Journal (Calum Hood)

Entry 5 (Stephanie)

Entry 5 (Stephanie)

I'm walking down the street with my new boyfriend to get lunch.

"So, Steph, what would you like?"

"For what?"

"For lunch? What else?"

"Oh, shut up. Um, Panera?"

"Panera's cool. Panera works. Panera is where we'll go."

"Yay." We walk into Panera, Calum holding the door open for me.

"Why, thank you, Calum."

"You're welcome." I laugh and go inside. We make it to the counter and I order. So does Calum, then we sit down.

"Order number 578!"

"Oh, that's us." Calum gets up to go get it, but I stop him.

"I got it."

"Thank you, babe." I smile and walk up to where the food is. Once I get there, I see a familiar face. Too familiar, and too frightening.

He smirks.

"I haven't seen you in a while, Steph. Sydney, huh? Whose that low-range Asian boy you're with? You miss me yet?" My eyes widen with fear. My father. My feet are frozen and I don't know what to do. "You little scumbag, you're the reason your mother left me! You're the reason your mother killed herself! You! I told you my beatings were good for you, now you're with that kid. I hate you!" I finally run away, and I drop the food. I run and run and run.

"Steph?! Steph!" Calum yells, but I ignore him. The only thing I'm focused on us running as fast to my house as I can.

"Stephanie, you get your ass over here at once!" My father yells. My heart drops and I obey. My father is incredibly mean, and he beats my mother a lot. He really scares me. I know I should love him and feel protected around him, but he's nothing but a shit father and an abuser, do everything I think about him is the exact opposite.

"Coming!" I yell back. I climb the stares to see my father standing in front of his bedroom door.

"What is this?" My father thrusts a piece of paper at me.

"Um, a letter?"

"No shit, what does it say?"

"What, can you not read?" He glares at me and pushes me up against the wall.

"Read the goddamned letter!" I nod and take the letter.

"'Dear Stephanie, I am dearly sorry for what you have just witnessed. I needed to get away from the monster that is your father. I hated for you to see what I went through, and I hated going through it. You must know that I love you very much, and that I informed my brother that you will be living with him. He will pick you up at the house in the two days and take you to London, far from your father. I hope you have a wonderful time. I know that your uncle James will treat you better than your father. I love you. -Mom.' What I have just witnessed? What was that? What did she do?"

"Would you like to see, my wonderful daughter?"

"Yes, please."

"Go ahead." He points towards the bedroom door and I slowly went to open it. When I did, though, I see my mothers unconscious body on the floor, a bottle of pills tightly clutched oh her arms.

"Mom!" I scream. I fall on my knees to hold her. "Mom, please, wake up! I can't do this alone, I'm suffering, too, wake up!"

"It's over. And you know why? Because you, you bitch! I can't believe you made her kill herself! 'I don't want you to see what I went through' Boohoo. It's all your fault!" My dad yells and grabs me by the hair. He hurls me through the door. He kicks me multiple times. "Get up, you wimp!"