This is my first story it is about a girl that has to go throug all these problems at a young age i hope you like it. and can yous also help me name the story ill give a shout out the the best name.
Chapter One
I woke up screaming from another nightmare. The same nightmare I've been trying to run from for seventeen years. It starts off with me living in a happy family a loving mother and caring father, my sister and brother. Then it turns to real life my father is beating me and my mother is helpless to stop it. I still bear the scars to this very day a living reminder that nothing is what it seems on the outside. I haven't seen my father for three years. Yet he still haunts my dreams. My name is Aphrodite Raksha I am seventeen years old and go to high school. I have a slim body and great curves with awesome waist length red hair. I live with my mother Lily and my sister Ruby and my brother Stephan all who I love and would protect to the grave. Stephan is my twin brother but we have totally different personalities. He also has reddy-brown hair and a more muscular build than me.
Today is Thursday and I have school I had a shower to wash the last of the dream away so I could go to school and get through the day. I got dressed and quickly did my hair and makeup packed my lunch and ran to get the bus I was late as I had slept in again. Suzie my best friend was saving two seats one for me and the other for Aaron she saw my expression and immediately asked
"Same dream again?"
I grimaced. "Yes the dream always gets worse. It doesn't change it just seems worse."
She started giving me that look I knew so well as she had been giving it to me for the last ten years. "I am not doing counselling I don't need or want it. OK."
Now it was her turn to grimace. "Aphrodite you are not getting enough sleep anymore because of these dreams you need to talk to someone. Forget the tough girl routine that you have been performing to anyone that gives you sympathy. Please." It was always so hard to perform the tough girl look around Suzie because she always saw through it. She knew me so well. It was then that the bus stopped and Aaron got on. "I'll think about it ok." She saw Aaron and said.
"Well at least that is progress." Aaron sat down and kissed me and I kissed him back. I forgot to mention before but Aaron is my boyfriend he is hot, strong, stylishly messy hair and has muscles to compliment his breathtaking tan body and he is all mine.
"Morning Aaron did you sleep well." I asked him as he smiled.
"Better than you I imagine. You look really tired did you get any sleep at all last night?" He said noticing the lines under my eyes.
"Sure I did but not much worrying about the exams you know usual stuff this time of year." He didn't look like he believed me neither did Suzie but they didn't say anything and for that I was grateful.
The bus pulled up to school and we all went down to the oval for a smoke. I rolled Suzie and Aaron a smoke as they had none as always. Aaron smiled after he took a puff.
"Man that feels good." He said smiling.
I punched him lightly and laughed. "It's bad for you idiot."
He kissed me again then said. "Your smoking too so it can't be that bad for you cause you still look amazing." I smiled then hit him again. "Sorry forgot you don't like compliments."
"It's fine I am kinda getting used to your slip-ups. But don't make a habit of it."
Suzie coughed then to get our attention again. "I really need to get a boyfriend. I might be able to stomach being around you guys then." Aaron and I laughed at that.
"Come on we need to study for the exams and the teachers are not gonna give us any slack." At that we all pulled our text books out of our bags and began to study for the next half hour before the 8.40am bell went to signal that class was starting.
"Great the torture begins" I said with a groan. Stephan came down just as we finished packing our books.
"Hey Aphrodite can I borrow some money for a drink. Please."
"Fine but you have to buy me one as well." I said as I handed over the money.
"Thanks sis I'll meet you outside of your form class ok."
"Yup hurry up." He left in the direction of the shop then and Aaron, Suzie and I headed to form. When we got up to the classrooms Aaron had to leave to go to his form class Suzie and I had a different form class to him. So we kissed goodbye.
"See you in Bio Aaron Love you" I called. He smiled over his shoulder at me.
"Love you too." I had to hide a smile as I always got a thrill when he said he loves me. Form was quick the teacher marked the role then read out the notices. The notices were always boring so Suzie was trying to convince me to go to the school nurse.
"Come on Aphrodite the nurse can't tell anyone what you say in there so it is the perfect opportunity to talk about your problems. If you want I'll come in with you." I suppressed a groan as I knew she was just trying to help.
"Ok I'll go to the school nurse at lunch. But you're coming with me." She smiled and started clapping.
