Adopted by Our2ndLife

Chapter 7

For the remainder of the night, Connor and I fought over who deserves to win "Cupcake Wars" (Connor always rooted for the guys who won).

After the 8th episode I looked at the clock- 3:00 am! "Connor..." I whine. He doesn't take his eyes off the tv as the 9th episode starts.

"Yeah?" "It's 3 am." "Shit."

He stands to his feet and stretches, "I have a collab to do with someone tomorrow at noon."

"Who?" I ask as I turn off the tv, "Aaron Fields, he's a new YouTuber."

I grunt dramatically, "I have nothing do to tomorrow.... Can I come with you?" "Sure." Connor shrugs.

He then breaks into an evil smirk but quickly recovers, what was that about? I look at him oddly but he just says "Night." and exits the room.

I shrug and snuggle into the couch and fall asleep.

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The next morning I wake up around 9:45 and decide to get ready quickly, I grab some of my new clothes (still laying on the couch, but no one seems to notice or care) and other things I need to get ready and head to the hall bathroom.

When I'm all ready I exit the bathroom and place the rest of my things in a shopping bag.

I grab an apple from the counter and watch some more tv till Connor enters the living room in a plain green shirt and shorts.

"Ready to go little buddy?" he chuckles, I roll my eyes. It feels like I've been friends with Connor forever, we fight like brother and sister, not so bad that I can't stand him.

Connor is probably the only guy in this house I'm comfortable with, but like a brother.

I feel a tap on my shoulder, Connor is staring at me weirdly. "Done thinking about whatever?"

I nod and we head out the door, I hop in the front and I hear a groan in the back. "Why is the girl coming?"

It's the boy I thought was Connor's little brother, I think his name is Sam. "Because she has no friends to hang out with." Connor says without hesitation.

I snort, "That's right." Not even going to deny it, I add "Why are you here?"

"Because I'm helping with the challenge."

I look to Connor, "Challenge?".

Connor nods slowly as if I'm a 9 year old not understanding politics, "Yes, a challenge. The-"

The back door opens and the car shakes as someone climbs in, I turn around then spin around really quickly.

Jc. Oh god I'm not ready to talk to him, to make matters worst, Connor raises his voce to get my attention.

"Tori!" I give him a dead serious look, "What?"

"We're doing the...."

My mind wonders off into a distance as Connor babbles on about who knows what, my mind churns and turns on previous events...

"I didn't mean to! It-it I-I-" "That's no excuse you worthless piece of shit!"

He raises his hand and brings it against my face with such force that I stumble back into the nearest corner, my cheek warms and swells as I hold it.

"I didn't m-mean to. I'm such a klutz, I'll clean it up." I cry, "You damn well better!"

He grabs my arm and throws my frightened body to the ground, when Kurt's mad he doesn't own a heart. It turns black and shrivels away- just like his soul.

He accidentally elbows a wine glass on his dresser and it shatters onto the ground, I quickly pick up the piece. In an attempt to clean up before he discovers the mess, I wince loudly as a big piece of glass cuts my flesh.

Kurt spins around and his eyes flash, "You bastard!" he picks me up by my shirts, applying painful pressure to my collarbone, and I drop all the glass piece onto the floor.

He drops me onto the floor and at that moment as the glass climbs into my skin, an image of my mother smiling and laughing at our last vacation to Florida flashes through my mind.

She would want me to stop whining and suffering, she would want me to do anything but stay with this awful man who harms me. She would tell me to run.

My whimpers go quiet and I stand up from the glass pieces, Kurt is facing the window pondering.

I suck in a breath and run. I run out of the living room and to the front door, I unlock the door and slam it behind me as I run out into the cold night.

"Tori... Tori... Tori!" I spring up from my seat but my seat belt restrains me, I unbuckle the seat and sweep my hair to my other shoulder.

My heart is racing and I'm sweating like crazy, something touches my arm softly and I flinch away from it.

Of course I know who it is, I mean who's always there when it's a bad time or in the most inconvenient yet convenient times.

Grab his reassuring forearm, I relax, "Bad dream?"

I nod, he nods in understand meant. "What about?" Jc ask me, "Step-F-father..." I whisper and stutter.

He nods. I climb out of the car and we walk up to the house where I'm assuming this Aaron guy lives.

I'm not excited anymore, to be perfectly honest I just want to be alone. But I came here to watch Connor- and that's what I'm going to do. But maybe, just maybe, I can keep an eye on someone else...