All I See is Red

chapter 1

"Hey, Mom—" I came around the corner and stopped short. She was standing in front of the mirror. It was at this moment that I realized how thin she actually was. Her face was sunken in, her cheekbones prominent. She pulled her shirt down fast as she saw me, but not fast enough.

My heart stopped. Her entire left side was covered in black and blue bruises. She wiped a tear from her face before putting on a fake smile and turned to me.

"Hey Scarlett, what's up?" Her smile used to be beautiful. It used to be so bright, it would light up the entire room. Now it was dull and sad looking. She seemed to have aged ten years in just the time that I was at school today.

"What h-happened?" I stuttered, though I already knew the answer to my question.

"Nothing you need to worry about sweetie," she smiled. "I was just about to make dinner." She grabbed a sweatshirt from the end of her bed and pulled it over her head, wincing as she lifted her arms.

"It was him, wasn't it?" I asked, tears threatening to spill from my eyes.

She nodded slowly. I knew it. Knowing that I had been right all along only made me angrier. Angrier at myself for not stopping it.

My dad had died when I was nine years old, leaving Mom, my baby brother Sammy and I alone. Mom married the first person she met, for fear of not making it on her own. I couldn't blame her, we had nothing. Now we were fine and back on our feet. Even though her husband was a drunk, he had a good job, she had a good job, I even had a job so that I could have extra money for things that I wanted that weren't necessities.

Now here I stand, in front of my broken, beat up mother. I had suspected right all along and she finally admitted it. After eight years she finally admitted that her husband, my step father John, beat her.

Until that day, my life was just like your average seventeen year olds. I had my friend circle, but I wasn't much of the social type to say the least. I went to the parties and had a few boyfriends. They never lasted and I wasn't too worried about it. I'd rather be by myself anyways. Now I live my life in fear of what my step father will do to me or continue to do to Mom.

"Hey Red, what's up?" Boston said, sliding in the seat next to me. I looked up to meet my best friends eyes. "You okay?" He asked, his bright green eyes darkening at me in curiosity.

"Yeah, fine," I answered way to quickly. He would know, he knew everything. If he didn't already know by the look on my face, he would figure it out eventually. We had lived next door to each other for years, he was the person I turned to for everything. I could trust him with this, I think.

"Mhmm," he lifted his eyebrow at me and rolled his eyes. The thing about Boston, he always knew when not to push me on something. "Anyways, I need help with my AP cal homework, could you be a doll?"

I rolled my eyes and grabbed the paper from him. I don't know why he asks me, i'm not that much smarter than him, plus i'm a year younger.

I scanned the math problems trying to make sense of them. "Sorry Bos, I have no clue how to do that," I laughed, handing it back.

"Fuck," he mumbled. "Well i'm screwed."

"Yep, i'd say you are."

The bell rang, signaling lunch was over and for us to go to ur next class. "Fuuuck," he groaned.

"I just want to let you know, I love you, if you don't make it," I said with a grin.