Book 1: Infest:

4

"Heard you were a little shit while mark was here watching you guys....." my dad said as I sat on the couch fighting back tears "I thought I had pretty strict rules about respect?"

Respect? He wanted to talk about respect? He's the one who is lacking respect he doesn't care about anybody but himself.

"I'm sorry....." I choked out but he had no idea what happened while he was gone "but you don't know what happened...."

"I know enough and I know the truth.... who the hell do you think you are fighting with a grown man?"

"A grown man shouldn't be putting his hands on a kid....he had no right"

"I don't give a shit you're a liar..... "

"What difference does it make? Obviously you don't care because you don't care who you leave to look after us.... "

"You don't know shit"

"You're wrong you don't know anything..... you only think you do..."

He grabbed me by the hair pulling me off the couch and threw me to the floor pinning me down.

"I don't know anything? I know a hell of a lot more than you do you little shit... you need to learn to keep your mouth shut. You're awfully mouthy huh? I'm tired of it!"

"I'm tired of being here! I hate you! You never listen to me!"

Parents were supposed to protect their kids but that wasn't the case with mine, especially my dad it's like he has no soul..... he just doesn't care what he does to us in particular. I always wondered if he was always like that? Dead inside, he had anger problems and didn't try to control himself.

"Because I don't care what you have to say! I'm the adult you do what I say!"

He slammed me against the wall and my mom came running in yelling at him

"What is wrong with you!"

"See how piss poor of a parent you are?! Teach your kid not to lie! "

"I'm not lying!"

He threw me to the floor hard and shook me my mom jumped on him hitting him but he threw her to the floor I got up trying to leave the house but he threw me into the coffee table and I started to cry.

"See what happens when you don't keep your mouth shut? Stop lying "

"What is she lying about?"

"I'm not lying he's the liar! He's been doing it for years!"

My mom looked back between my dad and I "what are you talking about?"

"I'm talking about Mark! Mom I swear....."

My dad chuckled "why would we believe that? "

"Mom....."

My mom got up but her expression changed "well.... I guess he has a point....how can we? When you're running around with that boy? "

I felt defeated and alone like I couldn't control myself anymore, they both walked away and I went to my bedroom laying on my bed staring at my ceiling. In these past months I had started to change... I was questioning myself I guess all the abuse and neglect was getting to me. I had changed towards my friends slightly I just didn't feel like hanging out now today at school I got called to the counselor office.

"Thanks for coming in lita"

I rolled my eyes "did I have a choice?"

"Um.... I just want to talk about your grades.... I noticed they're slipping dramatically..."

"And?" I wasn't in the mood to really hear a lecture "I know they are"

"So what's going on? Let's talk"

I shrugged my shoulders "what is there to say?"

"I just want to understand what is going on is all.... so we can meet in the middle and work on this"

"I don't know what to tell you really. There's not much to say "

She sighed "lita I've been doing this a long time and I know when something is wrong.... "

I laughed "you don't know anything....are we done?"

"No we're not we need to get you back on track I'd hate to see you go through summer school or get held back..."

"I don't need to get anything back on track I'm just fine " I got up leaving without being excused and went to my next classes then lunch, but I skipped my last classes heading to the lake to have time to myself.

I wasn't really myself though I'd changed I used to be sweet and caring now it's like I was cold hearted and didn't care, except for my sister but everything else? Fuck it.... I felt so confused and battled myself daily, my parents didn't give a damn and we were suffering. I knew my dad grew up the same way in a poor living situation I guess he thought it was normal, but his mom loved him so why wasn't that enough? Why was he so cold hearted and dead inside? Obviously my mom was there only when he wanted her and we were there for his own personal humor.

Someone sat down beside me I looked over at him then he glanced at me "hope you don't mind...."

"It's fine...." I muttered

"You alright?"

I scoffed "far from it but it doesn't matter...."

He nodded his head then pulled the sleeve of his sweater up all I saw were cuts and bruises "me too..."

"That's a first... normally the people I come across are normal.... per say"

"Yeah well not me.... parents don't care about me or anything I have to say"

"I know what you mean I tell them something and I get called a liar they never believe anything I say, just turn the other way "

"Yep. Like why have kids if you don't know how to give love? I've learned to not care anymore.... I used to question myself "

"Yeah. I battle myself daily..... wondering what's wrong with me?why are they like that.... do I feel emotions anymore? Or is my heart an icebox?"

"It happens to a lot of us.... kids being singled out by shitty adults who don't care.... it's best for us to not care...."

"Very true. Well I gotta head out... maybe I'll see you around?"

He took a pen and crumbled up piece of paper from his pocket then handed the paper to me after writing on it.

"My name is Chaz.....we should hang out sometime..."

I turned walking off it's not that I don't like my friends but it felt nice talking to someone who knows what it's like.