Destroyed By Words - Completed - Editing

Chapter 1

Carina's POV

"Wake up!" The shrill voice of my mother startles me awake. I keep my eyes firmly shut, not wanting to be awake yet. Unfortunately my date with my bed isn't meant to be as my mom continues her tirade and starts hurling insults towards me like they're nothing.

I sit up groggily which thankfully satisfied my mom who slams my bedroom door and storms downstairs. I place my feet on the floor and let out a deep sigh. Standing up, I head over to my closet and pull out a cropped sweatshirt, a pair of skinny jeans, and some socks. I change out of my pajamas and get changed before going into my connected bathroom and continuing my morning routine. After some light makeup to hide my exhaustion and some braiding I deem myself presentable.

I take one last glance around the room to make sure I'm not forgetting anything important before exiting. I trudge downstairs, attempting to mentally prepare myself to face my parents. As expected, both of their faces are covered by a sneer, their eyes narrowed and judgemental. I keep my eyes to the floor as I make my way over to my backpack laying in the kitchen.

"Have you eaten breakfast?" My father demands. I barely contain the urge to roll my eyes at his dumb question. Of course I haven't eaten, they do their best to limit everything and make me as miserable as humanly possible.

Instead I answer in as respectful of a voice as I can muster. "No sir".

I don't have to look at my parents to know that they are sharing a cruel smirk. They love to remind me of the control that they have over me.

"Could starving yourself be the reason your grades are dropping?" He asks in a mock innocent tone. Again, I use all of my strength to resist rolling my eyes up to the ceiling above.

My grades aren't by any means perfect, but they are certainly not dropping. Living like this for years has given me the wisdom to know better than respond. If I try to correct him I am being disrespectful and if I agree with him I will get in more trouble for not keeping my fake grades up.

I opt to just make sure to grab everything I need for the school day and get out as soon as possible. I will be unbothered once I leave the house. I continue to ignore their predatory gazes as I quickly slip out of the front door. I check the time on my flip phone, the only phone I "deserve" and start the walk to school.

I shake my head, trying to convince myself that even though my parents openly hate me, I am still loved. I fail but push the depressing thoughts into the back of my skull as I get closer to my high school.

After what feels like a short walk due to being lost in my thoughts I arrive at my high school, Apple Hill High. I check my decrepit phone again and make note of the fact that I am 20 minutes early. I make my way to my locker and when I open it a note flutters to my feet. Picking it up and scanning its contents I learn that my best friend unsurprisingly has boy gossip. This time I do roll my eyes. Brooke is nothing if not boy-crazy.

Shoving the note into my pocket I deposit my bookbag and grab everything I need for my first few classes. The precalculus textbook is ridiculously heavy which is one of the reasons I do not enjoy the class. We don't even use the textbook but yet it is required to be taken into the class.

I wait at my locker until my best friends arrive. Ellie and Brooke make a beeline for my locker and almost immediately Brooke starts squealing and spilling her gossip.

"Oh my god, Carina, guess what? There's this rich cute kid coming to our school. His name is Jonah Alender. I cannot wait to see him in person. I heard that he looks so hot," Brooke's voice is loud and high pitched from her excitement. I wince at the volume and she gets the hint pretty quickly.