Target (sequel to Undercover)

•7•

Every day it's the same in this household. Dad is home again and drunk as hell. I don't understand why he's drinking so much. Suddenly we hear our mother scream, followed by a hard blow like someone falls. Sara runs downstairs, followed by me but when we come into the living room we startle. Our mother cries her heart out and lies on the floor, while our father is abusing her verbally. I start crying by the side and Sara put her arms around me protectively. The angry look of our father finds us.

,,What are you doing here?!" He yells and walks towards us, ready to hit me. Sara leads me under the dining table, where I curl up in her arms. The yelling continues and is getting worse.

,,It's okay, I'm here. I'm always here, Beca." Sara comforts me by stroking my hair out of my face, planting a gentle kiss on my forehead. We hear our mother scream right before another slapping noise, her cries for help follow next. Sara holds me tighter. It's the same every week now. Our father comes home drunk and beats our mother or one of us if we are unlucky. Sara often has to explain where her bruises on her face came from. I'm nine years old, but I understand what's happening. Our father had kicked me in the ribs or punched me somewhere on my body that I can cover, but thanks to Sara not anymore. Last time our father abused us, Sara was being hospitalized after a kick to her jaw that sent her unconscious for two weeks. I hate my father, but what can a nine-year-old girl do? I mean, he's a lot stronger than I am. I try to break free from Sara's hold, but she just holds me tighter. I eventually break free from her grip and run-up to the kitchen, where our father dragged our mother too. Sara immediately follows me, but can't hold me back. I see my mother lay on the floor, blood trickling like a steady stream from her nose. Our father, mounted on our mother's hips, his right hand fisted, a small layer of blood on his knuckles, our mother's blood. I hear Sara startle from the sight and I know what must have happened. Our mother must have fallen after our father slapped her and still he continues to hit her. When our father stands up, getting off of our mother, I scurry towards him and stop next to him. I start pounding into the side of his leg, but that aren't hard punches because I'm nine.

,,Get away from mommy!" I yell while pounding my fist harder and faster. My father looks down and just laughs at my attempt to get him away from our mother. He picks me up by my hair and throws me towards the stove. I hit the ground hard and slide, hitting my head on the stove with enough force to knock me out.

I wake up screaming, causing Miley to wake up too. I do remember that part of the night, but not how I got to the hospital. I guess it was Sara who brought me there. All I know is that I was laying in the hospital for two weeks. Sara told me that our mother was in the hospital too, but that she didn't know if she would make it. From that moment on I wanted to get revenge on him, but I didn't know how.

,,Are you okay?" Miley put me into her arms.

,,I guess." I tell her and she looks me in the eyes.

,,A dream about Sara?"

,,I dreamed about the night my father abused our mother and me. I was brought to the hospital unconscious and lay there for two weeks."

,,Wow, the more you tell me about your father, the more I hate him."

,,Well, that makes two of us. I want revenge on him and I will get it eventually. Mike promised me."

,,I'm sorry to say this, but Mike lied to you about Eloise. Why would he give you the revenge you want? I get that you want to kill your father for what he did to you and Sara, but is that a solution?"

,,Yes. If I see him, I will kill him and nobody can stop me."

,,Not even Chloe?" I shake my head.

,,No, not even her. I love her with all my heart, but if she comes between me shooting my father, I will hurt her."

,,You are not a cold-hearted killer Beca!"

,,I am and if you would have looked me up on the Internet, you would have known it too."

,,I will look it up sometime, but now we have to hit the showers. We have a riff off at some guys apartment." I roll my eyes. Oh right, I'm still a Barden Bella. I get up and notice that my back is covered in sweat. I think taking a shower isn't such a bad idea. I follow Miley out of the room and get into the showers to get ready.

Later that day we arrive inside of that guy his house. I don't get why he wants this riff off, but he explains that he's a big fan of acapella. I roll my eyes and look away from him. Wait a minute! Those two are the ones Mike told me about. I keep looking to them and the host sees that and smiles at me.

,,That group is called Das Sound Machine." He explains. ,,They are one of the best in acapella."

,,I doubt that." I tell him and point to the girls. ,,The Barden Bellas are great."

,,Well, that's a challenge I gladly take."

,,What?" I ask him, but he already walks away. I turn around.

,,That was sweet of you to say, Beca." Says Aubrey and pulls me into a hug.

,,What happened to you?" Stacie gives me a confused look.

,,Nothing."

,,There must have changed something, you're way softer than at the beginning. You used to hate acapella."

,,I'm not soft!" I grab her arm and put it on her back.

,,Ouch, you're hurting me." She claims, but I don't let go. Nobody tells me that I'm being soft!

,,Beca, let go of her." The other girls try, but they won't succeed. I still hold her, until I feel Chloe's hand on my arm.

,,Becs, please don't do this. She was just teasing you." Her voice calms me down and I release Stacie.

,,Wow, Beca. You're strong." Stacie only says and is surprised that someone as small as me, can be this strong.

,,Don't ever say that again!" She quickly nods and they walk away from us, except for Chloe and me.

,,Are you okay?" Chloe asks me. I just shake my head. The dream I dreamed is still inside my head. That's the reason I snapped because what if Stacie is right? What if I become soft because of dating Chloe? I should be planning my revenge by now, but I'm stuck inside this house to sing. I sigh and turn to Chloe to tell her everything, but gets interrupted by Kommissar and Pieter.

,,We heard that you told Jack that you think your group is better."

,,I did because it's true." The other Bellas return and stand behind Chloe and me. ,,We're going to kick your ass. Not only tonight but also at the worlds." Kommissar laughs and steps closer to me. Damn, what is that woman tall!

,,You? You are the kicker of ass?" I just nod. It's true bitch, I can kill even someone as big as you. I would watch my mouth if I were you! ,,But you are so tiny, like an elf. Or is it a fairy? Pieter, wie heißt das Wort was ich meine?"

,,Troll."

,,That's it. You are like a troll." She's so intimidated! She's flawless and pretty, but not as pretty as Chloe.

,,You are physically flawless," I feel Chloe's eyes burn into me. ,,but that doesn't mean I like you."

,,We are not afraid of the worlds because when the Bellas are on stage, we're going to blow minds!" Chloe says and intertwines her hand in mine. The other Bellas leave us again and Kommissar smirks at Chloe. I don't like the look on her face.

,,Darling don't try to beat us because you can't and do you know why?" Chloe shakes her head, obviously intimidated. ,,Because you're averaged. You can't sing and we're the best for years now. You are nothing compared to us." Okay, now I'm losing it! I jump forward to hit her, but Chloe's arm holds me back.

,,You shouldn't have said that to her! She's not some averaged girl and she can blow you away with her singing!" Chloe leads me away, but I still manage to yell at Kommissar. ,,She's perfect, something you're never going to be!"

,,Beca, calm down." Chloe says when we're back with the Bellas and holds me tight. She became one of the most important people in my life and I would die if I lose her!