Just One Night

Chapter 2- Her

Please make it stop. Please make it stop. Please for the love of God make. It. Stop. I squeeze my eyes shut and plug my ears but I can still hear him screaming. Still hear him crying. What did I do to deserve this life? What did I do to have to go through this shit? Why do I have to work two jobs that don't pay shit? Why do I even bother showing up to school? Why do I bother even trying? It's not fair. It's not fair that I have to put my life on hold. It's not fair that I have to give up everything. It's not fair that I'm stuck playing mommy when everyone else my age gets to have fun.

I want to have fun. I want my only worry to be finding that perfect prom dress. I want to be able to laugh and be care free. I want to be able to spend the afternoon at the mall. I want to be selfish. I deserve to be selfish. Why can't I be selfish?

I feel someone shaking me so I slowly open my eyes to find my brother standing in front of me. His eyes are soft and pleading for me to help him. I sigh in frustration and get up from my spot on the floor.

"I know you're tired and hungry. I know you just got off work but I really need your help. I just got called in and I need you to watch him." He says.

I don't say anything I just go straight to the back of our tiny shithole of an apartment to our room. He's still crying so I pull him out of his crib and lay with him on my bed. He immediately stops crying and lays his head on my chest. It's these small moments that make me not want to be selfish. But they never last.

"Look I know this sucks. You never asked for this but neither did I and he especially didn't ask for this. I'm doing the best I can to try and get us out. I know you're tired and overworked and you just want to be a normal seventeen year old. I can't tell how much I appreciate everything that you do to help out. So to say thank you I took off tomorrow night so I can cover you're shifts and you can enjoy a night out."

"You mean it?" I ask getting excited even though I know I shouldn't. He's made this promise before but never follows through.

"Yeah I got Mrs. Cruz from downstairs to babysit. Tomorrow night is all yours."

I smile at him as a thank you and he leaves for his shift at the hospital.

After an hour of non-stop crying and the loud music and people out in the living room I am losing my mind. I can't take it anymore. I need to escape and I need to do it now. I can't wait until tomorrow night for an escape. I put him into the warmest clothes he has and a blanket, grab his diaper bag and sneak into the living room trying not get noticed. It's easy enough, everyone is either shit faced or high out of their minds, including mommy dearest.

After making my way out of the door I take the stairs two at a time until I reach Mrs. Lopez's door. She always helps me out in case of an emergency and since Mrs. Cruz is already taking tomorrow's shift I didn't want to ask her. Mrs. Lopez opens the door and smiles sympathetically at me before holding her arms out for him. She doesn't ask questions which I'm thankful for and I leave.

I run out of that building as if it were on fire and don't stop until I arrive at the train station. I buy my tickets for the first available train which is already boarding. I make my way through the crowded train and take the first available seat next to some rich asshole who has his earbuds in and his eyes closed. He's wearing a suit that probably cost more than our rent and shoes to match. Even with the suit on I can tell he's muscular and athletic. He looks about my age. He's absolutely beautiful and completely out of my league. He's probably about to meet up with his snobby country club friends. They're probably going to do some stupid shit and get into s shitload of trouble and not have a care in the world while doing it. I envy this complete stranger. And that completely pisses me off.

I huff in annoyance and pull my worn out copy of The Outsiders out of my purse. I love this book it's my absolute favorite. I've read it at least a hundred times. It just never gets old. I get so lost in Ponyboy's head that I didn't even notice that the beautiful stranger is awake. And he's studying me like I'm some sort of weird science fair project.