Finding Hope

Chapter 2

Lili's P.O.V

I entered my keys in the ignition of my new black Mazda 3. It was a typical winter day here in New Jersey. Everything was covered in white snow from garage bins, to the front yard of every house. Icicles hung from the gutters of the 2 story houses. I immediately turned on the AC as a generous amount of hot air came gushing out, through the vents.

As I began to pull out of my narrow, concrete driveway. I saw my pink LA keychain dangling near my steering-well. It reminded me of when my mom and I decided to go LA for a weekend, you know just the 2 of us. A girl's weekend full of shopping and gossiping. And really just to get away from this life.

I began reminiscing as I drove out of the drive away. And begin driving down to Wal-Mart.

***

I guess you could say my mom started to get depressed. Shortly around the time my dad began hitting her. He would come home drunk pretty much every night and became violent towards us.

I remember one night he burst through the door and started yelling all this random stuff at my mom and how he despised her. I was probably about 11, so that would be about 6 years ago. I was supposedly 'sleeping' upstairs in my small but cozy room.

I spend hours that day decorating it with pink and purple lanterns with Aztec prints and adding ice cold white fairy lights, to the border of my plain white ceiling. As I began admiring my proud work. Loud yelling disrupted me. It seemed to be coming from downstairs.

***

One thing led to the other and my dad started screaming at my mom for not cleaning the house or something silly like that.

"God damn it Claire I told you to clean this god damn house up before I left." He spat with he faced all scrunched up. I slowly crept out of my room and down the shiny wooden hallway.

I ducked down at the top of the staircase, where I then rested my head against the chilled black metal bar, so I could see and hear what was happening without being seen.

My blue Cinderella pajamas pants that were one size bigger than me they were touching the bottom of the floor covering my feet like a beautiful ball gown that a princess would wear. I could just see my mom and dad in the living room. "Maybe you should clean the house for once instead of going and drinking cause you're life went down the drain Brad!" My mom spat, looking pissed and scared at the same time. As she came to the realization of what she said, it was too late.

My dad violently grabbed her by the neck and harshly pushed her up against the hallow crème colored wall, making a small dent in the pristine wall. My mom pleading for mercury, tears filling up her big brown eyes. She began desperately searching for air to reach her lungs.

Her face turned blue. I was motionless. I continued watching from the staircase in horror. I felt so helpless. I couldn't move.

Why is my dad doing this? Why.

It felt so wrong to not defend my mom. I love her so much and couldn't stand seeing her this way. I was afraid of what he might do to me. What he was capable of, if he could do this to my mom I just can't imagine what he could do to me.

I gathered up my courage and marched down the stairs. Trying to put a brave face on. As I slowly appeared from the staircase.

All eyes were on me.