"OK stop clapping or we will get into trouble." As she stopped clapping the bell went and we got up to go to biology. Stephan was waiting for me outside.
"Here is your drink and change." He said handing them to me.
"Thanks." I took them and put the change in my pocket. "Oh yeah caffeine buzz time. Stephan you had better sign in before you get in trouble."
"You know me I always get out of trouble I think the teachers love my good looks." He gave me a hug then left towards the office.
"He can be so full of himself sometimes can't he?"
"Yer but in a good way." She said smiling. Suzie and I headed off to Aaron's form class then so we could head off to biology together.
When we met up with him he looked worried that was not a look that suited him. I mean someone that hot and smart shouldn't be worried at all. Or that's what I thought. "Hey what's up you look worried about something." I knew something was up and he wouldn't tell me and I was right with the next words he spoke. "I am fine just worried if I'll pass the exams or not." I knew he would pass the exams as he was smart so I shot a look at Suzie that said if you have told him anything I'll kill you. She just shrugged and Aaron didn't miss the look or the shrug.
"What are you girls hiding?" He asked.
"Nothing!" We both chorused.
He shook his head at us. "I must say for the record that girls still confuse me to the point of madness. Even if you think they are easy to understand."
Suzie and I giggled at that. "Come on Aaron we are gonna be late for our exam if we keep talking, and all the talking in the world still won't help you understand girls."
"You may be right about that but no harm in trying right?" He asked
"Sure but many a man have wasted away trying to understand us. My opinion it's not worth doing that." Aaron nodded thoughtfully at that as we all headed off to class.
By the time we all got to class everyone was already in the classroom sitting down so we snuck in while the teacher was looking the other way and got our study books out. Like the rest of the student we were doing last minute studying before we had to put our books away. When the teacher turned back around he marked the role and handed out the exam papers facedown.
"Alright every put your books away the exam starts in one minute." We all did as he asked and settled in for the long exam. "Ok turn your papers over and you may begin you have the whole lesson."
I read through the exam paper before I started it looked majorly hard but normally if it looks hard it means you haven't studied long enough. I picked up my pencil air kissed Aaron for luck then I started. Seventy minutes later the teacher told us to put down our pencils turn our papers over and head out to our next exam. When I got out I groan again.
"I don't even know why I picked Bio for a subject trying to remember all of the bones in the human body and the organs is a fucking nightmare. I mean I don't think I'll be a doctor in this life or the next so why bother doing the exam. Or better yet pick the class in the first place. Maybe it is because I hate exams that I am like this."
Aaron shook his head at me and Suzie said. "Language Aphrodite and this subject isn't a waste of time doctors earn a lot of money and you can continue studying Bio in Uni. Besides you're really good at it I have seen your marks all year top marks in the class. So I don't know why you complain about it this much."
I laughed. "I don't think I am smart just good at school. And I don't think I will be able to be a doctor or anything that will come close to earning a lot of money."
Steve spoke up from behind me then saying. "I don't believe that for a second you are one smart red head. I would personally like you as my doctor." Steve has been a good friend of mine since primary school. He has a dark brown hair and a light build of muscles with dimples in his cheeks when he smiles.
I laughed at that and hugged him. "Hey it's good to see you we missed you this morning on the oval."
"Yeah I came to school late I missed the bus trying to cram for the exams."
I smiled. "Yeah I almost miss the bus myself I took forever to get ready again and I couldn't drive because I didn't get much sleep. I don't like driving on only a little bit of sleep because I could be the cause of an accident then."
As soon as Steve hugged Suzie I said. "Hey lets walk down to the park and pick up some chips on the way I am starving. We can make it like a really early lunch since your next exam is during lunch." Aaron and Suzie said that they were both up for some fun.
"Come on Steve I'll shout everyone lunch and give you a smoke as well. You and Aaron still have an hour to kill before your next exam." I thought it would be great if we had a few more people coming with us so I made a few phone calls to Eddy, Daniel, Chloe, Braydon, Stephanie and Melody all of them agreed to come as well so I told them to meet us at the park down the road from school. Eddy, Daniel and Braydon are on the football team and they won us the season. Eddy and Braydon both have black hair and Daniel has blond hair needless to say they have muscles as well and also sweat… a lot. Stephanie has blond hair and is obsessive about it Melody and Chloe have black hair. They all keep their hair at shoulder length and they all have slim bodies like mine.
