"Rose wake up", I heard my mother's voice. "Two more minutes mom", I replied tiredly. "No Rose, you have to wake up now". My entire body felt sore. I slowly opened my eyes and saw my mother's tear stained face. I looked around and realised that I was lying on the living room floor. The events of last night came rushing back. As if on accord, tears came rushing to my eyes.
"Come Rose, let's get you to your room because we don't want Damon to see you down here when he's going to work" she said. "What time is it?",I asked her.
"It's about 4:00am", she responded. She helped me to get up from the floor and as she was helping me up the stairs, pain started to rack my entire body and at this point, the tears just started flowing. I sobbed quietly as my mom assisted me up the stairs and to my room. I sat on my bed and she followed suit.
"Mom, why do we have to stay here with that man?", I asked her as tears streamed down my face. "What do you mean Rose?", she inquired. "I mean exactly what I said mom. Why do we have to stay here with that man? Can't you see that he is only hurting us? He has done more bad than good for us!", I shouted angrily.
"Rose stop being ungrateful! Damon has put a roof over our heads and food on our table, what more could we ask for", she said angrily. "I'm ungrateful?", I asked in disbelief. "For the past few years, me.....your daughter.....I've taken countless beatings for no reason at all and you don't see anything wrong with that?He has been using me as his personal punching bag to get out his anger. You think it's normal for my stepfather to beat me untill I can't even walk!, you think he's a good man because he let's us live in his house?, you think he has the right to physically abuse me because he provides food? Is that what you think mom?", I shouted as tears continued to stream down my face.
"Mom,I'm your only daughter, your only child and you think that this is what I deserve? You care about the food and the shelter that he provides more than the life of your only child? Am I not worthy of peace,love and a happy home?", I weeped.
"Mom, I don't know how longer I'll be able to hold on. I'm constantly walking on egg shells in this house.....the only room I'm allowed in is my room. I can only use the kitchen when he's either not at home or if he's sleeping. And you call this living? Mom this is not living....this is surviving! Why is it so hard for you to see that mom?", I cried as if my life depended on it.
"Rose we can't leave, we can't betray him like that,he loves us", she sobbed. "Oh my God. He really has you wrapped around his finger.If you really think that your demon of a husband loves us then you must be crazy. He doesn't love us mom! He never did, but you were and still is too blind to see that"
"No!, stop it Roselyn, you don't know what you're saying", she said as tears streamed down her face.
"Can't you see that I'm hurting physically and emotionally. Mom I'm suferring, we both are. Mom we don't need that man, you have your own job, you work your own money, we can afford our own house without his help. Mom we don't need to stay here, we don't need him", I said, desperately trying to let her see clearly.
"No Rose, we aren't going anywhere and that's final!", she said firmly as she got up from my bed and stormed out the door. I lay flat on my bed and cried. I cried for my mom. I cried for myself. I cried for my dead father. I cried at the fact that I'll never get to experience unconditional love and peace. I cried and cried until no tears came. By the time I was finished crying, it was 6:30am.
I got up from the bed slowly and painfully made my way over to the closet. I grabbed undies, black sweatpants and a white loose fitted blouse and made my way to the bathroom. I hopped in the shower and took a long bath in warm water to soothe my aching muscles.I then got out of the shower,got dressed and brushed my teeth.
I looked in the mirror and my eyes were bloodshot and slightly swollen from all the crying.'Ugly', I thought. My left cheek had a hand imprinted on it and as for the rest of my bruises, they couldn't be seen by an onlooker. I lifted my blouse and took a look at the bruise on my stomach, I checked to see if any of my ribs were broken and was thankful that none was broken.
I grabbed my makeup bag and applied it on my face to conceal the bruise on my cheek. I brushed my hair and put it in a messy bun on top of my head. I grabbed my phone from the night stand and it was now 8:00am. I grabbed my bag and went downstairs. It took me about 15 minutes to descend the stairs. I made my way to the kitchen and grabbed a pack of strawberries.
I got in my car and drove to burger king about 20 minutes away from the house. I went through the drive thru and bought a strawberry milkshake and an american chicken sandwich. I sat in the car and ate it and then went to school. By the time I reach school, 1st period which I had free was finish and lunch was also finish. I pulled up in the school's parking lot and made my way slowly to the entrance. I gritted my teeth and wore an emotionless expression as pain soared through my body. I didn't bother going to my locker, I just went to first period and went to the back of the class. I felt like I've just walked miles. I rested my head on the desk and tried to catch my breath.
"Good Morning class", Miss.Jenkin's voice startled me. My eyes bulged out as my mind registered what was going on. "Shoot", I whispered...... I didn't remember that the test was today.
Miss Jenkins handed out a paper to everyone. "You know the rules, so I won't repeat them. You have one hour and fifteen minutes to complete this paper which consists of 45 questions, you may begin",she said.
I wrote my name on the paper and attempted all the questions. I was only able to do the first 3 steps of each question. Deep down I knew that I failed that paper. After an hour of misery, I wobbled painfully to the principal's office, and got a pass to go home early.
I drove home and went straight to the kitchen. Both mom and Damon should be at work so I started making dinner since I haven't had a proper dinner in a while. I made fried chicken and pasta. I also made strawberry and pineapple smoothie. I sat at the kitchen counter an ate. I washed the dishes and cleaned up the kitchen and went straight to my room.
I grabbed a pyjama shorts and a loose fitted blouse from my closet and went and took a warm shower to soothe my sore muscles. The bruise on my stomach was purple with shades of black around it. It looked horrible. After my shower I got dressed and went to bed. I moaned as my body came in contact with the soft matras. I retrieved my laptop from the night stand and watched a movie.One movie led to 3 and by the time I was finish, outside was dark so I turned off the laptop and went to sleep.
Author's Note: Heeeeey cutiesssss!!!!!!! So you've made it to Chapter 5 of HBNB. Let me know what you think about this chapter down in the comment section below. Comment as many times as you wish! Thanks for supporting this book🙏🏾😁I'm truly grateful.
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Hurting But Not Broken
Teen Fiction** Cover made by @oceancrest- ** A girl born to a mother who is brainwashed to believe that some men show their love by beating their wives and children. A girl who is abused by her stepfather. She's not the epitome of the usual abused girls that...
