Discovering Carter

chapter three

There is abuse, cussing, and mentions of suicide in this chapter. So if it triggers you, please dont read this chapter.
~~~~~
Seth looked at me as if my words didn't make sense. My words were obviously still registering in his brain. He cocked an eyebrow and tilted his head to the side.

"You want me to take you to Australia even though I've never even seen you before?" He asks, proving a good point. I'm sure he'd rather go with a friend or a 'hot chick' than me.

Sure he's sort of kind and stuff, but I shouldn't expect him to bring me with him and pay for my plane ticket and stuff. What am I thinking?

As we walk through the hall together, to his locker I believe, I just shrug and look at him.

"I know I shouldn't expect you to bring me with you but I just really need to go one this trip, okay? And I don't have the money to pay for the plane and I wish I did. You're my only hope," I say, hoping I didn't come off as too needy but I'm sure I did. Giving him a small smile, I start to lose hope. He doesn't look convinced by any means.

Entering his combination code for his locker, he just looks away from me and tries to process what I just told him. He takes a long time to process things I've noticed. He stuffs all of his books into there in a very unorganized fashion and grabs his fancy, metal lunch box.

He turns around and comes to face to face with me while he shuts his locker quickly. "Look, umm..." he just shakes his head and puts his face into his palm, "ugh what's your name again?"

"Carter," I say firmly but try to say it in a sweet tone.

"Look, Carter. I just don't know you. And I don't think I wanna take someone who I don't know to a completely different continent with me. I mean I'm sure you're nice and fun and stuff but I just don't know you. And why do you even need to go so bad? To see the scenery?" He explains while practically staring into my soul with those gorgeous, piercing green eyes.

What in the world do I say to that? Cause my life depends on it? If I don't go I'll probably kill myself? My real family is down there and I'm gonna go see them without anyone's permission? None of that sounds right or is the least bit convincing. But I can't just lie to him. I've been lied to plenty of times before and it sucks.

"I just really need to go, okay? It's important and this is the only opportunity that I have to go to Australia. Seth, I've been waiting to go there basically my whole life. If I don't go soon, something bad is gonna happen. I know you don't know me and would much rather go with someone else. Seth, I'm begging you. Please take me with you,"

"Why can't you just tell me why you need to go so badly?" He asks in a concerned voice.

"Just trust me, okay? I'll probably tell you when we get there."

"Fine. I'll think about it and let you know tomorrow. Don't get your hopes up," he turns from me and starts walking away, "I'm gonna go eat now." And with that, he's gone and walks down the hallway and out of my sight.

All I can do now is hope and wait that Seth decides to bring me along.

after school

Shouts come from the house and I'm scared to open the front door and walk into that death trap. I can hear Robert's loud voice accompanied by his stomps and the pounding of his fist onto what is probably a wall or table. Oh god, I hope it's a wall or table.

I hear the cries of Ryan and Justice and this is when I reluctantly decide to intervene. I can't let Robert hurt Ryan. Ryan is the one who has helped me in my times of need and if he hadn't been there in the hard times I don't know if I would still be alive. And Justice doesn't deserve to be injured either, as annoying or mean as he may be at times, he's gone through enough crap and abuse in his life.

Opening the front door, I enter the house and see Robert cornering Ryan in the kitchen between the counter and the wall. Justice is relentlessly pounding at Robert, begging him to stop shouting at Ryan. However, Jus doesn't do much damage with his 14 year old scrawny arms.

From what I can see, Ryan is thankfully not hurt. Yet.

Robert turns around and stares daggers into my soul and they don't feel warm like Seth's did. They feel like his eyes are shooting lasers at me and I should run away. But I can't run away. I can't let Robert hurt Ryan.

"Carter, stay out of this. This little punk took five dollars from me. That's a fucking violation of trust," he says and turns his face away from me and pins Ryan against the wall. He pulls Ryan forward by the shirt and then thrusts him back into the wall again.

Ryan can't do anything, he's stopped shouting back, he's stopped fighting. Silent tears just run down his cheeks.

With all of my built up anger, I throw down by backpack, stomp over to them, and shove Justice out of the way. I know Jus was probably just trying to help, but I'm pretty sure that he just angered Robert even more.

I try to pull Robert back and pull his hands off of Ryan before things get worse, but before I can touch either of them, Robert turns around to face me and let's go of Ryan.

"Don't you dare. What makes you think that you can intervene in our personal matters, you little shit," he growls threw his gritted teeth. Before I can run away, he grabs my wrist with one hand and slaps me hard on the cheek.

"Robert, get off of me," I cry and try to take his hand off.

All he does is shake his head and punches me hard on the same cheek before finally letting me go.

"I was just going easy. Next time, stay away," he shouts at me and stomps away into his bedroom.

I look around and both Ryan and Justice are gone. They got away while they could and I don't blame them. I'm sure Ryan will come back to see me eventually.

With my strength, I run to my bedroom, dragging my backpack behind me, and shut and lock my door. I flop down onto my small bed and cry.

I cry and hold my aching cheek for what seems like an eternity. Robert hasn't hit me in a few months and I forgot how bad it feels. Not just physically but mentally.

His shouts and hits make me feel more like garbage than ever. I'm broken, and he broke me more.

Ugh, I really need to go find my real family. My family who won't hit and cuss and threaten me.
~~~~~
Okay guys, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I worked really hard on it! And surprise, I updated early than I promised because I probably won't have a chance to update on Friday or Saturday.

There might be an update on Sunday, but it'll probably be on Monday like I said.

Thanks for reading and don't forget to vote. Love you guys!
Sky 🌌