Set Me Free

Chapter 1

My name is Ari and I'm 17 years old. I'm a junior at Westburg High in Orlando, Florida. My little sister, Amber, just turned 12 three days ago and she's all I got. We don't come from money but I'd be damned if I walk out the house with no damn money. I have two bestfriends, Chanel and Tammy and they've always been there for me. My boyfriend name is Shawn, we've been on and off a few times but I guess you can say we love each other.
Westburg High isn't a really big school. Everybody knows everybody's business thats why I don't tell anyone anything anymore. Tammy and Shawn are the only two people that know about what my dad did to me last month. Sometimes, I feel that I cant tell Chanel anything because she tells it how it is and I don't like to hear the truth if it hurts.
"Ari..Ari..Wake up, we have a doctor's appointment this morning." Amber said to me, as she shook me out of my sleep.
"I don't feel like it right now. Wake me up in five more minutes."
"Okay I'll wake you up when I get out of the shower."
As I laid in the bed for a good 10 minutes, I felt someone touching smoothly on my dark brown skin and stroking their fingers through my long black hair saying repeatedly "Get up baby girl. I know you hear me. It's 10:00 get up."
I opened my eyes and saw my tall, dark daddy standing over me with a smirk on his face.
"Get away from me, don't touch me and never come near me again."
"Ha! Or what?"
"I'll tell mom that's what I'll do."
"And do you really think she'll listen to you? Come on now, me and you both know your mama better than that."
"Whatever. You ain't gone get away with the shit you doin, just know that much."
I got up and walked to the bathroom. I cant believe we have to live with this nigga and I damn sho dont want his ass to even be recognized as my dad. I said to myself quietly, looking at myself through the dirty bathroom mirror. It was so much hurt and pain inside of me that I was hiding. Just by looking at me, you couldn't even tell that I was going through so much. But I am. I'm hiding all of my heartaches behind a smile.
I grabbed my phone and called Chanel. It rung a few times then went straight to voicemail. I know this bitch seen my call. I hung up and called Tammy.
"Hello?" Tammy answered with her soft voice.
"Where you at?"
"Umm..at Waffle House?"
"With who? Chanel?"
"Umm yeah..with Chanel."
"Give Chanel the phone cause I tried to call her but her ass ain't wanna answer."
"She is in the bathroom right now. Sorry, I got to go!"
Tammy hung up the phone in my face. Why is she in such a hurry to get off the phone? Why is she acting weird? Oh well, fuck it. That's none of my business. I jumped in the shower for about 15 minutes and when I got out, it was almost 10:30. I had a missed call from Chanel. When I called her back, she sounded as if she had just woken up. It doesn't seem like she's at Waffle house nor with Tammy.
"Where are you? I wanted to come over after I left the doctor."
"I'm at home and you can come over."
"Tammy said that ya'll were at Waffle House."
"No I'm at home. She said that she was going to Waffle House with Shawn today."
"Imma call you back." I hung up quickly. I was furious.
I ran out of the bathroom trying to hold the towel up. I went to my room, locked the door and threw on some clothes. I don't care how I look or what I'm wearing, my main focus was to just get my ass to Waffle House. I was going to get Amber to come with me because I'm not letting her stay in this house with dad but when I was calling her name she didn't respond. I looked all around the house for her but I couldn't find her. I ran to the front window and opened the blinds. No car was out there. Her and dad were gone.
What the fuck! How could they leave without telling me and why did Amber just hop in the car with dad. Normally, she wouldn't do that. Now, I'm like fuck Tammy and Shawn. My sister is my main focus right now. I hopped in my blue jeep and sped to the doctor's office. I ran inside and didn't see them in the waiting room.
"Hey did Amber Hines and Alex Hines check in today?"
"Umm. Hold on one second, let me check." The lady at the front desk replied, rambling through a stack of paper. "Well I have here that Ari and Amber Hines was supposed to be here today at 10:30 but no one showed up. Are you the mother?"
"No I am Ari Hines but thank you."
"Okay! No problem."
I was above furious. There was no word that could describe how mad I was. This is ridiciculous. I reached in my pocket and called my dad, phone went straight to voicemail. I called Amber, phone went straight to voicemail. Where could they be? I'm obviously not going to find them if I don't have any clue where they would be. So I went to Waffle House. As I was pulling up, Tammy and Shawn were walking to the car. I pulled beside them and rolled down the window.
"What the hell is ya'll doing? Out on a date?"
"No-No we were just talking." Tammy Stuttured. You could tell by the look in here eyes that she was nervous.
"Talking huh? Shit looks as to me as if it was more than that. And shawn, while you're standing over there all quiet. I'm done with you. Don't call my shit or text my shit. I'm done. And for you Tammy, don't say shit to me. Ya'll are nothing but lies."
I drove off almost running over Tammy's feet. But I didn't give a damn. Her ass had no business out with Shawn. I pulled up in the driveway and saw dad's car parked in front of the house. I went to the car and saw Amber sitting in the back seat staring into space. Eyes wide open like she drunk a whole case of energy drink. She wasn't even moving or blinking. This is strange. I wonder what's wrong. I thought.
"Amber is you straight?" She didn't respond. "AMBER!"
Amber jumped up. "Oh I'm good, I'm fine."
"Where were ya'll at?"
"Uhh.. We were at the doctor's office."
"No ya'll were not. I went up there and they said no one showed up for the appointment. Don't lie to me."
Amber didn't speak. "Amber talk to me. What did he do to you?"
"Nothing..He did nothing."
"I'm going to ask you one more time and you need to tell me the truth. What did he do to you"
"He told me not to tell anyone."
"Did he touch you?" Amber put her head down and said nothing. "Amber did he fucking touch you!?" I teared up.
Amber shook her head slowly, "Yes."
"Tell me everything he did to you."
"He told me to unbutton my shirt and take off my clothes and..." Amber bursted into tears.
"And what else?"
"And he pulled down my panties and put his hands in my privacy. He took off his pants and put his stuff in my privacy and covered up my mouth. He told me if I told anyone that he would.."
"Amber he would what?"
"He would kill me." Amber cried even harder and harder. I even cried. I hated who this man has become and I hated myself for allowing it to happen. I rubbed her back and held her closely.
When I looked over, I saw him. Standing next to the car with a gun in his hand. He opened up the door and held the gun towards us. I can't believe what is happening.