You Are Not Alone

Chapter 5

I had a bruise on my cheek and what looked like a hickey on my forehead. Although my dark skin didnt show my bruises as much, I felt more than what was seen. I took my shirt off and saw the purple bruise on my ribs and the scratch on my hip. I turned around and saw that my shoulder and back had small purple bruises. I cant believe I got my first beating.

By my father.

The only man I love second to Carter. All I have is him now and he beat me. What have I done? Deciding to soak my aching body, I ran the bath water and relaxed in the warm bubbles.

I then got dressed in my PINK sweat suit to go to the nearby park just a few blocks away. The park was always a safe haven for me and Carter. Just a place where you can think and escape from the world, like loud, but heathier...I guess. I looked in the mirror one last time to see if my clothes covering up my scars and bruises. I tied up my individual braids in a ponytail and opened my door to see my dad, sleep, knocked out.

I looked at his body not knowing whether to walk over him or to help him into his bed. I looked at him more. My daddy is hurting and sick. After another minute of contemplating I bent down and helped him up to his bedroom. I helped him into his bed and pulled his covers over him. I was about to walk off until I heard his body moving causing me to jump. I turned around in fear of him waking but he started snoring. Relief flowed through my body as I exhaled. "Carter what will I do without you", I mumbled walking out of my dad room.

The sun is still up so I figured why not walk to the park? This park was by far the best park I have ever been to. I mean it had a track field, football field, swimming pool, tennis, big playground, and a huge pond with ducks, swan, and pretty fish. The best park are the clean bathrooms! I'm talking marble floors and walls, always got soap and lotion, kids bathroom separated from the adult bathroom, smells like flowers, and there is hot water!

Arriving to park I headed straight to the spot me and Carter would always go to. It was by an apple tree that blossomed red apples. There was a roomy bench underneath and it was by the grandiose pond. Its on a little hill so you can kinda see just about everything going on. From kids playin to athletes practicing. Nobody was siting on the bench and I took a seat putting my legs up on the other side. I played Jhene Aiko through my earphones and closed my eyes imagining Carter here with me.

*flashback*

"So Niyah. What we doin on this fine Saturday afternoon?" Carter said jumping on my bed.

"This ugly 18 year old stanky monkey breath having behind is not jumpin on MY bed when I posta be sleepin in" I said to myself.

"Gurl whatever!" he said smacking his lips and smooshing my head. "And your the one with the stank breathe! Witcho nasty toes!" he said hoppin off my bed.

I sat up wrapping myself in covers still half angry because this monkey woke me up. "Shut up fathead" I slit my eyes at him "Watchu actually wanna do today?" I questioned because whenever he this fraught with happiness and uses "we" he gotta furtive plan up his sleeve for "us".

"Well my loving sister since you asked. How abut somewhere adventurous..yet quiet and peaceful..somewhere beautiful.." he went on acting out every word like a drama queen "somewhere with little animals..somewhere". I rolled my eyes at him because I already knew what he was talking about.

"Somewhere like the park?" I said cutting his off.

"Exactly! I knew there was a brain in that head of yours" he smiled ruffling up my hair. I swatted his hand away.

"Oh shut up" I said throwing the pillow behind me at him. He stumbled back in shock making me laugh. He was about to throw it back and I was ready, that is until my dad walked in. "Hell no. I'm not havin that today. Carter put that pillow down. If yall gone fight take that outside" my daddy told us. We both know he was serious but we still pursed our lips to keep from laughing.

"You wanna take this out side?" Carter asked impersonating our dad voice.

"Boy no!" I laughed "Let me get ready so we can go to the park" I said getting up and pushing him out my room.

-At the park-

"Nice and quiet huh?" Carter asked me.

"Yea peaceful and beautiful" I smiled Carter had found this little spot on the bench on a hill up under the apple tree. The view of things is so nice.

"You know this our spot right?" he told me.

"How?" I asked. "This a Public Park. Public. You do know what that means right?"

"Oh really I thought it was a Private Park?" he said full of sarcasm.

I gave him a fake smile, "Besides it aint like our names are on it anyw-"

"Oh but it is though" he interrupted flipping out his pocket knife. Then he started carving out letters. when he finished it read "CN4L" and "C+N". I smiled at him shaking my head.

"Cant we get in trouble for this or something? I mean vandalizing public property?" I asked because I am not tryin to go to jail.

"I don't know" he shrugged his shoulders "but if someone ask me who it was imma give them yo name" he said laughing.

I scrunched up my face then punched him in his arm hard. "No you not!" I told him as he just continued to laugh. "Why "C" gotta go first anyway" I said prompting my legs on his.

"Uh I came out the womb first" he said in a duhh tone, "besides "C" comes before "N" within the alphabet".

"So?" I laughed doin the bish whet face.

*flashback ova*

I traced CN4L with my fingers on the bench. Just being o the same bench that he once sat on makes me feel closer to him. I could feel the tears drop from my face.

"I heard about Carter," a familiar voice said scaring me making me wipe my face fast. I turned it was nun other than ole boy from school.

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Mystery boy comes up again??