull my hood off as I stumble into the lobby."  Lyca!"  Mark says, and I collapse onto the floor.  Blood drips from my face, and the scratches burn as hell.  Mark comes over to me, and makes me look at him."  Oh my baby."  He says, and I see tears in his eyes.  My body's so tired, it doesn't even react.

Paramedics come out of nowhere, and they check on my injuries."  No stitches are needed, she just needs to heal up.  It'll take a bit."  One of them says to Mark, and I lean against Mark.  I'm so tired, I'm in so much pain, and I just want the day to end.  They place a cloth on the wound, and tell Mark to continue to press on it.  I watch as the police take Mother away in their cop car, and I clutch onto Mark's arm.  He picks me up in his arms, and carries me up the stairs."  She looks terrible."  I hear Jack says, and feel his hand go into my hand.  I don't move at all, I just stay there with my eyes closed."  Her mother will be going to court, and being sued for the way she treated her daughter."  Mark says, and I smile a bit.  I have to stop, because it hurts my cheeks to much.  I hear our front door open, then I'm set on the couch.  I open my eyes a little bit, and see Mark smiling at me.

"Hey baby girl."  He says, and I smile at him a little bit."  Hi."  I whisper, and he takes my hand."  Just sleep, you were probable Black for maybe an hour."  He says, and I put my hand on his cheek.  I don't say anything, and rub his stubble.  He puts his hand on mine, then kisses my forehead.  I slowly shut my eyes, and fall asleep.