That word is love (Demi Lovato fanfic)

That Word is Love : Chapter 24

Writers note:

This is an intense weekend chapter. Please skip it if you're not okay with reading strong material. I REPEAT, DO NOT READ.

Trigger warning: extreme abuse and rape

XXX

SATURDAY MORNING:

I was in the kitchen, eating breakfast anxiously when Dad came thundering down the stairs, on the phone.

"Yes, I'm her father. Tony Vasquez." He stormed into the kitchen, collapsing onto a seat and motioning to me to make his breakfast. Immediately, I dropped my own plate and stood up to cook him some eggs.

I was just heating up the frying pan when something in his voice stopped me. I hadn't even bothered to wonder who he was speaking to, but now I was curious. Pretending to open and close drawers, I slowed my movements, listening.

"Yes, of course. I'd like to be kept updated..." Dad was speaking slowly and gruffly, and he kept glancing at up at me. "Okay. Yes. Tuesday night? Okay....Okay... Wait, what?" He pushed up off the table, the cutlery that I'd laid out clattering to the floor with an audible smash. I gave up my pretence of working, staring at him wide-eyed.

My stomach was in knots- it was someone from X Factor, I knew it! They were telling him about me, about what I'd done and- oh, shit, I was so dead. I was dead.

"She did what?" Dad gasped out, glaring at me. "I didn't know, no... What else? Appendicitis? God... Yeah, I was taking a phone call during her auditions. I can't believe her... Yes, definitely. This will be dealt with, don't worry. Yeah. Yes. Okay, thank you so much for bringing this to my attention. Goodbye." I heard the little beep when he cut the phone call, and then there was a split-second of silence before he exploded. "WHAT THE FUCK DID YOU DO?!"

"You told me to!" I rushed out, my hands up, begging. Please no. "I- you said that's why you wanted!"

He lunged at me and his hands wrapped around my neck, squeezing and squeezing until bright black spots danced hypnotizingly in front of my vision. "I did not fucking tell you to get sent to the fucking hospital! You little bitch! He was asking if I knew that you'd lied about your appendix!"

"I'm sorry," I choked out, even as my heart sunk. He. That meant Simon. "I didn't mean to..."

"YOU WEAK SLUT!" he screamed. "You couldn't handle one day and you chose to go out and fuck everything up?" He let go of my throat roughly, and I clutched at it, heaving for air.

"I did!" I confessed brokenly as Dad moved a few metres away from me and started pacing behind the kitchen table. "I didn't mean to, but I ruined everything like you said, and everyone hates me and I'm so sorr-"

"THAT IS NOT GOOD ENOUGH!" He leaned forwards upturned the entire table in rage and it flew backwards into me with a huge smash, sending me crashing backwards against the kitchen counter. My hand sprung back to steady myself, and I gasped out in pain as my forearm landed on the hot stove.

Fuck! I ripped my arm away quickly, but it was too late- already, a patch of skin was reddening and blotchy. "Ow," I whimpered, clutching the skin around it. God, that hurt. "Dad, my arm..."

He gave it a cursory glance before grabbing my forearm and throwing me down on the floor hard. "I don't give a fuck!" My head slammed down on the tiles with a sickening crack. "Get the fuck up and wait for me while I go get-" He didn't have time to finish the sentence- was it going to be cigarette butts this time? His belt?- because the doorbell rang loudly.

"Shit," Dad swore, looking at me like it was my fault. "Get up!" He dragged me up roughly, giving me a quick once-over to check that there was nothing obviously wrong. My head was throbbing and my neck was reddening, but he pulled the collar of my sweater up to hide it. "Stay inside and don't come out unless I call you."