The modern adolescent

chapter 2

I grabbed my bag from my bed and lazily wore it and cursed under my breath as I looked at myself in the mirror. I wasn't that good looking nor pretty like other teenagers_i was normal, with my brown thick hair and my overly full lips with big green eyes. I wasn't the definition of beauty and I cursed myself more and more whenever I looked in the mirror.

I had received various comments about how I looked, and trust me it wasn't pleasing at all. I always looked a mess even when I tried to look different, by different I meant curling my hair, applying lip gloss and mascara with a little powder_still no difference. I even gave up on applying foundation and concealer like the other girls. I felt that applying that much makeup on my face made me look like I wore a mask, a mask hiding the ugliness beneath.

I sighed as I looked at myself in the mirror one last time, saying goodbye to my room_my comfort as I closed the door and walked down the stairs leading to the kitchen. It wasn't a surprise that my mom hadn't made anything for breakfast, it was always like that anytime dad and her had their usual fights. I opened the fridge, looked at it with dissatisfaction and grabbed an apple.

Mom was sitting on the couch in the living room, her eyes were filled with sadness and despair as she sat drowned in her thoughts.

"mom I'm off to school"

She pulled herself out of her thoughts "OK bye"

"is that all you have to say? " I whispered before quickly departing.

I walked the hallway and got to my locker, frustrated, I ran my hand through my hair. It was already third period and I had chemistry which I forgot to work on my assignment because of the endless troubles at home. I thought of skipping class but then I mentally slapped myself. What the actual fuck!. I pulled out my chemistry textbook out of my locker and slammed it shut, despite the stares of the students I couldn't care less.

Hedge wood high was a school were the weak were haunted every day and thank goodness I wasn't that weak. I knew how to stand up for myself sometimes. I had no friends and I liked it that way, no stress and no one invading in my personal space. Everyone thought I was a weirdo and I liked it because they all kept their distance. Except one bitch!

"Kelly! So nice to see you! " she smirked and toss her hair, her two minions beside her looked at me with contempt.

I scoffed "I would say it's great to see you too but I wasn't taught to lie" I hissed.

She paused at my words, still shocked then relaxed and took a deep breath " grumpy much? You don't need to stress yourself dear, you already look like a pig and you're so ugly. I wonder how your parents even look at you" she sneered with disdain.

"Camilla.." I paused " we all know you're looking for someone to torture because of how Hank dumped you but bitch you better leave because I know how to wash your makeup off your face without even touching you" I said calmly, showing no emotion at all.

She gave me a dubious look " how dare you say that to me? Do you know who I am? I am.... "

I cut her off "bitch we all know who are. You're a slut and nothing more"

She looked at me with hatred and walked away.

"yeah walk away bitch" I shouted and mentally high fived myself as I walked my way to class ignoring all the stares from the students who just witnessed the scene.

I walked home because mom didn't want to get me a car and I hated the school bus. Yeah I felt different for not being pretty and not being able to have my own car like other teenagers because my mom had to deal with her "issues" and dad practically paid no attention to me.

Home sweet home I sighed when I heard my mom screaming. It was another day of problems and I wondered if they could really get along. But as I walked closer to open the door, the screams became louder,like a plea for help. I pushed the door open and I almost screamed.

I found dad on top of mom slapping her, hitting her so hard that she started bleeding. It was horrible, her clothes were already torn and her hair was chopped off_like two inches long.

"please stop" I screamed on top of my lungs and he didn't even look at me, he still continued hitting her. Mom looked so scared like she was going to give up very soon. Her face was swollen and she was bleeding everywhere.

My instincts took charge as I looked at the wooden chair then looked at my parents and then the wooden chair, I had no other choice. I swung the chair with all my might and brought it on his head and he let out a loud growl and hit the ground. I looked at my mom who already looked half dead and I placed her arm on my shoulder for support. I looked at the man I called my father one last time and mom and I staggered_our way to the door. I opened the door and thanked God for protecting my mom and I as we were took one last glance at our house only to see my dad with a pistol in his hand.

"you think you can get rid of me that easy" he chuckled as he pointed the bullet at my mom and I. "you see all this time.." laughter "I tried to make it work out with your mom, I tried to make us a family again.." he paused " but she kept on cheating on me with her body guard, Steven" he paused again then continued "yes I know I killed those girls but you know how it goes, they tried to blackmail me and you know I value my reputation more than anything.." he gave us an evil glare "or anyone". He chuckled again.

I knew I had to do something to stop him before anything stupid happened but I didn't know how. I had nothing on me that I could use to protect my mom and I. Then I remembered a pocket knife was in my left foot which I always kept for emergencies and right now it was about to serve it's damn purpose. I looked at my dad and thought of how to get to him without him suspecting a thing.

"dad... I know you didn't have a choice...and I know deep down you don't want to kill us" I stammered unsure of what to say. "look dad" I sighed " I love you and I don't care about what you did in the past... I want to live with you.. As a family again.. "

There was a pregnant pause. He looked at me with sadness in his eyes and ears when I knew he had fallen for it. Placing mom on the wooden floor as I made my way to dad, I walked slowly, my pocket knife was already in my back pocket now because I had removed it when I placed mom on the floor. I was so close to him right now and I started feeling nervous all of a sudden. He looked at me, this time sadness wasn't filled in his eyes anymore but it was replaced with pure hatred as he grabbed me and pushed me to the wall.

"I never loved you, I don't even know if you're my daughter or a product of your mother's too many one nightstands. I'll kill you first then kill your mom, don't worry it won't be that painful"

I could feel my erratic heartbeat in my ears as he pointed the gun to my head and I started trembling, my heart squeezed painfully when the bitter reality hit me, my own father wanted me dead. I said a little prayer under my breath as I brought out the knife and stabbed him so hard at his chest before he had the chance to shoot me. His gun fell to the ground and I ran to pick it but he grabbed me from behind. And that was when I realised that I was too late because he already had the gun and he pointed it at me again.

"goodbye daughter" I closed my eyes and said a silent prayer,waiting for the bullet but something interrupted me.

I opened my eyes to find my dad unconscious, surrounded by a pool of blood and then I raised my head up to look at my mom with a baseball bat.

"it's a good thing I still kept this until now" she hissed and swung the bat. "I'll call the police, they'll take care of him"

I was too shocked to see my family drift apart like this, on one hand was my father who was a hardened criminal and he never let anyone get in his way even his family and on the other hand was my mom who despite having an affair with Steven still cared for me, for us. My life is really messed up!