"Ok Aaron and Steve you head down to the park and meet the others there and Suzie and I will get the food and drinks. OK,"
They both agreed to it but Aaron was more reluctant to leave us girls than Steve was. "Aaron just go to the park, ok me and Suzie need to talk about some private girl stuff." He made a face at that but left anyway. As soon as they were out of hearing range I turned to Suzie.
"You didn't tell him anything did you about the dreams? Because he looked worried before"
She shook her head. "I would never tell him unless you wanted me to you know that."
I sighed. "I know I am sorry I guess I am just stressed out about the exams and the fact that it is hard to concentrate when you have had next to no sleep."
She gave me a hug. "It's all right Aphrodite but we had better get everybody their lunch. You know how guys can get when they have to wait." I nodded and we then went to the shop across the road from school and bought ten dollars' worth of chips, sauces and two large soft drink bottles. One was coke and the other was creaming soda. Our favourite drinks. We ran into Stephan on the way out of the store.
"Whoa." I said as I ran into him he steadied me so that I wouldn't fall over. "What are you doing ditching your exams?"
He didn't seem to care about the fact that he had exams for the next two weeks. "I don't have any exams till lunch."
I folded my arms across my chest and said. "I don't believe you." He held out his exam timetable and I took it scanning the exams he had today and he was right his next exam wasn't till first lunch. I handed it back to him. "Sorry I didn't believe you Stephan but you know how you are any chance you get to skip school you will."
"Well thanks for your vote of confidence in me." He said sounding annoyed.
I handed him the change in my pocket from this morning. "Buy yourself a drink and meet us at the park there is a group of my friends hanging out there eating an early lunch till eleven then they have exams to go to." He looked happy that I invited him to hang out with my group.
"Cool you sure you don't mind." He asked making sure I wasn't joking.
"No I don't mind and it is better than you getting into trouble for wondering around the school doing nothing." Suzie was happy also that he was coming and I was so gonna ask her why.
"Well hurry up we'll wait outside." As soon as he left I turn to Suzie. "What's up with you and my brother?"
She looked shocked. "Nothing why?"
I shook my head as I said. "The look you always get around him says something else. That's why so spill."
"Ok but you can't tell Stephan anything ok."
I grinned. "Sure just spill."
She peeked inside the shop to make sure he was still busy then she said. "I like your brother a lot and I don't know if he feels the same way about me." I so didn't like the way this was going.
"And you want me to ask him right?" She nodded.
"I mean your twins and family so he might tell you." Stephan came out the shop then and asked.
"Who might tell you what?" He asked curiously.
I smacked him over the head lightly. "It's not nice to eavesdrop on others conversations." So he left it alone looking sheepish. I turned to Suzie.
"I'll try but we should get down there before the food gets cold." Everyone was already at the park by the time we got down there. I set the chips out on the table. "Ok everyone dig in before it gets cold." I sat next to Aaron and kissed him before he could shove a handful of chips in his mouth and he kissed me back briefly then started eating.
Suzie laughed. "You shouldn't get between guys and their food."
I laughed as well and started eating. Five minutes later all the chips were gone so I guessed everyone was as hungry as me and they started talking about their exams that were coming up next session. I turned to Suzie.
"Hey pass your camera over." I said
"Why." She asked as she got it out.
"Because I am sick of the exams and just want everyone to have fun right now." I got up and stood on the table. "Hey everyone shut up." I yelled to get their attention. They all looked up at me then. "Ok I don't want anyone to talk about exams we are here to have fun. So that's what we are gonna do." I held up the camera and snapped a shot of everyone I could get in the photo. "We are gonna take photos and have some fun." They were all up for my plan of fun. We made it a photo war to see who could be the silliest. I rolled some smokes for Aaron, Suzie and I and sat back and watched most of it and when the camera was on us we pulled faces. Suzie was watching Stephan most of the time. Especially when the guys took off their shirts to show off their muscles and started climbing the trees. When it was quarter to eleven we started packing up so Stephan, Braydon, Daniel, Stephanie, Chloe and Aaron wouldn't miss their next exam. Eddy, Steve and Melody were heading to the library to study. So Suzie and I were free to do what we wanted for lunch and as I promised we headed up to the school nurse after saying bye to Aaron. I stopped outside the office.
