Screaming Whispers

Chapter 4

Dawna
  This was illegal.
  Women are not allowed to be in public without a male at her side. But I ran. I ran without not knowing where I was going for the longest time. I had pulled my black hoodie over my head, so no one questioned my gender.
  Soon, the sky grew dark and stars said hello. I was far from home. I came upon a house that I recognized.
  It was Serenity's. I walked up to the front door, questioning what to do. Serenity was never mean to me, she just wasn't in the same friend group as me. Well, I didn't really have any friends. So I knocked on the door. The knob turned, and the girl with white curls looked at me in shock. "Dawna?"
"Serenity"
"What are you doing here? More importantly, what are you doing here ALONE?"
"Family problems. I didn't know where else to go"
"Well come on in before someone sees you. Let's clean you up" she said nicely while guiding me inside. Her house was big.
REALLY big.
No one seemed to be around. The lights were dimmed and the house was quiet. "My room is upstairs" whispered Serenity. "Everyone is asleep"
  We walk into her room. It's huge. It's a baby blue color with white lights strung around the walls. "This is a gorgeous room" I say.
  "Thanks, I decorated it myself. The bathroom is over here"
  We walk into the massive bathroom. It has a jet bath tub with mirrors around it. She places her hand on my back and guides me to the sink. I look up at the mirror and see myself.
  It looks like I got punched in both eyes. My mascara forms two dark circles under my eyes. The skin color liquid is slightly smeared. My eyes are puffy and red.
  As I study myself, Serenity takes a wash cloth and runs it under hot water. Slowly she brings it to my forehead. Then to my cheek. I groan.
  "Is it too hot?" She asks.
  "No it's fine"
  "Oh my god Dawna... your cheek is purple! What happened?"
  "It's nothing"
  "Dawna. This is definitely something. You have to tell me"
  "It's my mother"
  "Wow.. I understand why you came to me. You can't live there anymore!"
  "It doesn't matter, I'm getting married anyways"
  "What?!" Serenity screams in shock.
  "Yeah. I don't even know his name. But it's fine, at least I'll be out of that house"
  "Wow. Someone snatched you up quick. Probably because you're so beautiful.."
  "I'm ugly and everyone knows it. Thanks for being nice though"
  "I only speak the truth, Dawna. So where does the lucky man live?"
  "I don't know. I know nothing about him. Truth is? I don't want to marry him. I want to fall in love with someone. You know, on my own"
  "Who knows? Maybe you'll love him.." Serenity says while tilting her head. She was definitely one of those petty girls. I hated girls like that, but whatever, it was nice to have a friend around.
"Maybe. I'd just rather go at my own pace, but us woman aren't able to decide"
  "Cheers to that. How about we go to Star City tomorrow? Get your mind off things" Serenity smiled. Star City was the 3rd largest city in Lunatopia. It was only 20 miles away. I responded with an "ok"
We talked the night away. Serenity was such a nice girl, a friend. She told me that Valentina and Mia weren't even her friends, she didn't have anyone else. Now she had me.
•••
I wake to white strays of sun gleaming through Serenity's ginormous windows. Serenity is in the shower, singing poorly. I glance at the clock that read 6:30 am. I crush the pillow against my face.
Too early.
"Rise and shine sleepy head!" Serenity sings. I lift my head from the pillow and see a towel wrapped around her thin little body. "Here, put this on" she said while throwing clothes at me. "We have to leave soon so my parents don't see you. I was planning on going to Star anyways, so they'll know I'm gone. Now hurry!" She runs back into the bathroom with an outfit. I rub my eyes and see what Serenity left out for me.
It's something a pretty girl would wear, not me. It's a Manila colored crop top with long sleeves and skinny jeans. It's adorable, but not me. "Serenity? I'm sorry, but I just don't wear this kind of clothes" I shout hoping she will hear.
  "Cmon Dawna! I'm dressing like a guy for you today. Would you rather us trade roles?"
  "Wait what do you mean?" I'm beyond confused.
  "You really think I'm going to ask my Dad bring us to Star? I'm dressing up like a guy so we don't get arrested. Now hurry up! We're leaving in three minutes"
  This girl is crazy. But she's doing this for me, so I can't turn her down, she's being so nice to me. I like having a friend around.
  I peel my old clothes off my body and put on the outfit Serenity laid out for me. It's a gorgeous outfit, but it's still not me.
  Serenity walks out in saggy jeans and a black sweatshirt with her hair pulled back in a tight bun. She's wearing no makeup. "You look so cute in that outfit, Dawna! I love it so much on you that you can keep it, I have a million outfits anyways. Now let's go! But be quiet, we can't wake up my parents" she says while slowly walking out of the room. I follow.
  We walk out to Serenity's car. It's a white Ford Fusion. Lucky girl. Most woman in Lunatopia don't have cars.
  Unless you're rich.
  "Alright! Let's get this show on the road!" Shouts Serenity. She turns up the radio and puts her sunglasses on. "Won't your parents wonder where you are?" I ask.
  Serenity turns down the radio. "No. They don't care about me. No one really does"
  "Why?"
  She gives a short, shy smile. "When my mother had me they planned on me being a boy. I obviously wasn't, but after my birth mother developed cancer in her uterus, which caused her not to be able to have children anymore"
  "Oh Serenity, I'm so sorry"
  She gives a short laugh. "Don't apologize. I don't mind it. I'm free to do whatever I want"
  I know better. Deep down I can see that she just wants someone to care about her. "I care about you"
  She gives a shy smile again, but this time it's real. "Thanks Dawna"
  "So, how are you guys so rich?" I ask.
  And for some awful reason Serenity starts to cry. "I'm sorry. I-"
  "No it's okay, I just have never talked about it before" she says as she wipes her tears with a tissue. I don't say anything, I'm beyond confused.
  "My father makes me sell my body to men, I've already gotten pregnant twice"
  Tears have already sprung to my eyes. How could someone be so cruel? Serenity is so beautiful, so kind. She does not deserve to be kicked around like that.
  No one does.
  "I'm so, so sorry Serenity, I wish there was something I could do"
  "It's okay. But it's not that I'm forced to do this that hurts me. It's that my father makes me get an abortion whenever I get pregnant. I have to live my life, knowing I killed my children. I truly don't care who the father is, I just don't want to kill my baby. Once I know that they're growing inside me, I immediately fall in love with them.. but I'll never know how my daughter or son were to grow in this world" she starts to cry again.
  I think I'm crying to, when I pull her into my arms and hug her close.
  Serenity will now forever have a place in my heart.

•••
Note: Hey guys! I hope you are enjoying my story so far, I really enjoy making it. I just wanted to thank all of my readers so far, I really want to go forward with my writing abilities. I hope to get you a better visual of the characters soon. In a few weeks, I'll be starting this story on Episode. Thank you so much for reading! ❤️❤️