**Grace's POV**
We walked to the mall. Whitney was holding my hand, I squeezed her hand, she looked up at me and smiled. I smiled back. "So what are you going to buy?" I asked, "I'm buying you clothes" Whitney said. "Why?" I asked a bit shocked. "Because, you need some clothes for when you stay over", "Okay" I said.
After a few minutes we arrived at the mall.
"Where are we going first?", "Let's get you some pj's", "Okay". She led me to a underwear and pajama shop. After five minutes I had 9 pairs of panties and two pajama sets, one set was a aqua singlet with pink lace and a pair of shorts with colourful leopard prints, my other seat was a plain black tee and a pair of grey pajama pants. Whitney also got some underwear and a pajama set, her's was a light grey tee with lettering on the front 'If my eyes are closed I'm sleeping' and a pair of black pajama pants with white hearts. We went up to the counter and paid for our items.
We left that shop, "I'm kinda hungry", "Me too" Whitney said agreeing. "Wanna get McDonalds?", "Yep". We walked to the food court and ordered McDonalds, I had a double cheeseburger combo and Whitney got a cheeseburger combo. We sat a table, the mall wasn't that busy, since it was a school day.
"Hey, that girl looks like Hailie" Whitney said, pointing to a girl that looked a lot like Hailie. It was Hailie. "Did you bring your phone?" I asked, turning my head to face Whitney. "Um.. Yeah, why?", "Can I use it?", "Sure?", "I just need to ring your dad". "Okay then" Whitney said, unlocking her phone and passing it to me. I called Marshall.
Beep...Beep.. Beep. Come on Marshall pick up. "Hello?" Marshall said, it sounded like he was out of breath. "Hi Marshall, Hailie's not at school". "What! Where is she?" Marshall said worriedly, I heard a hitch in his breath. "She's at the mall, she wagged school, have you gone for a run or something?" I asked slightly worried. "I'll come pick her up and yeah, I went for a run". I had a strange feeling in my gut that something was wrong. "Okay, I'll see you in a few minutes, we're at the food court. "Okay see you" Marshall said and hang up.
I passed Whitney's phone back, "Thanks", Whitney said. She had already ate her burger and fries and was now drinking her coke. I started to eat my burger, I felt sick. "Hey Whit, do want my food, I don't feel like eating, "Sure, is something wrong". "No, I'm fine. "Grace.." Whitney said, "I feel that somethings wrong, oh your dads coming". "Why?", "To pick up Hailie". "Okay". "Well, where to next?", "I guess to get you some clothes".
We had gone to several stores and came out each one with at least one bag. I had brought a couple of jeans, some shorts, five tops and a pair of shoes. "I'm tired now" I said, the bag straps hurting my arms and hands. "Yeah, me too", "Should we go.." I couldn't finish my sentence and I stopped dead in my tracks. There a few meters away from me, stood my dad.
"Whit, I have to go to the toilet!" I said, rushing the words. I grabbed her wrist and led her to the toilets, I ran into a stall and sat there for a minute. I got up off the covered toilet seat and walked out the stool, Whitney was waiting for me and was playing a game on her phone.
"Let's go" I said, Whitney put her phone away and we walked out the toilets.
We ran out the mall, "Why'd we do that?" Whitney asked, "Just need some air" I said causally, "Let's go home" I said, Whitney jogged next to me and we walked home.
When we walked in the door the first thing we heard, was shouting. Marshall and Hailie were having a fight. I put my bags on the floor and ran where the screaming was coming from. "Hey! Stop!" I shouted, pushing them apart.
"You are such a bitch! I bet you told dad I was at the mall! You're just a bitch!" Hailie shouted at me and laughed right in my face.
Those words stabbed me right in the heart, after a day one of Marshall's daughters hated me. Tears swelled up in my eyes, I remember how my dad used to say that to me every day. It's one of the reasons I was depressed.
"Grace, she didn't mean that" Marshall said reaching for me. I slapped his hands away and ran out the room. The tears started pouring out of my eyes, "See, told you she was a bitch!" I heard Hailie shout, before I slammed the front door shut.
I wiped my face, it must be true. I am a bitch. I heard Marshall shout out my name, I picked up my pace. I felt someone grab my shoulder. I whipped my head around and stared Marshall right in his beautiful blue eyes.
He hugged me, I relaxed into the crook of his neck. I looked on his neck, there was a partly covered mark on his neck. I pulled away and pulled down his shirt. There were several hickeys on his neck. I gasped and ran away. I felt more tears fall down my face, I passed people, I must of looked crazy but I don't care, I just had to get to away from Marshall.
"Grace! Grace!" I heard Marshall call, it made me run faster. I turned off at a alleyway. I knew alleyways weren't safe to be in by yourself, especially if your a young girl. I gulped, steadying my breath , after ten minutes I walked out the alleyway and I walked to a hidden park. No one really used it, so it was perfect for me right now. I went and sat down on a swing, I sighed, I just my heart broken in a million pieces by Marshall and his daughter.
How fucked up is my life?
