After

Chapter one

I am finished packing my bags. Finally. I cannot wait to leave this house. I scan the room one last time to make sure I don't leave anything behind. My brother, Kayden, is standing on the doorstep. He looks at me with sad eyes.

"I am so sorry that you had to go through this, Lyss."

I give him a look that means: "It isn't your fault."

"I shouldn't have let you live here for so long."

I shake my head and pick up a cardboard box to put it in the truck outside. Silently, we put all the boxes in the back of the truck. When we are done, I see Marc standing beside the car. He walks toward me and gives me a hug. Afterward he opens the door for me, so I can get in my brother's car.

"The nightmare is over now, Allison. Go enjoy your live."

I mouth a thank you and wave good bye as my brother and I leave that hellish place. It's time to start over for the third time.

I look to my brother beside me. He is gripping the steering wheel and he has an expression of anger on his face. Kayden is twenty-two years old and finished SWAT training three days ago. He was the best of his class. He probably hadn't expected to be in this situation today.

It all started when Marc walked into the house three days ago:

"Allison! Allison! Where are you? You had training two hours ago!", he yelled when he came inside.

With hurried steps he walked into the living room. I was lying on the ground while my aunt was standing over me.

"You ungrateful bitch!", she screamed into my face.

"I ask one thing from you, one thing!" Her words were accompanied by a kick in my stomach.

I was in so much pain. I wanted to hit her back so badly, but I didn't dare, afraid of the consequences. I tried to ignore the pain, like I had done the last three years.

"Allison? What is happening here, Ms. Taylor?", Marc asked, shocked from what he saw.

Please go away, Marc. I chanted in my head. Please turn around. You shouldn't have to see this.

Of course Marc didn't do what I wanted. He stepped closer as my aunt tried to hit me again. He struck out as fast as lighting and held my aunt her hand in an iron grip. She tried to smack Marc, but she didn't stand a chance against the thirty-five year old marine.

"Leave!", he bellowed to her. My aunt hurried out the door. Marc knelled beside my head.

"Where are you hurt?", he asked. "Everywhere", I thought, but I only pointed to my head and stomach.

Carefully he lifted my head and examines it. When my head is on the ground again his hands are bloody. He lifted my shirt only to see new bruises mixing with old ones. Tears of sadness and anger appear in his eyes.

"Where is the first aid-kit?" I drew Bathroom on the floor. He nodded and retrieved it.

When he is done bandaging my head he said: "I am calling your brother." I tried to shake my head, but it hurt too much. "Allison, your parents and Kayden asked me to look out for you."

"School", I mouthed to him.

"Kayden, finished SWAT today and he wouldn't want you to live like this!"

My eyes started to water. I didn't want to ruin Kayden's life by forcing him to take care of me. I looked to Marc pleading with my eyes. Knowing that a mute girl would only pull my brother down. He shouldn't be burdened with me. His life had been bad enough already. Besides, I had been through worse.

Marc shook his head. "I am calling him end of discussion."

Kayden looks at me. With his finger he traces my black eye that is covered with make-up. He takes a deep breath and slowly lets it out. I don't meet his gaze knowing I would see the hurt in his eyes.

Abruptly, he looks away. He takes the car of the high way and parks it besides a gas station.

"Why didn't you call me?" Is the first thing he says.

After a few seconds of silence he continues: "Don't use the 'I don't have a voice' excuse. You wrote me letters every week, telling me how awesome the last three years were. You could have asked someone else to call for you. Instead I have to hear from dad's old second in command that my little sister gets beat up by my own aunt when you're near death's doorstep! How much further would you have let it go before you asked for help? Why didn't you stop her?"

" I'm sorry.", I sign to him. "I didn't want to be a burden. You were in school and you would have dropped out if I had called."

"You can never be a burden, little sis. Do you think that dad and mom would want you to live with aunt Rosetta?"

They wouldn't have wanted me to live there, but they wouldn't want Kayden skipping school and losing his career either. After a long time of silence my brother speaks up again:

"Promise me that if something like this ever happens again, you will call immediately."

"I promise"

We give one another a hug. When Kayden starts up the car again he gets a smile on his face.

"We have to drive for another half hour before we get home. You will love it in Cali. The beach is amazing and the girls are ..." I cough to interrupt my brother. "The house is amazing. It's mom and dad's old get away house. It has two stories and a view on the sea. O, and Lyss this might not be the best time to tell you, but we have another roommate."

"A girlfriend?"

"No, one of the guys form my class."

Great the third time I start my life and I live together with two bachelors. That's amazing... Or not.