A Court of Stars and Shadow

Chapter 1

I carefully sat onto my bed, reaching over to my nightstand and grabbing 'A court of frost and starlight', one of the final books in the 'court of thorns and roses' trilogy. I had lost track on how many times I read this series; well Sarah J Mass books as a whole. I think it could be considered an obsession, but it was the only thing that kept me going sometimes. I cracked open the book, knowing exactly what was going to happen on the first page and the page after that, knowing that if I really wanted to, I could say the scenes by memory. I twisted to get comfortable and hissed through my teeth as the bruise on my ribs painfully throbbed. A bruise courtesy of my parents who always knew where to leave the bruises where they couldn't be seen.

I reached for the box of matches and lit my night Court candle, breathing in the sweet scent of dark lavender mixed with honey apple and the slight smell of an ocean breeze. Reading was my sanctuary; it was my escape. I glanced to my phone to see a notification from my best friend Emily. I set my book to the side, next to my candle and picked up my phone.

Emily: Hey, how are you feeling?

Me: Better now that I iced my rib

The three dots came up again to tell me she was typing, but they disappeared. It stayed like that for a while, like she was thinking of what to say before it all just came out in a text.

Emily: Your parents are real assholes you know that? Why don't you come over tomorrow? Escape from them for a little?

It was tempting, as it always was when she made the offer, but I couldn't do it, it never turned out good for me when I returned home late at night to my parents. I never told her that though, there were somethings that even she didn't need to know.

Me: You know I wish I could but Its Sunday, my parents will have people over for the football game and I'll be expected to play nice little hostess again.

I sighed through my nose and I could have sworn I felt her sigh through the screen too. There was nothing she could do, she learned that years ago when we first became friends. I knew it, she knew it, so she replied:

Emily: Ok just stay safe, I'll see you at school on Monday.

Emily: Please say you are doing volleyball with me again this year, you are like the best hitter in the state.

The only thing going for me at least. My one-way ticket out of this shithole and into a college far far away from here.

Me: Wouldn't miss it for the world

I left it with that and a heart emoji before swiping out of the app. I placed the phone in my pocket and reached for my book again, grounding my teeth in pain. I was about 100 pages in, getting to my favorite part when my father came into my room. He was angry, the vein in his head throbbing as he tried but failed to restrain his voice.

"You do remember that your mothers' friends are coming over tomorrow morning for brunch right!" shit, I had forgotten. I didn't let my hands tremble, didn't let him see an ounce of fear on my face. "Yes father" I replied, steel in my voice. I didn't let it waver, not once.

"Then why" he said slowly stalking towards me where I lay on my bed, "Is the floor not mopped yet and the house still full of shit. Your shit may I add!". It wasn't my stuff, I barely owned anything of my own as it was and it was all kept in my room, as far away from them as I could put it, but I didn't dare say any of that, not in the mood he was already in. He wasn't always like this, some days he let me sleep in, some days he would let me relax and go out with my friends, but he had the temper of a lion and the patience of a lit match on oil. It was my mother who held his leash though, my mother who never showed me an inch of love my entire life, she was the one to be truly scared of. It's always the quiet ones to watch out for.