Abused?

Adopted and Abused

(Keaton)

When a child is adopted, the majority of the time it ends up being a blessing. 

In my story, the adoption process started as an easy thing but as time goes on, it becomes worse than any child could ever imagine. 

Even though I'm only in fourth grade, I dance with one of the best companies in the nation, Abby Lee Dance Company. 

Overall, my body aches even without the hours of practice that I go through in the dance week. 

I usually wear a form of pants, as well as a long sleeve shirt due to the countless number of scars that litter my body. 

All of the scars that I wear are the bad side of adoption. 

I thought that it was going to be an amazing thing for me, to get a new start, but Ashlee had other plans, plans that her biological kids don't know about. 

Anywhere we go, or even just at the place that I should be calling home, I try to stay far away from the woman that I should be calling my mother.

When we walk into the studio, I greet both Abby and Gianna. 

"Can I talk to you Keaton?" Gianna questions me and I nod before following her into an office space. 

"What's wrong kid?" 

"Nothing" I may have answered too quickly, and she sent me a look as my heart rate rose. I could tell that she didn't believe me but brushed it off anyway.

I walked out the door to head to the den and only one thought was clouding my brain 'If she was the one that took me in, this would have never happened'.

 Ashlee walked into the den once it was only me and interrogated me on what Gianna and I were talking about. 

"She just asked me if I was okay, she said I looked off today" 

"I don't believe you" 

"I'm telling the truth, I swear" 

"Yeah right, you're an attention seeking little brat" I couldn't say anything to put myself at risk so all I did was nod.

Once she walked out, I sat down with my back on the wall, then buried my head into my hands. I must have not heard the door shut because I jumped when a voice broke me out of my trance. 

"Hey kid, it's time for your solo" I nodded and went out of the den, Gianna following me into a studio room. 

Once my solo practice was done, I went to go and grab Mackenzie for our duet, which was about two sisters that end up suffering. When we were done, I went back into the den because I am not old enough to be in the group dance. 

When they were done, we left the studio and took Maddie with us. I thought that since they brought another person that I wouldn't be punished, but clearly, I was wrong. 

She took me into the room and pulled out a box cutter. She pulled it across my hip and back multiple times. If I were to scream out in pain, I would get an actual beating later, even if she had to take me outside or to the basement.

After I put away my shoes at the studio, there was a paper with a phone number on it from Gianna. She wrote that she would help me whenever I needed it, all I needed to do was call her.

Once Ashlee went to bed, I immediately called Gia and packed the clothes that I actually liked. The blood was soaked into the back of my shirt, sticking it to my skin where the injuries were.

As soon as we got to Gia's house, she cleaned all of the cuts that I had gained and bandaged them. 

I cuddled into Gia's side and eventually fell asleep. 

When she woke up, I was curled into her side, crying. 

"Hey Keaton, what's wrong" 

"Ashlee is going to kill me" 

"I have your back kid, I'll protect you, she won't get her hands on you, and if she ever does again, the cops will be called" When we got to the studio, Gia and I immediately went to work on my solo and polish the parts of it that I have done. When out of nowhere, a person walks in, and I noticeably tense up.