Alone

An unexpected gift

I wake up and immediately my nose is flooded with the smell of bacon and fresh coffee being made.

"Breakfast Cassy!" I hear Tommy's voice announce.

I sit up in my bed and look at my phone. I only have 15 more minutes until my morning alarm is suppose to go off. I want to go back and try to get some more sleep. My eyes were heavy with exhaustion. My eyes. Tommy. Suddenly, flashbacks from last night flood my mind.

Quickly, I jump out of my bed and look at myself in my chipped mirror. My eye looks a lot worse than it did last night. The throbbing has increased and I can barely see out of it.

I quietly open my door, hoping not to wake up my dad who was probably passed out drunk on the couch. I walk downstairs following the scent of the bacon. Maybe Tommy and I can have a somewhat peaceful morning, I thought to myself. But, as I was about to enter the dinning room. . . I could hear dad's drunken voice at the table. Oh great. Just what I need now.

"Cassy get up!" Tommy said.

I took a deep breath. I didn't want to go in there but yet again, I didn't want Tommy to be in there all alone with him. Again, my feet think before my mind does and I walk into the dinning room. I see my dad sitting at the end of the table. I keep my head down. I couldn't bare to look at him.

"Morning Cas." Tommy said as he handed me my faviorte breakfast dish. Pancakes with strawberries, 2 pieces of bacon and a French Vanilla coffee. I didn't realize how hungry I was until the smell of freshly baked Pancakes hit my noes.

"Happy birthday!" Tommy said while he placed a colorful bag in front of me.

I felt incredibly stupid. I forgot my own birthday. But this didn't make any sense. Just less than 10 hours ago, Tommy was passed out on my bedroom floor with his face beaten up badly. Now he is standing in the kitchen serving me breakfast. I look up at his face. His nose has a band aid on it, but you could still tell that it was badly broken. His eye was still red but it wasn't as bad as last night.

"Well go on. Open it or I'll throw it in the fireplace!" dad said in a grouchy voice.

I open up the bag and inside are two things. One a book of blank sheet music ( I like to write my own songs when I have the time ) and a card. I open it and read it.

"Cas, sorry about what happened last night. It was my fault. I was mad at dad for hitting you. I took my keys and scratched some not so pleasant words into his truck. Don't belive? Go look outside. I don't want you to worry about me. Inside the book is $300 dollars. It's all yours. Don't even think about handing it back because I won't let you. Use for emergencies or when there is no more food. I'm gonna go with Luke and we are gonna get the hell out of here. I don't want to leave you. I want you to come with us but Luke says only one can come along. I can't stand another minute living here. Promise me you will be safe. Don't show any emotion once your finished reading this. Smile casually and put the card somewhere safe. Don't let mom or dad see the money. If you need to, go stay with Aunt Julie. She could use some help around the barn.
Love, Tommy"

I do as the card says and put the card back into the bag.

"What was in the bag?" Dad says without looking from his daily paper.

"J-just some sheet music." I said.

My dad doesn't say anything. All he does is mutters about mom and continues reading the paper.

I finish up my breakfast and go back upstairs to get ready for a long day at school. Once I reach my room, I put the card underneath my pillow along with the $300 dollars. I look into my mirror and try to figure out how I am going to hide my eye. I would usually do a smokey eye but I didn't want to because having a smokey eyes makes you an automatic slut in my school. But, it is the only way to cover up the hideous brusing that covers my eye. Unless I wanted people asking me quetions, I go ahead and go with the makeup look.

I put on my school uniform which is a brown knee length skirt and a white shirt. I go downstairs and grab my shoulder bag, sling around me and start to walk towards the door. I turn around and look at Tommy.

"You coming?" I ask

"Nah. I'm gonna stay here until 3rd period. I'm not doing anything until then."

I was hesitant to leave him but I didn't want to stay for another minute in this house. I look into the mirror that is by the front door. My pale face is slim and my lip is cracked. I take a deep breath and step outside into the world.