Tess

Five

Saturday night was a swirl. After Jasper had dropped me off at home he was all I could think about. Mysterious yet eventful, rude yet he makes my stomach swirl. Cliche I know.

"Tess, take Charlie to the park your fathers coming home soon." My mother stirs from the couch in a fatal position.

I know it pains her to see my father take his anger out on Charlie and I, but she knows there's nothing she can do; so instead she drowns her sorrows in bottles of whisky.

"Charlie let's go." I whisper grabbing his grubby hand.

He resists frowning, not wanting to look away from the tv. I go to grab my shoes and he follows in tow.

"When's dad getting back?" Charlie asks.

"Soon so let's go." Charlie understands and gets ready as well.

He's a cute kid but you would never know we were brother and sister. I have dark brown hair with green eyes and soft facial features, while Charlie is blond haired with freaked on his nose, and pale with a sharp jaw. He takes from our father. I still don't believe Dane is my dad. My mother doesn't talk about it much but I've always known he wasn't my real dad, yet I don't remember a time without him. My mother didn't deny it when I questioned her at 13.

The sun beats down on us as we step outside.

"We got a new teacher, she's really nice." Charlie says.

I nod like I'm interested but I'm looking over at Jasper's house noticing his motorbike gone so he must be as well. There's yelling coming from his house and I recognize it, it sounds like his dads voice.

"Tess, are they like us?" Charlie questions as we walk down the street away from our house.

"What do you mean?" I question.

"Is there daddy and mommy mad all the time like ours?" My heart sinks. No kid should think that way.

"Charlie that's not nice to say." I scold. He looks down at the cracked side walk and grabs my hand.

The park is only a block away. It's small , old and wooden. It's not like this neighbourhood can do anything about it anyway. Charlie runs out of my hand and to the park across the street from where we were standing.

"Charlie watch out for cars!" I yell after him.

He laughs as he runs through the empty street and goes on the the play structure.

I walk across the street just as a low rumble rings through the air. A black sleek car turns the corner towards me and I book it to the other side trying to reach the park. The car zooms past me with wheels burning the street, and misses me as I'm running by a few feet.

The cars windows were all tinted so I couldn't see who was in it. I could faintly hear them yelling through my adrenaline rush. I'm heaving breathlessly at the park looking back at the car.
"That's Jasper's girl." I remember hearing when they attempted to hit me. Although it seemed as though they were just trying to scare me.

A million questions race through my mind. Jasper's girl? What does that mean?

"Tess! Are you ok?" Charlie asked, eyes wide with fear as he looks at me on top of the play structure, griping the wooden railing till his knuckles turn white.

I nod still trying to catch my breath. Running is definitely not my strong suit. My phone buzzes in my back pocket and I pull it out to see who's texting me.

Are you alright?!

Who is this?

Just tell me if your ok, they didn't hurt you right?

Who is this? How did they get my number? How did they know about the car?

No?

I text back. I'm getting kinda freaked out now.

Just go home trust me

I put my phone back in my pocket and oddly enough I listen.

"Charlie let's go home!" I yell from where I'm standing.

"But we just got here!" He yells back.

"Charlie now!" I tell him.

"Ugh your no fun." He says as he slumps off the wooden structure.

I hope my fathers past out drunk, I don't want to deal with him today.
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Charlie and I made our way back to the house; both feeling uneasy. My brows furrowed when we reached our old un-maintenance house with the siding and paint slowly falling off like usual. Only something felt odd. Very odd. Difference in a sense that something was missing, but what is it?

Charlie runs onto the creaked porch and goes into the house. I follow in tow smelling the normal smoke and alcohol fragrance.

All of the sudden I hear Charlie cry out from the kitchen and I race to him, almost knocking myself over as I turn the corner. Charlie's hunched over himself, kneeling on the ground holding his wrist. My father Dane holds a smoke between his lips with a sneer.

My eyes are wide as he looks at me. Charlie is whimpering still clutching his right hand.

"Where is your mother." He bellows at me.

"I don't know." I whispered.

My heart sinks. She left us? Tears threatened to shed but I wouldn't let them. But I couldn't help my lip from trembling. Come on Tess don't seem weak. Dane feeds of weak.

"Answer the damn question! Where is your mother. I got home and all her stuff is fucking gone!" He yells taking the smoke out of his lips and points in all directions.

He walks up to me and grabs my wrist tight.

"You better answer me sweet heart. I wouldn't want to ruin your sweet little face."

My whole body trembles and with a force of adrenalin, I yell out to Charlie and run loose out of Dane's grip, up the stairs and to my room, ushering Charlie in before I lock the door.

"Open this door now!" Dane yells as he bangs on the door.

I bring Charlie to the window and hug him tight, trying to keep his screaming at bay. I hush him as I quiver with each forceful blow to my door.

It seems so long before I hear a murmur outside my window. Dane is still on the other side of the door yelling and hitting it as hard as he can.

"Hey come over here, climb the tree."

I stand up with Charlie and look out through my blurred eyes filled with tears to see the one person that I didn't want to see. Jasper.

I look down at Charlie seeing his helpless form shaking. I open the window wider so we can crawl out. I let Charlie go first. I push him out and onto the big tree separating Jasper's house and mine. Jasper reaches out with his long tanned arms and helps Charlie in. I follow. As soon as I place one foot onto the tree he's already there gripping my waist, hauling me into his room.

It's dark blue with only a twin sized bed. Nothing but a bed and a few clothes pilled up in his closet. I run over and hug Charlie tight, kneeling down to his height.

"Are you okay?" I question.

He sniffles and puts his hand on mine To show a smoke burn mark on the top of his grubby hand. I stifle a cry and kiss it with salted lips, stained with tears.

"Stay here for the night till he's done having a hissy fit." Jasper's low voice cuts through the air. I nod vigorously.
"Thank you." I whisper.
"Don't thank me." He replies.
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SORRY FOR THE LONG WAIT!!
I have been very busy lately so I posted an extra long chapter!!!!

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