"I changed my mind I don't want to do it anymore. I mean think what it will do to my reputation if they see me here." My reputation was that of a badass and someone with smart mouth. I kind of like that reputation and didn't want it to change to someone who needed help.
"Well you have come this far so you might as well." I still wasn't sure that I wanted to talk to a complete stranger about my problems but it would make Suzie feel better.
"Fine I'll go but if anyone sees me we are here for you got it?" I said.
"Ok sure" she said as she dragged me into the office. Suzie knocked on the door.
"Come in." The nurse called. I groan.
"It'll be good for you to get help." Suzie said it in a way that was supposed to be comforting but it didn't help. We went in and sat down the nurse closed the door and got straight down to business.
"So what's the problem?"
Suzie spoke up for me. "Aphrodite has been having these nightmares about her father and she is not getting much sleep because of it."
The nurse nodded. "Can you tell me about these dreams?"
I slumped back in the chair. "Well it starts off with me living in a normal family then it's like reality sets in and my father is beating me and my mother is helpless to stop it. When she tries she gets beat as well." The nurse was jotting down notes as I was speaking.
"How is your relationship with your father?" She inquired.
"It's non-existent I haven't seen him for three years cause I refuse to and when I did see him he was always beating me cause he had a bad day." She wrote down some more notes.
"Did you ever do anything fun with him?" She replied.
I laughed at that. "No I never did anything fun with him other than watching him get drunk." Suzie didn't think it was funny and neither did the nurse.
"Ok well I am going to give you some relaxing exercises for you to do to help you go to sleep. Come back tomorrow or after the holidays and tell me if they helped at all and you should go see a counsellor as well." After she gave me some handouts on how to relax we left.
"That did not help me at all."
She gave me a hug. "It takes time miracles don't happen overnight." She said soothingly.
"Well I need a smoke now wanna join me?" She nodded in response and put some music on for us to listen to as we headed down to the oval.
I handed her a smoke and lit up my own. "I wonder how the others are doing on their exam."
Suzie put on a thoughtful face. "Well Aaron will probably do well the others maybe not so much cause they didn't study much."
"True." I agreed.
"What about Stephan? How do you think he will go?" I asked curious to see what she would say about him.
She put on that thoughtful face again. "Well he is your twin so he'll probably get a good mark." Melody and Steve came down for a smoke then.
"Hey guys! Where's Eddy?"
Steve laughed. "Studying I don't think he wants to fail again." I laughed as well. Eddy always failed because he didn't care much about school. Or about the marks he got. But his mum said that she would kick him out if he didn't pick his grades up so he could see what the "real" world is like. But Eddy only told me that and asked me to keep it a secret so I have.
"I think he is trying to impress a girl." Melody said.
Suzie laughed at that. "What by getting good marks and looking smart."
"I like smart and hot guys!" Melody exclaimed.
I interrupted before a fight broke out. "We all have different takes on what we like in guys."
"True but you have the hottest guy in school." Melody interrupted.
"So you have Steve." I said. Steve looked a little hurt over that but we were all saved by the bell.
"Come on everyone we have an exam to get to." I hurried to get out of there with Suzie. "Man that could have been hell back there. I hate being cool sometimes." I said
Suzie shrugged. "It's life."
I groaned. As we stood outside of our accounting class waiting for our teacher Aaron walked up. "Hey Aaron, What's up?" I asked
He kissed me and said. "I just came by to give you a little luck not that you need it."
I smiled and kissed him. "Well thanks. How did you go on the exam?" I asked
He shrugged. "Not that bad I answered all the questions."
"Our teacher is coming so you had better go." I said as I hugged him. Our teacher Mr Brown herded us in as Aaron left. Suzie and I sat as close as we could and waited for Mr Brown to hand out the papers and tell us to start. He said the usual boring speech about not cheating as we are only cheating ourselves then he told us to start.
