The Light To My Darkness

Chapter 1 - Blood and Bruises

I leaned against the cold hard tiles of my shower walls, washing away the blood and bruises, thinking if today will be any different from yesterday.

I step out of the shower carefully, not to slip on the cold hard bathroom floor. I quickly rummage through my wardrobe, trying to find something that will cover my swollen bruises on my arms and legs. I slip on my black jeans, black top and black converses. I pick up my phone and stuff it into my pocket while grabbing my school bag and heading downstairs, not making a sound just incase I wake up my abusive step father.

While I make my descent downstairs, I stop at my older brothers room and check if he came home last night.

Majority of the time, my older brother Jakob is never home. He leaves the house in the afternoons and never comes home in the nights. He never faces the wrath of my abusive step father. Sometimes I wonder where he goes in the nights and what he does. Last week, he came home at three in the morning with blood on his hands. I have barely talked to him ever since and he seems so distant since then. He's 22 and I understand that he is an adult and can be responsible, but sometimes I worry for him and where he goes in the dark, cold nights of LA.

I place my clammy hands on the door knob and slowly turn it, keeping the noise down. I peek through the crack of the door and see Jakob lying on his bed sound asleep wearing the same clothes he wore when he left the house two days ago.

The beeping of my phone startles me and I quickly close the door and see a text from my best friend Layla.

'I'm outside' - Layla

I make my way to the front door and sure enough Layla is waiting there in her small black fiat.

Layla is my best friend. She has blonde hair that falls just past her shoulders in loose waves. Bright blue eyes that compliment her hair really well and a figure that is just like a model.

I on the other hand, have straight brown hair that falls to the middle of my back. I hate having straight hair, it's so flat and boring. My eyes are hazel just like my mothers.

Layla and I are polar opposites. Honestly, I don't even know how we even became best friends. She's one of those girls who likes dressing up everyday and attends parties every weekend. While I prefer staying at home and binge watching teen wolf and pretty little liars.

Layla and I met when I moved to Clairmont from Valencia five years ago. Our mums knew each other before Layla and I met. When we moved into our new house, Layla and her mum came and welcomed us to the neighbourhood. Since then we've been best friends.

I run to the car realising what time it is and quickly sit down and shut the door after me.

"Hey," I greeted quickly as I put my bag on the floor of the car.

"Hi.... What were you thinking about just then?"

"Oh, it was nothing. Just father problems," I lied.

"You know you can tell me anything. I will always be here to listen Hannah." Layla said.

"I know." I replied.

Layla is the only person who knows about my abusive step-father, besides Jakob. She has been there for me since day one and I know that I can trust her with anything.

When I was young, my mum got diagnosed with lung cancer. By each passing day it got worse. She knew that she would die soon and there would be no one to look after Jakob and I, so she married this man called James.

After my mum passed away he began to abuse me but never touched my brother, because he knew that Jakob could easily defend himself. He only married my mother for the money and thought of me as nothing but a waste of space.

I quickly tried to wipe the tears that escaped my eyes and focussed on where I was going to spend the next six hours of my day. School.

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Woohhooo!!! First chapter done. I hoped you guys understood the chapter. Trust me, it will become more interesting as the book progresses.

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