Every Rose Has Thorns

Chapter One

     I hopped in my car and started up the engine. High school had just let out, and I had to be at the middle school to pick up my 13 year old sister in 25 minutes. Lucky for me, it was a 15 minute drive, so I had 10 minutes to sit on my phone while I waited for her to run up to me with her cute blonde hair flying behind her as she raced her best friend, Adaline. It was a daily practice they did, considering Adaline wanted to join the high school track team. Catelynn wanted to support her in any way she could, and believe me, she didn't get that from anyone in our family but me. Letting out a sigh, I backed out of my parking spot, ready for the drive ahead of me.

I was on my phone, that I had to buy for myself, scrolling through Instagram and looking at youtuber's and artist's posts. I didn't have any friends at school, so following people that went to my high school was out of the question. Especially when all of them followed Kevin, the school's most popular bad-boy and the boy that picked on me to no end. Looking at a post by an artist who I became close with online, I smiled and liked his post. It was the mot beautiful, intricate drawing of a city I'd ever seen. He even added watercolor too it, which made it even more beautiful. His drawing was perfect. I got a message banner pop across the top of my screen and instantly knew who it was.

DanielDrawsDecently: Hey, what do you think of my cityscape?

Me: I love it! It's perfect! I love the way you added watercolor too it, and the colors you chose compliment each other so well! I wish I could draw and watercolor like that!

Daniel: Why can't you? I've seen your sketches, they're amazing! I'm sure you could ask your parents to get you some watercolors and they'd be more than happy to help their daughter! You're so talented that it'd be a crime not to help you!

Me: Family issues, remember?

I sighed.

Daniel: Oh yeah, sorry. I forgot...

Me: It's cool. Well anyways, my sister will be out of school soon so I'll talk to you later. See ya!

Daniel: Peace!

Daniel didn't know about my abusive family, he just thought that we were extremely poor and we all fought over money a lot. Obviously, considering we lived in what was practically a mansion, that wasn't true. Sure, I felt bad lying to him, but I couldn't open up to anyone about what was happening, especially with how I'd managed to keep my younger sister in the dark and unaware of the situation or all these years. The bell rang, snapping my out of my thoughts, and I looked up at the door flying open, Adaline and Catelynn bolting our of it, running as fast as they could go. Adaline outran Catelynn and made it to my car first, and she lit up with glee, smiling and laughing like there was no tomorrow. I rolled down the window so that I could talk to them both for a bit.

"I did it! I really did it, Catelynn!"

"You sure did, Adaline! I'm so proud of you!" Catelynn ran up to her friend, giving her a huge hug.

"Haha, congrats, Adaline! You were really fast! Maybe one day you'll be able to outrun me in a race too!" I chimed in, smiling warmly at the both of them.

"You really think so?" Adaline lit up with glee.

"I know so!" I smiled, brighter than before. Catelynn looked at me disapprovingly, as she knew first hand that I never smile, unless it was a fake one.

"Thanks, Everly! I've gotta get going. See you both around!"

"See ya, Adaline!" Both Catelynn and I chimed. My smile went away and I grabbed my phone, looking down at the time. 2:49 was shown at me in bright white letters against my black lock screen. I had a notification from Instagram about getting 57+ likes on my latest post (from the time I exited the app when I stopped talking to Daniel), and I had two YouTube notifications, letting me know that two of my favorite youtubers uploaded new videos.

"So, you're trying to impress Adaline, aren't you?" Catelynn asked nonchalantly as she buckled her seat belt.

"No, I just wanted to seem less stand-offish." I replied, putting down my phone and starting to pull out of the spot I parked my car in.

"Well, thank you. She really looks up to you. How did you even get so good at running?" She asked innocently. I tensed up, knowing that the only reason I was good at running was because I ran from father when he came at me with knives and his fists.

"Practice." I said, and that was the end of it. Most of the ride home was silent, until halfway through it, Catelynn turned to look at me and asked me something I never wanted to hear her ask.

"Everly, what was all the screaming and crying going on downstairs last night... and why do you have a bloody lip and a bruise on your arm?"