The exam was an hour and a half long but I was rather good at geography and the time flew by. It felt so good to get out of the classroom after sitting in there for so long. Suzie whooped.
"God that exam was awful." She said.
"Then why are you happy?" I asked
"I am happy because I am out of that classroom and we have no more exams today!" She cried.
I just shook my head at her.
"Come on Suzie, I'll buy us something to eat. I am famished." Suzie stopped cheering then and turned to look at me. "What. Do I have something on my face?" I asked her feeling self-conscious.
"No. You don't but you just ate like two and a half hours ago. You can't still be hungry?" She said.
I didn't see what was wrong about being hungry all the time besides gaining weight.
"Is this you worrying about me gaining weight?" If it was that was sweet I guess. I always hated gaining weight. "Because you don't need to worry about me."
"No. It's not that come on I think there is something else we need to buy." She said dragging me to the bus stop I followed along feeling dumb.
Twenty-five minutes later we were standing outside of a chemist. I had a large hot chips covered in gravy and a big bar of chocolate which I was eating while my chips were cooling down enough to eat.
"What are we doing here?" I asked. I hated not knowing what was happening.
"We are here because I think you may be pregnant." That was a blow I choked on my food. I didn't know what I was expecting but that wasn't it. Suzie started patting me on the back.
"What! I can't be pregnant!" I exclaimed when I could talk again.
"Well it all fits doesn't it?" She said sighing. I felt like I was getting dumber by the minute.
"What all fits?" She started shaking her head.
"The dreams, the weird sleeping patterns and the craving you have for chips and chocolate. Not to mention the fact that you are vomiting. I just thought you were turning bulimic with all the vomiting." She was right. They were all pregnancy symptoms. I sat down on the ground.
"Oh god, what am I going to do if I am? What about Aaron?" Suzie settled into the role of calming me down.
"It's all right we don't know for sure these could also be the symptoms of stress. But to be on the safe side we should buy a test. Ok?" She started patting me on the back still calming me down.
"You're right, we'll just buy a test and go on from there." Suzie walked up to one of the staff and asked for assistance. I admired her confidence in times like these.
"What can I do for you?" The staff member asked her.
"I need an early detection pregnancy test." The staff member showed us where they were and left. I walked closer to Suzie.
"Which one do we get?" I whispered.
Suzie grabbed one off the shelf then led me to the register. I paid for the test and we left.
"Ok so do we tell Aaron that I might be pregnant or not?" I asked
"No we should wait till after you do the test." Suzie was still trying to appear calm. I guess that was for my sake.
"Well lets go back to my house we will have it to ourselves since everyone else is out. I think school is finished for the day well for us anyway." I said.
I checked to make sure the house was empty before collapsing down on the sofa. Suzie sat down beside me with a bag of chips that I immediately started eating.
"Did you wanna do the test now?" I could tell that she was getting impatient and wanted the results.
"No I'll do it later. The others will be home soon it took longer than I thought it would to get home." The truth is that I am putting it off for as long as I can. I don't really want to be a mum right now in my life and I am worried about what my mum would think.
"Aphrodite I want to know the moment you get the results then. If you need any help with anything call me." I turned around and looked at her.
"Are you leaving?" She nodded.
"Yes, I should study for my exams tomorrow your lucky you finished all your exams this week." I gave her what I thought was a good luck smile.
"Cya tomorrow then and I'll talk to Stephan for you." She gave me a hug and headed out. I sat on the couch watching TV and eating the chips for about an hour thinking about the situation I am now in. Stephan snuck up behind me then and scared the crap out of me.
"What the hell did you do that for?" I yelled at him.
"Are you ok? It was just a joke." Great now I am snapping at my brother.
"Yes I'm fine. I just have a lot going on right now." He sat down next to me and looked at me.
"Wanna talk about it?" He asked
I thought about having someone in my family to know what was going on. Someone who wouldn't freak out as badly as mum would. So why not talk to my twin brother?
"Yes, I might be pregnant." I said
Stephan jumped up so fast then it looked like he had been electrocuted.
"What!" He looked like he was ready to kill someone. Aaron.
"Calm down Suzie thought that I might be that's all. We are just checking it out ok." He sat down again. I did not expect that reaction at all.
