One in a Million (UNEDITED)

Chap 2: Them?

Imani's POV

What are you even doing? You know damn well that you can't pull this off. Why try? My mind snapped at me.

I shook off the depressed feeling and went back into the room to find them looking at me wide-eyed.

See, even they don't think you can pull this off, my mind criticized.

"What's wrong? Does it not look right? I knew it! I'm gonna change, " I panicked going over to the closet.

"No!!" They both yelled and dragged me back from the closet.

"What do you mean 'no'? It doesn't look good, right? I should change!" I struggled with their arms, but they had me tight. "Why else would you look at me like that?"

"We looked like that because you always wear oversized hoodies and jeans or sweats, " Raquel started while I rolled my eyes.

"I do not-, "

"Yes, you do!" They cut me off. "We think you should wear stuff like this more often, " finished Raquel.

"You look great Imani, it reminds us of before your douche of an ex came into the picture, " explained Ariza. At that I just hung my head low, not wanting to relive that past.

"I do wish you didn't add the jean jacket but I know how you are, " Raquel teased. I just stuck my tongue out at her and Ariza laughed at us.

"Come on we were supposed to meet them a while ago, " complained Ariza looking at her phone. All of a sudden she snapped her head up in realization. "Uh- I mean."

Them?

"Who is 'them'?" I asked confused. Raquel went over to Ariza and smacked her upside her head.

"Ow!" she cried.

"Who is 'them'?" I asked them again. They just looked at each other as if in panic.

What's happening?

"Look at the time we better get going!" exclaimed Ariza taking my arm.

"Yea, you know we don't want to miss any deals right?" replied Raquel taking my other arm while they both practically dragged me out of my room.

"Hey! Wait a minute! Who are we meeting?!" I questioned. When I saw they weren't gonna answer me I just gave up. "Bye! Rascal!" I called over my shoulder.

"Arf arf!" he jumped wagging his tail.

"Be good!" I said when we were almost out of the room.

On the way down the stairs, they refused to answer any of my questions nor did they let me go. After a while, I just took advantage of it and let them carry me out of the house. "Bye, mom! I'll be back!" I called.

"Alright! Have fun!" she chuckled when she saw me being carried. "Take care of my baby you two!"

"Yes ma'am!" they said in unison smiling and laughing. My mom just laughed back at us when I waved goodbye dramatically.

"Will you be ok?" I mouthed. She just nodded her head.

"I'll be fine, you deserve to have fun," she mouthed back, going back into the kitchen.

You do too, I thought to myself. You have just as many bruises, maybe even more.

Can we pause again? I want to explain some things...

My mom and I have always been pretty close. She has been with me through thick and thin and I with her. You may be wondering about my dad right?

Well...he is a bastard.

He can rot in hell for all I care. I don't usually use this kind of language but with him it is necessary, my uncle included. Though we may be blood-related I will never acknowledge them as my family. You've been wondering where all our wounds came from right? Well, they came from both my father and uncle when they get drunk, which is basically every night.
They hardly let us go out or have friends. They don't know about Ariza and Raquel because my mom and I have kept it a secret from them. If they ever found out about them I wouldn't be here today, neither would my mom. I don't even know what my mom and I did to deserve this. We were once happy together but something changed. The sad thing is that my mom doesn't leave the house unless they send her out from some alcohol and cigarettes when they get kicked out of the store. My mom is all alone in the house until they come home and beat her for no reason until she passes out.

Did you ever try running away?

Oh yes, many times. We have tried at least 5 times a year for the past 10 years. My dad has connections almost everywhere, so wherever we go one of his men always finds us and brings us back. And when we are brought back, like clockwork, we get the beating of a lifetime with both my father and uncle tag-teaming to take turns punishing us.
So yeah, we stopped trying to run away after a while. We do everything we can to avoid being punished. Especially me, everything I do will reflect back to my mom. She is getting older so I'm not sure how long sure can stand to take that much punishment.

Back to the story...

"So, are y'all gonna tell me who we are meeting?" I said smiling my biggest smile.

"We should probably tell her, Raquel, " whispered Ariza.

"Yea you should tell me, " I whispered back just to get an eye roll from both of them.

"Fine, " Raquel started. "We were supposed to meet some guys at the mall but-"

"What?!" I panicked. "You guys know how my parents fell about that! They are very strict about this!"

We are practically banned from ever seeing a guy, I added in my mind.

Flashback~

Imani's Pov (10 years old)

I sat on my knees in front of my father while he gripped my hair in one hand and an empty vodka bottle in the other. Blood and tears were running down my face and arms while cuts started to sting on my back. My mother was God knows where probably being punished by my uncle.

This time, momma and I were being punished because she took me to the park and while I was there I met with Ariza, Raquel, and Ryder, Raquel's soon to be a boyfriend.

"Now you listen here you little b*tch!" he shook my hair causing me to yelp. "You are not allowed to leave here again! Do you understand me?!" he screamed at me. "You and your mom belong to your uncle and me! So I don't want any other boy near you, you hear me, slut!"

"I said DO YOU HEAR ME?!" he snarled.

"Y-yes!" I whimpered.

"Yes, what?"

"Y-yes sir, " I stuttered.

"If you don't listen then I can't promise that the poor boy will live, " he said throwing me across the room. I tried to upright myself to no avail since I was beaten so badly.

He started to walk over to me slowly while he lit a cigarette. When he got over to where I was, he lowered himself to my level.

He put his hand back on my hair and grabbed it tightly, bringing me up to his vicious lips and whispered, "And when I kill him, it would be all your fault. All because you couldn't follow simple instructions," he finished, throwing me back down and smashed the bottle on my back, causing me to pass out.

End of Flashback~

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Thanks for reading!



John Taylor (46 years old / Imani's dad)^^



Jay Taylor (44 years old / Imani's uncle)^^



Naomi Taylor (40 years old / Imani's mom) ^^

I might put a picture of Raquel, Ariza, and Imani in the next chapter😋.