Breathe

Part 1: Life

My head felt lighter than hydrogen. My breath was shaky. My throat was getting tighter and tighter the more he tightened his grip. I knew that this was it for me. "You have and will never be a good dad," I manage to get out before losing all feeling.

I wake up to the sound of yelling and the loud bang of the kitchen equipment hitting the floor. For me, this is normal. My parents aren't the best people out there but they are okay I guess. I get out of bed to change for the day. Today is the first day of my senior year, thank god. I put on a hoodie with the school's logo on it and paired it with a pair of sweats and my Nike tennis shoes. The screaming and yelling has stopped so that means either they passed out from the drugs or they left. I have one younger sibling, Abby , she is going to start 7th grade this year.

I walked Abby to the middle school building. I see her look down after seeing Sara, the basic popular rich white girl that for some reason all schools have, "Don't let her get to you. If she starts to mess with you at all, punch her right between her eyes, don't worry about getting into trouble. I will deal with the principal and our parents," I looked at her and she looked up with a smile plastered on her face. "You got it and don't forget to have a good day too, Mia." she said before walking into the building. The high school was a little ways down the street. I walked to the building peacefully. The one person that I didn't want to see was standing there. Leaned against the doorway. "Fuck," I whisper to myself. I walk up to the door quickly trying not to get caught. I felt a tug on my hood. "You think you can get away from me?" his dark raspy voice managed to get out. " I'm sorry, I just have to get to class, Daniel." He hit the top of my head pretty hard and pulled my head close to his so he could whisper in my ear. "That's dad to you, now where is my money brat?" I felt his warm breath on my neck before I could say anything he reached into my hoodie pouch and pulled out my two tens. "That's my lunch money," I regretted saying, he tightened his grip on the back of my neck pulling tight on my hood making it harder to breath. He let go of me and pushed me into the door. "Thanks for the cash," He shoved my money into his pocket and walked off. I ran inside before I could be late on the first day. I barely made it to the first period. " You made it," Gabriel yelled and ran up to me. Gabriel is my very gay best friend. He means the world to me, he is one of the only people who thinks I can do something and not turn into a junky, like my parents.

It was the end of the school day, the day was normal. Gabe and I were walking to the middle school to pick up Abby. We were just talking nonsense when we made it to the middle school. We saw Abby staying by the front door with tears in her eyes. I have to admit one of the few things that upset me is seeing my baby sister hurt. When Abby saw us, she started walking towards us and I could see Sara and her friends laughing in my peripheral vision. I could feel my face heating up before I could do anything. I felt Gabe grab my arm, "You will get into a lot of trouble if you go up there," I look at him before grabbing Abby and hugging her. "You okay? I told you to just punch her in the face" I asked her. I could feel her warm tears against my chest and heard a little giggle. "I didn't want either of us getting into trouble," she said. We walked Gabe home before heading home ourselves.

I opened the door and before even walking into the house I hear screaming and stuff being smashed. I walk in before letting Abby inside, I walk her to her bedroom. "I love you," Abby says before I close the door, "Love you too," I had to go to work. I head back out the door, I really hate my job but if I want Abby and me to survive I have to do it. I walk down the street and I see my first stop. The grocery store, I work from 4:30pm to 7pm on the weekdays and Sunday. I don't work there on Saturdays, time felt really slow today. After my shift finally ended I walked to the library with 30 minutes to spare before my shift so I sit at one of the tables in the back and I get the little bit of homework I have done. I still have ten minutes left but like most days I just start a bit early. I finally made it back home after spending 7 hours at school then 5 hours of work. I lay my bag next to my bed before changing into some basketball shorts and a tank top. I laid down on my bed and before I even knew it I was out.

The next couple of days go by the same thing over and over again until today. I had a morning shift at the grocery store today, 7am to 10:30am. I get up around 6:30am so I make sure to give myself enough time. I change into my uniform. I go and get Abby, I'm going to drop her off with her friend, Ava. Abby and Ava have been friends about as long as Gabe and I have. Abby was dressed and waiting on her bed for me. We leave the house, not too long after we left we make it to Ava's house. " Have a good day," I said as Ava and Abby walk away together.