Reversing Roles

Chapter 2

THE NEXT MORNING...

Breathe, Alyssa. Breathe.
Alyssa King stood in her bedroom, in front of her full-length mirror, examining herself. Today was her first day at East High, and God, she was nervous. Even though, wherever she went, she put on a tough/bad girl act, she was still insecure, shy and, well, nervous, deep down. She had her layers, like a cake, or.... an onion. But, she wanted to bury that side of her. She didn't want anyone here to think she was pathetic or defenceless, or to know about how fucked up her family, or her past, really was. She wasn't going to let anyone get too close. Her aim at East High was to fly below the social radar.

She kept studying herself in the mirror, letting her eyes travel up and down her body, over and over again, unsure if she was satisfied or not. She sported a pair of ripped, black skinny jeans, an old, faded Rolling Stones tee, which she'd tied into a knot around the bottom corner, heavy eyeliner, a light coating of foundation, and finally accompanied by her trusty black high-top Converse. Her long, black hair had been tied up into a messy ponytail, and the single bright pink hair extension she had in, stood out immensely.

Alyssa took another slow, long breath. She nodded her head at herself in the mirror, as if to say, "I'm ready". She grabbed her small, black backpack off the floor, swung one strap over her shoulder, grasped her iPhone from her dresser, and made a beeline for the stairs. She hurried down, and seemed to sprint towards the front door. All she wanted to do was get out of the bloody house before her step-dad saw-

"Where do you think you're going?" Suddenly, an unpleasant, queasily familiar male's voice stopped her in her tracks. She quickly gulped down the lump in her throat, then pivoted on her heel to face the man before her, standing angrily in the living-room. He wore a dirty, unattractive white singlet and boxers, along with an equally unattractive facial expression. Alyssa put on the bravest face she could muster.

"What do you want?" The anger and determination in her voice surprised them both.

"Don't have sass with me, you, ungrateful bitch!" Robert, her step-father, shouted. Alyssa breathed in sharply. How dare he?! He has no right to disrespect me, in my house, while my mother isn't here! Wait.... where is my mother? Sudden distress washed over her.

"Where's my mother, you, fat moron?!" She was so fired up. Robert had been torturing Alyssa and her mother, Carol, ever since she was seven. Putting up with his angry, harmful, and even abusive, both physical and mental, ways for ten years was becoming too much for Alyssa to handle. But suddenly, as she realised what had just exited her mouth, she practically recoiled. She'd awaken the monster within. She tried to swallow the dryness in her throat. Robert stared directly at her, fire gleaming dangerously in his eyes. He rapidly stormed over to Alyssa. She tried to make a quick escape for the door, but as she hauled it open, he slammed his giant fist against it, causing it to swiftly smash against the door frame again. Alyssa winced at the sound.

"What did you just say to me?" Robert asked, almost inaudibly. He now slowly approached her, and cornered her against the wall, looming intimidatingly above her. Steam practically blew from his large nostrils. The gross smell of heavy alcohol tinged his breath. When she didn't reply, too afraid to even move, he asked again. This time, he shouted it.

"WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY TO ME?!"

"Nothing," Alyssa squeaked. He raised his eyebrows and lifted his grimy, right hand. Before she could even register what was going on, his hand made rapid contact against her cheek, sending a loud SMACK! throughout the house. Alyssa shrieked, and fell to the hard floorboards, rubbing her flaming cheek. Sharp, blurry tears pricked her eyes and her breathing quickened. She stayed, kneeling on the kitchen floor, for what seemed like an eternity, holding in whimpers and nestling her face in her trembling hands.

"Now, girly," Robert sneered. "When I ask you a question, I expect an answer. Is that clear?" Without looking up, Alyssa nodded. "Good," he spat. "Now, leave. Get out of my sight, you, filthy rat." He then swivelled around and slowly trudged back to his original position on the couch. Alyssa stared at him for ages before moving off the floor. Finally, she picked herself up, grabbed her backpack and phone from the floor next to her, and silently slithered out the door. She hurried down the driveway, passed Robert's old Mustang, which was still beat up after he'd crashed it four months ago, never bothering to try to get it fixed. She rushed down the footpath and crossed the road, not stopping until she was a block away from home. When Alyssa slowed down to a walk again, she sincerely hoped that school was better than that bullshit.