Less than Perfect

6. New Playmates {Part one}

                                                                            Chapter Six

                                                                         New Playmates 

                                                                              Part One 

Johnny yanked Skye in his arms and dragged her down the steps, her body lifelessly slung in his hands. Skye moaned and cried fragilely as he propped her on the couch. "Quiet, Princess, everything's alright." He hushed her.

   Yeah right. What horrible thing are you going to do now to ruin my life even more? I'm already dying inside and my life is crashing down, are you going to take me out of the picture for good now? She thought dizzily as she tried fluttering her eyes open.

   "You're still going to keep our little secret, right?" He asked roughly, squeezing his hand through hers. Of course, 'cause it's just so little. "What's that, Princess?" He said through clenched teeth.

   No, he heard me. I really said that out loud? She thought worriedly. "Nothing, please, I didn't mean to—" she was cut off by Johnny's strong hand slapping her hard across her cheek. Skye couldn't do anything, she let herself fall under exhaustion and fall into his violence. She tried to cry out but nothing came out, she just lay there desperately trying to stay awake. Water cascaded down her cheeks and she vaguely could see Johnny through her half-closed eyes. He was utterly infuriated and his usually bright blue eyes were darker than she would think possible. In the pit of her stomach there was a sour feeling of remorse and sorrow; she wished she had strength to save Leah.

   "You are so disrespectful, and I'm tired of it." He put his weight on her and punched her in the stomach, knocking her breath away. Skye whimpered and looked into the eyes of the man she could feel nothing but hate for. She tried to let her feelings fall away, let her feelings drop into what it all ideally should be; but there wasn't a chance. Johnny isn't going to change and she knows that.

   "I—I'm sorry." She stuttered, using every last painful breath. Closing her eyes she gave in; gave in to the beating, to the menacing voice echoing in the distance above her, and to the idea that everything isn't going to get better. I'm screwed, this is how it's always going to be. She drifted off into sleep, Johnny continually beating on her numb body.

            ***

[Three days later]

   "Mom, what happened with you two?" Skye asked as she took the mug from Leah's small hand.

   Leah sighed heavily and sat down next to her daughter; regarding the young and fragile beauty with loss. "Well, there's really nothing to tell you."

   Skye took a sip of the hot tea and looked into Leah's weary eyes, feeling a strong desire to know more about her past. "I think there is, Mom. You haven't told me anything about him besides the fact that he left you—left us. Why would he do something like that?" Skye had longed so much for the answers behind her life story, the entire past of Leah's she wanted so much to dig into and unravel. Leah hadn't told her very much about anything that happened before Skye, and it always played a secret in the backdrop of her heart.

   "Sweetie, why are you suddenly this interested in what happened years ago?" Leah said uncomfortably.

   Skye looked at her mom suddenly quite irritated. "Suddenly? Mom, I have wanted to know for years, but I have tried to mask that and let you live without having to tell me everything. I know that it may not be the easiest thing to talk about, but I think that it's about time I know what happened. He was—is—my father." She spoke calmly but with force, hoping that her mom would finally get the picture and open up. "Please, Mom." She looked deeply into Leah's eyes, pleading and searching for a spark of something, of an answer.