Ripped [TO BE PUBLISHED 2016]

33

When my soul wasn't broken, when I was younger, before Mom was mother, before Daddy was dead, I heard the phrase "I love you" when people really meant it. When I was younger, I mattered. I mattered more than I did now because I was a blooming prodigy with a bright future, instead of a teenage girl with emotional problems.

We lived in a neighborhood with a community pool. I usually walked there with my dad, my heavy flip flops smacking the pavement. That day, he bought me a red Slurpee. Every weekend we went to our gas station and bought Slurpees. I got a different flavor every time. That day it was red.

We sat down on the hot, plastic chairs they set up near the side of the pool. While Daddy talked on the phone, I would read books about magic and fairies and faraway galaxies. When he finally managed some free time, we would play War and Crazy 8s until the sun burned holes in my skin and I just had to jump in.

Daddy was always a diver. He was pretty tall, with a strong build and tan skin. His hair was greying ever since I could remember, and he made me feel safe, always. That day, though, the sun was hidden behind the clouds. I didn't want to swim, but I didn't want to go home either. A few families dotted the premises, but most of the people there were teenagers. Big kids, smarter and larger than I was.

Daddy got caught in a long business call that day and had to go out to the car. I sat there alone, reading a book about a girl that moved to a new town and discovered that she was partly mermaid, until the shadow of a tall figure loomed over me. I ignored it at first. I was six, almost seven. Nobody had hurt me before. I didn't think anybody would.

A boy about thirteen ripped my book from my hands and pitched it into the pool.

"Hey! What was that for?" I screeched. I pushed him away from me, away from my stuff. I bent down the pick up my book in the water, but strong hands pushed me over the edge. I hit my head on the side so hard, the world was blurry. The water was a blanket, smothering me. I couldn't tell which way was up.

My hand felt the edge of something hard and slippery. I pulled myself up with everything I had. Coughing and catching my breath, I saw a slender girl, tall for her age, and the boy with a bloodied nose.

"Leave her alone, you jerk!" She screamed. The boy's friends howled behind him. His eyes were daggers as he stared at her, but finally he turned around and left. The girl stood, her long arms crossed across her chest.

"Are you okay?" she asked, turning towards me. I nodded yes. She flashed a pearly white smile. "Good." Taking my hand, she pulled my fully from the water. "I'm Cassie, by the way."

"I'm Aspen," I said, my lips perking up in a grin.