"Well, have you done the test yet?" He asked
I shook my head. "I am worried about what Aaron will think."
"You have got to be kidding me right?" Stephan was doing a great job of being a brother I have got to admit that.
"What?" I was beginning to worry that I made a mistake in telling my brother.
"You're worried what he will think. Just worry about yourself for now. Please for me?" I could never say no to him so I said the only other thing I could.
"Ok." I realised that as I said it I meant it. I needed to worry about me at the moment. I got up then. "I am going to bed to have some time to think about this wake me up for dinner ok." He nodded.
I put some quiet relaxing music on when I got to my room and drifted off to sleep. When I woke up it was night time I glanced at my clock it was 8pm great. I got out of bed and got my pjs which was a shirt that said what doesn't kill me makes me stronger and cotton shorts grabbed my towel and left my room for the shower. I was so preoccupied with my thoughts that I ran into Ruby.
"Hey Aphrodite. Have you been asleep this whole time?"
"Yeah, I have been really tired lately. I am so glad my exams are over though." I said with relief. "Well I am going for a shower is anyone in there?"
"Nah you're good." Ruby said. I left her then needing a hot shower really badly. I let the hot water run over me for a few minutes before I started washing myself. After another few minutes I got out dressed and blow dried my hair. I went to Stephan's room to check on him.
"Hey Stephan." I called from his doorway.
"Come in." He called from the depths of his den. He was sitting on his bed when I walked in.
"I just wanted to say thanks for saving me dinner." I said.
"No problem. Have you done the test?" He asked I walked over and sat on the bed with him.
"No. But I will soon." I said firmly so he wouldn't push it. But I decided to push another subject. "Hey do you like Suzie? Like really like her?" I started to feel stupid for playing match maker. He gave me a look that I couldn't decipher.
"Is it that obvious?" He asked
Whoa that shocked me. "Huh. No but she likes you that's why I am asking." I laughed as he blushed a bright red. "Don't worry just ask her out I am 99.9% sure she'll say yes."
"Ok I'll ask her out tomorrow." He said sounding nervous. Well I made someone happy tonight.
"I am going to go eat." He just nodded and I left. Stephan had left my dinner in the microwave so I set the time to two minutes to heat it up. It was lasagne my favourite Italian dish. After I ate I decided I was going to do the test in the morning. I think better on a full stomach. I went back to my room and sat at my computer. I pulled Suzie's camera out of my bag and hooked it up to the computer. I signed into Facebook and started downloading them onto the site. Five minutes later they had finished downloading and I tagged all my friends in the photos. My phone started ringing then I checked the caller ID it was Suzie.
"Hey Suzie what's up?" I said.
"I just wanted to know if you had done the test and tell you that I look hot in the photos you put up." I could just imagine Suzie bouncing up and down on her bed waiting for the news.
"I haven't done the test I am gonna do it in the morning." I knew she would be disappointed so I quickly said some good news. "But Stephan likes you and he's gonna ask you out tomorrow."
"OMG cool thank you so much." She gushed.
"I am driving Stephan to school tomorrow so I'll pick you up and tell you the results and Stephan knows I told him." I sounded so tired even though I already had a nap. I really needed to go to bed so I could actually get up on time.
"Ok pick me up at 8.30 and do you think it was a good choice to tell your brother." She sounded concerned.
"He is my brother and twin and I trust him. He said he'd help me if I was."
"Oh your brother is so sweet." She said
"I know I am lucky to have him." That was so true I am really lucky to have him as a brother. "Suzie I gotta get some sleep so I'll see you tomorrow."
"Ok then and you should pick Aaron up for school to ok."
"Alright I'll text him now. Bye." I said.
"Bye." Suzie said just before I hung up. I text Aaron saying I'll pick him up for school tomorrow his reply came almost straight after I sent the text. Our conversation read.
I'll pick u up 4 skool 2morrow k
K thanks babe.
No worries I have some news 2 give u 2morrow.
What kind?
Good.
Ok.
I am also gonna have Suzie and Stephan in the car ks.
Ok.
Nite I am gonna catch some zzz's. Ily
K nite babe. ily2
if i get a few review ill post the next chapter